If it is proved that the NBA was/is rigged...

[TonyMontana]

Your funny HH seriously...
You sound like a broken record, since this 2002 Lakers/Kings garbage came out of Donaghy , I have noticed that in every post you keep on repeating that the Lakers have to be stripped of their titles, call me crazy but how are you going to do that, be reasonable...........
Obviously we know your DISLIKE of the Lakers/Kobe/Lakerfans/Kobefans ... did I cover everyone, is strong.
But you keep repeating the same thing over and over again like even if Donaghy is telling the truth which I doubt, the Lakers Org. was involved in this scandle....Or better yet its the Lakers that should be punished for the NBA scams ........
Think about it man...........

He's right though. If this is all true, then the Lakers should logically be stripped of the 2002 title, because they would not have even been in the Finals at all that year.

Come on Man , make some sense when you post.
How is this the Lakers fault, and since there is no proof.
Also the series went to 7games, The Lakers beat the Nets ........... How are yu going to strip the Lakers of their title ......... Your excuse is they would not have even been in the Finals at all that year....... Not really a good excuse to take a title away from a team that wasnt involved in this scandle.

[HarlemHeat37]

Your funny HH seriously...
You sound like a broken record, since this 2002 Lakers/Kings garbage came out of Donaghy , I have noticed that in every post you keep on repeating that the Lakers have to be stripped of their titles, call me crazy but how are you going to do that, be reasonable...........
Obviously we know your DISLIKE of the Lakers/Kobe/Lakerfans/Kobefans ... did I cover everyone, is strong.
But you keep repeating the same thing over and over again like even if Donaghy is telling the truth which I doubt, the Lakers Org. was involved in this scandle....Or better yet its the Lakers that should be punished for the NBA scams ........
Think about it man...........

He's right though. If this is all true, then the Lakers should logically be stripped of the 2002 title, because they would not have even been in the Finals at all that year.

Come on Man , make some sense when you post.
How is this the Lakers fault, and since there is no proof.
Also the series went to 7games, The Lakers beat the Nets ........... How are yu going to strip the Lakers of their title ......... Your excuse is they would not have even been in the Finals at all that year....... Not really a good excuse to take a title away from a team that wasnt involved in this scandle.

[KF10]

As a Kings fan, IMO they shouldn't have to strip the title from LA. The Lakers and the organization probably have nothing to do with it. But I would be FOR putting a BIG fat asterisk on the 2002 title. Saying "This title has been tainted and should not be recognized fully" or something like that....

[HarlemHeat37]

an asterisk is the same thing..

stripping the title makes the most sense, because then there wouldn't be a champion for 2002, which is the right thing to do..whether or not the Lakers organization had anything to do with it is up for question, but either way, if the investigation is done, there's a chance it's proven that the Lakers benefited from cheating..so when you look up 2002 in NBA history, it should say that there wasn't an NBA champion, due to cheating..Laker fans, Kings fans and Nets fans can make their arguments about who would have won, but officially, it should say nobody did..

[farzi]

Your funny HH seriously...
You sound like a broken record, since this 2002 Lakers/Kings garbage came out of Donaghy , I have noticed that in every post you keep on repeating that the Lakers have to be stripped of their titles, call me crazy but how are you going to do that, be reasonable...........
Obviously we know your DISLIKE of the Lakers/Kobe/Lakerfans/Kobefans ... did I cover everyone, is strong.
But you keep repeating the same thing over and over again like even if Donaghy is telling the truth which I doubt, the Lakers Org. was involved in this scandle....Or better yet its the Lakers that should be punished for the NBA scams ........
Think about it man...........

He's right though. If this is all true, then the Lakers should logically be stripped of the 2002 title, because they would not have even been in the Finals at all that year.

Why should they be logically stripped of the title? It was Game 6 not Game 7 and the Lakers didn't rig the game the Refs did. If the Kings won Game 7 this wouldn't have been an issue. Of course you're a Nets fan so I see why you would want the Lakers title to be stripped but its not like the Patriots where they actively cheated to win. The Lakers didn't do such a thing( as far as we know) so they shouldn't lose their title over it. Now a possible asterisk would be another story.

There wouldn't have BEEN a game seven....

I'm not in favor of stripping their title, but I am in favor of Stern stepping down

[hardcorezardsfan]

not sure if this has been posted elsewhere but its a pretty good read.

Is the FBI investigating Donaghy's allegations? Will others be charged with crimes?

