I mean, stars have gotten preferential treatment from the refs for decades, but it's gotten to the point where it's darned near unwatchable. LeBron can do just about anything he wants and tell the ref what is an is not a foul on him. Harden can do the electric slide with the ball and not get called for travelling. Giannis can just put his head down and barrel through people like a fullback. And Curry can just travel endlessly (even by today's standards where a travel is more than 4 steps) and push people off with forearm shivers and it's never called (except as a foul on the defense).
Generic NBA Playoffs Thread.
- Thread starter LionJim
- Start date
that's absolute nonsense.
Have you ever spent time talking to refs? If so, you'd know that what you are claiming is virtually impossible to accomplish.
The NBA and the TV network probably hope that the series goes 7 games. But they have almost no ability to cause that to happen.
Perhaps if the ref crews were the same throughout the series, a league that wanted to influence games might be able to accomplish some degree of input. But that's not the case in the NBA finals. Game 4: Crew chief - James Capers, Referee - Kane Fitzgerald, Umpire - Eric Lewis ; Game 3: Crew chief - Scott Foster, Referee - David Guthrie, Umpire - Courtney Kirkland; etc.
There are 12 refs assigned to the NBA finals, based on how they graded out during the first three rounds of the 2022 playoffs. In addition, 6 other refs are selected as alternatives for the NBA finals in the event that any of the 12 assigned have injuries or other issues that prevent them from working a game.
And FWIW, the last 3 NBA finals went 6 games. The 1 before that went 4 games. The 1 before that went 5 games. It's been 6 years since a NBA final went 7 games, so if the NBA had such a dire need to drum up interest in their product, and was fixing the finals to go 7 games, they've done a pretty bad job of it in the past 6 years. Heck, in the past decade, only 2 series went to 7 games.
Wrong again, Tom. The NBA desperately needs a 7 game series this year. The league has been fixing series for decades. It is only slightly less fixed than pro wrestling. They don’t do it every year, but they are doing it this year. It is obvious.
believe what you want. I've talked with multiple refs, and I've talked with multiple NBA players that have been on the finals. None of them would agree with your claim.
I really was unsure how G5 would go. Boston had a great 4th qtr in G1 and GSW had the same in G4. G2 and G3 were comfortable wins by GSW and Boston respectively, both on the other team's floor. Also, Boston has not lost back-to-back games in this year's playoffs. Basically, I thought you could make a strong case for just about anything in G5.
So how was the 1st half? GSW looked like they were going to blow out Boston in the 1st qtr, where they racked up a 27-16 left. GSW could have totally blown out the game in the 2nd qtr, but they missed a lot of open shots, so the score at the half was 51-39, GSW. In all the scenarios I played out, I don't think Boston being held to 39 points by the GSW in the 1st ever crossed my mind.
And just like that, Boston starts the 3rd qtr by scoring the 1st 9 points, to climb back into the game.
So how was the 1st half? GSW looked like they were going to blow out Boston in the 1st qtr, where they racked up a 27-16 left. GSW could have totally blown out the game in the 2nd qtr, but they missed a lot of open shots, so the score at the half was 51-39, GSW. In all the scenarios I played out, I don't think Boston being held to 39 points by the GSW in the 1st ever crossed my mind.
And just like that, Boston starts the 3rd qtr by scoring the 1st 9 points, to climb back into the game.
And the Celtics with a great 3rd qtr, outscoring the GSW 35-24. At the end of the 3rd, it's 75-74, GSW -- basically either team's game at this point.
Final in G5, 104-94, GSW. The Warriors outscored the Celtics in the 4th qtr, 29-20.
Crazy game. Steph had, for him, a pretty bad game. And Dramond Green fouled out in the 4th qtr. Andrew Wiggins had an exceptional game for the GSW.
On to G6 in Boston with the GSW up 3-2 in the series.
Crazy game. Steph had, for him, a pretty bad game. And Dramond Green fouled out in the 4th qtr. Andrew Wiggins had an exceptional game for the GSW.
On to G6 in Boston with the GSW up 3-2 in the series.
