I re-watched the 2002 game 6 vs Kings/Lakers series was it really rigged?

[Wallace_Wallace]

It’s a very simple answer.

Imagine if the jerseys were swapped, which means the Kings were the ones getting these calls. Would this thread still existed? Probably not.

[Pistol_Pete]

Only on realgm will this game be called a fairly officiated game - a terribly called game, in which the calls went almost exclusively the Lakers way. Whether it was intentional or not, I cannot say. But it was a terrible ref job…and Dick Bavetta, well, Dick Bavetta, if you dont know, google the Dick.

[Pistol_Pete]

“ Bavetta was one of three referees for the Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Kings and the Lakers. Former referee Tim Donaghy has alleged that at least one of the referees working this game had subjective motives for wanting the Lakers to defeat the Kings, and made officiating calls to effectuate this outcome. NBA rules prohibited active referees from commenting on the situation publicly. The New York Times reported on June 12, 2008, that the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated allegations that Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals had been manipulated to further the series to a seventh game.”

There, did it for you. It was so fairly officiated that one former ref said it was basically rigged, and the FBI stepped in to investigate lol

[bkkrh]

It’s a very simple answer.

Imagine if the jerseys were swapped, which means the Kings were the ones getting these calls. Would this thread still existed? Probably not.

The person that started this thread is a Lakers fan^^.

[SlimShady83]

It’s a very simple answer.

Imagine if the jerseys were swapped, which means the Kings were the ones getting these calls. Would this thread still existed? Probably not.

The person that started this thread is a Lakers fan^^.

And a drunk one at the time

[Joao Saraiva]

I'm OK with most of the whistles in NBA. But yeah, that game was at least sketchy.

[DOT]

I mean, kinda hard to argue the series was rigged by the league when this wasn't the last game

Like, just looking at the evidence, when game 7 goes to OT and in regulation the Kings got 30 free throws to LA's 25, and if the Kings had made literally 1 more free throw (they went 16-30, 53%), they would have won

If the league really wanted the Lakers to win, game 7 wouldn't have been so close

But like with all conspiracy theories, that will only prove them right in their minds, because it'll be something like that's proof of the cover-up or something.

[Maxthirty]

If anything, the Lakers should have gotten more whistles IMHO.

[SlimShady83]

I mean, kinda hard to argue the series was rigged by the league when this wasn't the last game

smh don't tell me I have to watch the entire series again meh I might as well it's the off season, as I said above It's hard to remember it all even being a fan. I remember bits here n there that's for sure, just not entire thing and when I watched this game in general while wasted mind you, I found most of the fouls legit except for a few which I mentioned , but I guess I'll watch the entire series again just for the hell of it, some were saying game 5 was worse lols.

[SlimShady83]

Like, just looking at the evidence, when game 7 goes to OT and in regulation the Kings got 30 free throws to LA's 25, and if the Kings had made literally 1 more free throw (they went 16-30, 53%), they would have won

The Kings missing is not on the REFS as I've been saying for game6, them missing their ft's all on the Kings not the REFS

[liquidswords]

I am of the opinion that no team deserves to win if they miss their free throws. The Kings missed a ton of free throws in game 6. They could have won if they made their free throws.

With that being said, there were some beyond awful calls that no logical person could really defend that went in the Lakers favor. The idea that the game was called fairly is really pushing it.

Both things can be true: The Kings should have made their free throws AND they were screwed.

[Ruma85]

I mean, kinda hard to argue the series was rigged by the league when this wasn't the last game

smh don't tell me I have to watch the entire series again meh I might as well it's the off season, as I said above It's hard to remember it all even being a fan. I remember bits here n there that's for sure, just not entire thing and when I watched this game in general while wasted mind you, I found most of the fouls legit except for a few which I mentioned , but I guess I'll watch the entire series again just for the hell of it, some were saying game 5 was worse lols.

Curious, where would you watch the entire series??

[SlimShady83]

Curious, where would you watch the entire series??

I have not looked for the other games yet but as I watched game6 on YouTube as I posted, I'll look on YouTube for other games, might not be there, hopefully they're otherwise not sure where else.

[druggas]

Where's Ralph Nader when you need him?

[Ruma85]

Curious, where would you watch the entire series??

I have not looked for the other games yet but as I watched game6 on YouTube as I posted, I'll look on YouTube for other games, might not be there, hopefully they're otherwise not sure where else.

I know game 4 is on the Nba app for free.

[dhsilv2]

So I´m supposed to spend 2 hours to watch a full game to figure out a game was rigged that Donaghy specifically named in court, Kobe stated confirmed it being rigged as player on the opposing team and countless videos and articles on that topic, so that I can vote here?

What´s next, figure out if 1 Million really comes after 999.999 by counting with your fingers?

That kings team is always fun to re-watch outside of this thread. So why not?

[Edrees]

Lakers haters will always say it’s rigged and Lakers apologists will always call the haters conspiracy theorists. There’s no middle ground here.

The fair middle ground is every playoff series in nba history is very poorly officiated, some more than others, it doesn't make them rigged. It just means nba refs suck ass.

Just look at ANY NBa playoff game thread on Realgm. half the posts complaining about calls, and yet those games aren't rigged but this one is? That's selective reasoning if I've ever seen.

name any team in the playoffs this last playoffs that made it past the 1st round and their fans can find 3-4 game losses they would have won if the officials had fair officiating.

Game 7 the kings had more favorable calls than the lakers. that doesn't seem rigged to me.

[SNPA]

You can´t blame him or the Lakers for what the refs did, they just benefited from it.

I can. I do. Those guys are walking around with rings -even Kobe- admits they didn’t earn straight up. When Shaq gives his ring to Webber there’ll be some respect and not blaming them. Until then *2002.

The part about free throws in game seven is the weakest dog **** excuse of all time created by desperate Lakers fans. And when that gets called out for the logical absurdity of it, they pivot to but games five was worse. lol. It’s really unbelievable. They just can’t admit to the truth that everyone else with eyes and a brain can see. It’s either intellectual dishonesty or mass group delusion.

First off, unrelated to if the game was rigged or just extremely badly refereed in favor of the Lakers, that´s not on the actual players as long as they weren´t the ones bribing the refs^^. That´s like blaming the Cavs for winning the title after KD´s injury. Next, we don´t even know how the game would have ended under normal circumstances. The Kings were ahead but there was still more than a quarter to play before the crazy calls happened. And of course the main point, it was the Conference Finals, so we don´t even know if the Kings would have won the finals. So expecting that those players give up their ring is as delusional as some of the Lakers fans statements you are referring to.

Everyone knew the West was the real finals that year. The Nets weren’t the same caliber.

As long as the Lakers players wear the rings they carry the shame of pretending they have a false title that rightfully belongs to other men. Facts.

[Clav]

I rewatched this yesterday. I voted undecided after first being yes from memory, but I was 23 years younger and didn't recall most of this game front to back lol. I think there were a lot of iffy calls, but not as many as I remember. Lakers had a bit of an edge though. Shaq was getting pushed a lot.

After seeing it again I think that the overall play was pretty intense, a lot of pushing and hooking of arms, leading to fouls. FT misses hurt the Kings more. Kings offense had some really questionable moments, missed shots, and Lakers played a lot less composed than I recall. Fun game. Still think the Kings should've won.

[Onlytimewilltel]

Rigged as **** lol