The FBI already has investigated the allegations. Donaghy first met with FBI agents in July 2007. A team of agents has been probing his stories ever since. As the result of their investigations, federal prosecutors have filed what is known as a 5(k) letter. The 5(k) letter means the agents have checked on the stories and have concluded Donaghy was truthful. The 5(k) letter does not apply to the 2002 Western Conference finals Game 6 because the statute of limitations had expired. More than five years went by before Donaghy described that game to any agents. There was no reason to look into that game because no one could be charged with a crime. The 5(k) letter does apply to statements Donaghy made to agents regarding the three games in 2005. The information could result in a reduction of Donaghy's prison sentence when Amon sentences him July 14. He faces a maximum of 33 months in prison under federal guidelines.

Although the FBI has concluded Donaghy was truthful, it does not mean others will be charged with crimes. Agents and prosecutors easily could have concluded that the rigging of the four games was reprehensible but did not qualify as a federal crime. There was no indication of gambling or money laundering or racketeering on the part of the NBA in Donaghy's allegations. If the NBA wants to extend a series to a seventh game, it might be fraud upon the fans, but it is not a federal crime.

Link http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?id=3439659

[LakerFanMan]

That was posted 2 other times that I'm aware of. For the 3rd time, that has absoluting nothing to do with the allegations against the NBA. It in no way, shape, or form implicates the NBA or Stern in any wrong doing. It even flat out says that the FBI didn't investigate allegations of game rigging.

[KF10]

an asterisk is the same thing..

stripping the title makes the most sense, because then there wouldn't be a champion for 2002, which is the right thing to do..whether or not the Lakers organization had anything to do with it is up for question, but either way, if the investigation is done, there's a chance it's proven that the Lakers benefited from cheating..so when you look up 2002 in NBA history, it should say that there wasn't an NBA champion, due to cheating..Laker fans, Kings fans and Nets fans can make their arguments about who would have won, but officially, it should say nobody did..

Eh, I rather go for the asterisk method. Stripping the title seems kinda extreme. But you are right, there shouldn't be a champion in 2002 IF there was a fix in hand.

[dockingsched]

an asterisk is the same thing..

stripping the title makes the most sense, because then there wouldn't be a champion for 2002, which is the right thing to do..whether or not the Lakers organization had anything to do with it is up for question, but either way, if the investigation is done, there's a chance it's proven that the Lakers benefited from cheating..so when you look up 2002 in NBA history, it should say that there wasn't an NBA champion, due to cheating..Laker fans, Kings fans and Nets fans can make their arguments about who would have won, but officially, it should say nobody did..

really? can you provide articles, comments, evidence, anything that brings that into question?

[HarlemHeat37]

no, but the fact that it happened and they were on the favorable side of things puts it into question..personally, I don't think they were involved, but I don't see how it's impossible to question it when you consider that they were on the favorable side of the worst called game in NBA history..

if someone receives a gift like that, there's obviously going to be questions about it..you guys are seeing it with so many fans questioning the Gasol trade..it's just common nature to question these incidents..I don't think the Lakers were involved in the corruption, and I don't think the Gasol trade was a conspiracy..but surely you must see that there's a possibility and there's plenty of logic in questioning these incidents..

[dockingsched]

no

ok, got it.

[Chubby Chaser]

As a Kings fan, IMO they shouldn't have to strip the title from LA. The Lakers and the organization probably have nothing to do with it. But I would be FOR putting a BIG fat asterisk on the 2002 title. Saying "This title has been tainted and should not be recognized fully" or something like that....

Like the Spurs *1999 Championship?

[The Main Event]

Unless the players are in on it the refs can't simply decide the outcome of the game. Teams get dominated by players, not by bad calls.

[GuyClinch]

As I have said before the scandal came out ... the NBA wasn't really "riggged" it's just 'steered." All they have to do is have "memos" or "meetings" with the refs and say things like "watch out for PP barrelling into the lane" and they go a long way to making the series go an extra game.

If it's as bad as Donaghy says it would really ruin our enjoyment of basketball. He makes it seem as if the Lakers owner worked with Stern to fix the outcome. That's criminal and would ruin one of my favorite pastimes. Like alot of writers and fans I really hope THAT didn't happen. Sadly at this point there is alot of faith involved.

Stern has the look of a swindler. I realize that's not objective but his smug attitude makes me think he is guilty.

Pete

[GuyClinch]

Unless the players are in on it the refs can't simply decide the outcome of the game. Teams get dominated by players, not by bad calls.

That's absolute hogwash - quite honestly. Most basketball games are close as that just how hoops works and the refs have more then enough influence to decide closely played games. A few "non-calls" or made up calls easily change the outcome of a game.

Pete