Official NBA Playoffs Thread

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I think there is no way Lebron or Wade would not have gone to the line if they were hit like Rondo was. I think referees are instructed which way to be biased before the games are played. Might be a very subtle thing and it might not. Their bias was clearly to protect Wade and James.

The most obvious sign is that Lebron and Wade each only had 2 fouls. I saw three fouls that were not called on Wade. One is where he tackled Paul Pierce. Another is when he hit Rondo on the pivotal play of the game Last, his kick landed before the contact with Garnett. At the very least, he should have been called for kicking Garnett.

A play that really showed how the bias of officiating went is when Wade propelled himself into Pierce, turned his back, and still got a foul called on Pierce who went straight up.

Earlier in the game, in the first quarter there were 11 fouls on Boston and only 1 on the Heat. I hate Boston, but come on.

Personally, I love the NBA for the action and all, but I believe it is no more immune to corruption than boxing or horse racing or anything else that involves points, betting, and ratings.

[Nivek]

Here's my thought on "the refs suck" or "the refs are biased" or "the refs are corrupt" --- Prove it. I'm not saying prove it like you would have to in a court of law, but prove it with some actual research. Take some gamed -- hell, take ONE game -- and grade every call as objectively as possible on whether or not the ref was correct.

My prediction: not a single person bitching about the refs will do that for even one game. Much easier to complain and make unsupported, unsubstantiated allegations. Probably more fun too.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Here's my thought on "the refs suck" or "the refs are biased" or "the refs are corrupt" --- Prove it. I'm not saying prove it like you would have to in a court of law, but prove it with some actual research. Take some gamed -- hell, take ONE game -- and grade every call as objectively as possible on whether or not the ref was correct.

My prediction: not a single person bitching about the refs will do that for even one game. Much easier to complain and make unsupported, unsubstantiated allegations. Probably more fun too.

My thought: One would probably die trying to prove it if it is as corrupt as I suspect it is.

Best bet is to remain blissful and enjoy the games at face value. Who really cares if people are entertained?

[theboomking]

Here's my thought on "the refs suck" or "the refs are biased" or "the refs are corrupt" --- Prove it. I'm not saying prove it like you would have to in a court of law, but prove it with some actual research. Take some gamed -- hell, take ONE game -- and grade every call as objectively as possible on whether or not the ref was correct.

My prediction: not a single person bitching about the refs will do that for even one game. Much easier to complain and make unsupported, unsubstantiated allegations. Probably more fun too.

Well, since the ref's were gambling on games they were ref-ing, I think it is safe to say they have been corrupt.

On 980, they used to do a segment where they predicted the outcome of games based on who the ref was going to be. It seemed pretty uncanny.

[hands11]

Here's my thought on "the refs suck" or "the refs are biased" or "the refs are corrupt" --- Prove it. I'm not saying prove it like you would have to in a court of law, but prove it with some actual research. Take some gamed -- hell, take ONE game -- and grade every call as objectively as possible on whether or not the ref was correct.

My prediction: not a single person bitching about the refs will do that for even one game. Much easier to complain and make unsupported, unsubstantiated allegations. Probably more fun too.

Well, since the ref's were gambling on games they were ref-ing, I think it is safe to say they have been corrupt.

On 980, they used to do a segment where they predicted the outcome of games based on who the ref was going to be. It seemed pretty uncanny.

I have logged several games like that in the past right here in this forum. There was obvious bias. The calls were not even close. I tallied them as WTF calls they were so bad. We would get 6 or 7 of them a game. It was obviously one sided.

Once we start winning more, we will start to get them going our way. Same thing happened before Gil, CB and AJ showed up. Once they got it going, we started getting calls that were bad calls, only they were bad calls for us.

[Ruzious]

Refs make bad calls sometimes. Basketball is difficult to officiate. Most of the time, they make the right call. If you think it's sooooo obvious what the right call is, get on the floor and ref some games. Find a men's church league (not 8 year olds) and you'll be STUNNED at how much you miss. Yeah, the NBA refs have tons more training and time doing the job, but the folks bitching about the refs would do far worse if they got on the floor and tried to call a game.

It's funny to me how officiating bias seems to move around depending on who won and who lost. For example, back in March, Heat fans were complaining about biased reffing when Wade got called for 4 fouls in 3 minutes in a game against the Lakers. An objective video analysis of those calls at closecallsports.com found all 4 calls were correct.

A while back, Roland Beech did an objective analysis of every call made in that famous Lakers-Kings game 6 -- the one so often cited as evidence of ref bias. He found that refs calls did favor the Lakers, but that there was no pattern of bias in the calls. He had similar findings when he looked at the Heat-Mavericks game 5 (the one where Wade shot so many free throws).

I've volunteered reffing before for a couple intramural stuff at Univ of Maryland so I know that human error is present. I get it. However, Rondo got hit and it was RIGHT in front of the official. Garnett got kicked and an official had a great view of it.

You can't call the ticky tack stuff on one end and not call real stuff on the other.