Many observers would agree with his claim, however. Whether or not it's true, it speaks to just how bad NBA officiating is. It's just so incredibly inconsistent, that it makes it very possible for anyone thinking "the refs are against Team X in this game" to make a case for it. It's basically a case where the equivalent of pass interference is in play multiple times down the court, and the refs seemingly pick and choose which occurrences they will, or won't call ... and that appears to ebb and flow with the direction of the game. Maybe it's the case that the pace of play, and amount of possible transgressions are just too much for the refs on the court to handle, but it's brutal. It's consistently brutal. But not consistent in terms of what calls are or are not made. I still remember the play from the previous game when Curry drove to the basket, and Horford challenged him. Horford never came close to making contact. He went straight up, and as Curry tried to come into him, he actually arched his midsection away so as to not draw contact. Curry stuck out his arm and pushed into Horford, despite going in a different direction. The foul was called against Horford. It was challenged, and upheld. It was bonkers. There's simply no way that's even disputable. Obvious offensive foul, in every universe of the multiverse. And you can find 20 more bad calls or non-calls in that game. And 20 more bad calls or non-calls in the games the Celts won. Sure, there are plenty of calls that could go either way, but there are also so many just "blown" calls/non-calls that it's hard to have faith in the arbiters of what is right and wrong.
With HD, slow-motion and infinite instant replays, we can see how bad the refs are ... and they are awful.
Yawn. It was a pre-determined outcome. Bet the house on Boston winning game 6. The NBA wants it no other way.
One more win to go. It will be hard to get in Boston, but the Dubs are road warriors. They have a fighting chance to close it out in six. (Unless you’re New Era, and insist that the NBA has ordered the Dubs to throw Game 6 so the Finals go a full seven games. Doesn’t that happen every year?)
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What a 1st half for the GSW. On the Celtics court, the Warriors lead 54-39. The Celtics started off red hot, scoring the 1st 12 points of the game. But the GSW won the 1st qtr, 27-22, and then won the 2nd qtr, 27-17.
Boston responds somewhat in the 3rd qtr, outscoring the GSW, 27-22. In the 4th qtr, the Celtics got to within 8 points (I believe that was their closest score). However, the GSW shot too well, and the Celtics made too many turnovers.
Final, 103-90, GSW
They win the series in 6 games, 4-2. (damn, I hope somebody didn't bet the house on Boston winning G6.)
Final, 103-90, GSW
They win the series in 6 games, 4-2. (damn, I hope somebody didn't bet the house on Boston winning G6.)
Good call knucklehead. Did you bet the house seeing how you have your finger on the pulse of the league?
Silicon Valley money came in on Warriors in six. There was too much money in on that bet for the NBA to let it go 7 games.
ah, when the results disprove your previous declaration, you just make up a new one.
I guess the Silicon Valley $$$$ made the Celtics turn the ball over 20+ times.
Well that didn’t age well.
Try again. Exactly how does this conspiracy work and how do they adjust on the fly?
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As a Sixers fan watching the Celtics go down in flames like that was fantastic. My son and I were rooting for the Warriors as hard as we would the Sixers.
Apparently Jason Tatum was walking the streets of Boston last night upset over the loss and his dismal play and someone walked by him and just whispered “Wiggins” aka his Baba Yaga. They got video of Tatum’s reaction when he heard the name….
Apparently Jason Tatum was walking the streets of Boston last night upset over the loss and his dismal play and someone walked by him and just whispered “Wiggins” aka his Baba Yaga. They got video of Tatum’s reaction when he heard the name….
Definitely intimidation from the big tech thugs in Silicon Valley who had placed big money on the game.
Have you met WeR0206, aka Dr. Conspiracy Guy? Seems like you guys might be comparing notes.
The big money went on the Celts. It was not far from a Pick'em. Tatum was burnt and the Celts played sloppy as a team can play in big moments. They played much more basketball down the stretch than anyone
W's are going to go on another run
That could happen. Who knows? They have a crazy amount of young talent to go with their main three guys. The Dubs prove that, at least in the NBA, it is good to be either really good (and contend for championships) or be really bad (and qualify for lottery picks that can really improve the team).
Of course some teams (Sixers, Clippers, etc.) have an extraordinary capacity for botching their draft picks. That used to describe the Warriors. Who will ever forget the awesome Todd Fuller (whom the Dubs picked ahead of Kobe), or the equally awesome Chris Washburn (whom the Dubs took No. 3 overall, and was pumping gas two years later).
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