Pat Riley admits to phantom call in '88 finals

Post #1 » by **Timmaytime** » Sat Jun 21, 2014 12:00 am

"In 1988, when we got Detroit, and Kareem hit that phantom sky hook foul, he had to make the two free throws," Riley said during his news conference Thursday. "He didn't choke. He did not choke on the free throws. He had to make them. He made them. And that led us to a seventh game and a win. But the next year, Detroit came back and swept us."

This was from his post-finals presser.

Finally admitted. thoughts?

Warspite · Post #2 » by **Warspite** » Sat Jun 21, 2014 1:02 am

Riley had a worse look at it than anyone but he knows that the refs should have swallowed the whistle. It was a great no call and a horribly late whistle by the wrong ref. In all honesty I thought Riley said this 20 yrs ago when he worked for NBC.

Q00 · Post #3 » by **Q00** » Sat Jun 21, 2014 3:00 am

Its eerily similar how those two eras played out for Riley, 25 years apart.

His 88 Lakers going for B2B, down 3-2 at home vs DET, get a lucky call in game 6 which allows them to survive and win the championship in 7. Then the next year DET comes back and sweeps them.

Last year his 2013 Heat going for B2B, down 3-2 at home vs SAS, get a lucky 3pt shot by Ray in game 6 which allows them to survive and win the championship in 7. Then the next year SAS comes back and practically sweeps them too.

Both those Laker and Heat teams went to 4 straight Finals too. Lakers from 1987-91. Heat from 2010-14.

Definitely a case of history repeating itself for Riley.

kf96 · Post #4 » by **kf96** » Sat Jun 21, 2014 6:45 am

Lakers was not in 91 finals, Blazers was

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Post #5 » by **roc** » Sat Jun 21, 2014 5:37 pm

Q00 wrote:Both those Laker and Heat teams went to 4 straight Finals too. Lakers from 1987-91. Heat from 2010-14.

kf96 wrote:Lakers was not in 91 finals, Blazers was

Actually LA was in the 91 Finals v the Bulls

90 is when the Blazers made it. LA had 3 straight trips then skipped a year. They did have 4 straight trips between 82-85.

As for the Miami timeline... they were not in the 2010 Finals, Boston was. That summer of 2010 was 'The Decision' and Miami made it to that 2011 Finals that they lost to Dallas.

Post #6 » by **Snakebites** » Sat Jun 21, 2014 5:40 pm

kf96 wrote:Lakers was not in 91 finals, Blazers was

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Bulls beat the Lakers in the finals in 91. Blazers reached the finals in 90 (lost to us) and 92 (lost to Bulls).

ImHeisenberg · Post #7 » by **ImHeisenberg** » Sat Jun 21, 2014 5:43 pm

Riley's opinion doesn't matter. He didn't make the call, it was the refs who did. Riles wasn't going to argue against it, obviously.

Q00 · Post #8 » by **Q00** » Sat Jun 21, 2014 6:12 pm

r0cd0gg wrote:
Q00 wrote:Both those Laker and Heat teams went to 4 straight Finals too. Lakers from 1987-91. Heat from 2010-14.

kf96 wrote:Lakers was not in 91 finals, Blazers was

Actually LA was in the 91 Finals v the Bulls

90 is when the Blazers made it. LA had 3 straight trips then skipped a year. They did have 4 straight trips between 82-85.

As for the Miami timeline... they were not in the 2010 Finals, Boston was. That summer of 2010 was 'The Decision' and Miami made it to that 2011 Finals that they lost to Dallas.

yeah, I was thinking of the 82-85 teams.

By '2010-2014' I just meant Miami's run to 4 straight started in 2010, not that they were in the Finals in 2010.