I actually got paid (chump change) to ref MD intramural games back in the day. It's a lot harder than it looks - especially the first couple of games - I still have flashbacks about missing a key call for just a freakin intramural game - 10 times slower than an NBA game and so much easier in other ways to officiate. It's such a different perspective actually reffing vs watching. And even knowing all that, an NBA ref can't miss Rondo getting fouled like that.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Back in the day I ref'd Pop Warner football. Generally, did so without incident. Did have a coach who ran up on me as if he wanted to fight. The biggest problem I had was one of the guys who was a seasoned ref was just an awful ref. I think the guy could not see well … seriously. He overruled one of my calls and I apparently didn't kiss up well enough afterwards. To me, as long as you're not wearing the white hat, football is pretty easy to ref. I worked very well with my mentor but when the other dude was the white hat it was pure misery.

I ended up continuing on officiating a short while with the same mentor who wanted me to ref youth hoops. It really was for chump change, Ruz. Definitely was NOT worth the abuse. I remember catching hell so bad for my officiating one game that I stopped the game and announced to the parents that I didn't care who won the game. I call it just as bad both ways. That was about enough officiating for yours truly. I flat quit after that experience. My heart wasn't in it and I thought I sucked.

Basketball is much tougher to ref. You have to get out of the way yet be in the right spot to make the call. You work twice as hard as football refs. I loved running up and down a football field in open air. But inside a gym you can hear way too much. I'm just not the right kind of guy to ref hoops.

[Ruzious]

CCJ, the abuse ya get absolutely stinks - especially when you're around 20 and never experienced it. And that was just intramurals - but the big game I ref'd was a playoff game - and there were probably 1,000 people in the stands watching their frat teams. They had no concept of them being just insignificant intramural athuhletes. And if you show any sign of weakness, they pounce on it - like sharks after blood.

Speaking of the playoffs - Sef... er Thabo... wow. Who knew he'd be such a key factor - at both ends. Everyone knew he could defend, but he was spectactular defensively - and very solid offensively. If he keeps it up, do they re-think their plans re Harden?

[BigA]

Here's my thought on "the refs suck" or "the refs are biased" or "the refs are corrupt" --- Prove it. I'm not saying prove it like you would have to in a court of law, but prove it with some actual research. Take some gamed -- hell, take ONE game -- and grade every call as objectively as possible on whether or not the ref was correct.

My prediction: not a single person bitching about the refs will do that for even one game. Much easier to complain and make unsupported, unsubstantiated allegations. Probably more fun too.

I would also chart officiating anomalies that change game outcomes (SU and ATS) against crew membership.

Remember, not too long ago we had an actual ref admit to changing the outcomes of games with his calls, and say that others are doing it as well. The NBA "found nothing" after an "investigation."

I think the relevant analogy here is steroids in MLB in the 90s. Everyone knew what was going on, but there wasn't any concrete proof, and it was in everyone's interest who was making money on baseball (including the media) to just ignore it. Steriods did ultimately come back to bite MLB.

[sfam]

Boston gave it everything they had and lost. They're done.

Hmmm....doesn't look that way at halftime.

[closg00]

Just when you think Boston is done.....
Let's see what happens in the 4th quarter.

[tontoz]

Boston went to sleep for awhile in the 4th but fortunately they didn't blow it. I am not a fan of Boston but i have been impressed with how they have played.

[W. Unseld]

I now understand the Rondo hype.

[closg00]

So the Heat win one game outright, the other game after Boston collapsed in the 4th in the other win.
Boston cruises last night. With The Rondo, this series could go 7 games.

I'm really hoping that Wall's jumper and shooting in-general, will evolve and progress like Rondo's.

[FAH1223]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80EVb7HNa6o[/youtube]

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

So the Heat win one game outright, the other game after Boston collapsed in the 4th in the other win.
Boston cruises last night. With The Rondo, this series could go 7 games.

I'm really hoping that Wall's jumper and shooting in-general, will evolve and progress like Rondo's.

Me, too. Watch out if it does.

[closg00]

Good Lord how did we miss on Leonard in the last draft? Dude does everything.

[hands11]

So the Heat win one game outright, the other game after Boston collapsed in the 4th in the other win.
Boston cruises last night. With The Rondo, this series could go 7 games.

I'm really hoping that Wall's jumper and shooting in-general, will evolve and progress like Rondo's.

Me, too. Watch out if it does.

When you consider the team Wall came to. There was so much transition and the Gil stuff. Then no summer league last year. He is only 2 years in the league and not even a real two years. This next year is the year we will really get to see what he has.

He will be better. He will approach the game better. And he will do it from the start of the season.
His team is better.

This next season should be awesome. I like this staff and roster better then any I can think of in recent history. I just hope they do well in the draft and summer signings.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Good Lord how did we miss on Leonard in the last draft? Dude does everything.

Most of us knew he was a good pick. Too bad EG didn't.

[nate33]

I will toot my own horn and say that he was my pick on draft night. However, at this point, I'm not too disappointed with the Vesely pick. It wouldn't surprise me if Vesely pans out as the more valuable player in a few years.