Good one! Hey, by the way, did you ever make sure to send flowers and thank you cards to the refs who worked the 2006 Finals? Just asking.
Yup, Jameer Nelson gets some goat horns for that performance. His 2 for 6 was the big problem there, which is pretty amazing considering he's an 83% free throw shooter. Still, Dwight Howard has to get the lion's share of blame. 3 for 12 from the field, and not doing much to discourage Rasheed Wallace's big second half, nor Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince's forays into the paint. Superman retreated to his Fortress of Solitude.
The idea that any sports league would conspire to hand Miami a title is hilarious. Miami teams from the Hurricanes up to the Dolphins are usually reviled. Furthermore: The pictures don't lie, Phil. The fouls are right there. Just because they occur on the side opposite the TV cameras doesn't mean they don't happen. And thank you for giving me a reason to put the Heat back in the playoffs discussion. The playoffs just aren't the same without them.
I would never accuse the NBA of rigging a finals. The officiating in that series was inept, not corrupt. And of course Wade was fouled legitimately...it was the amazingly large number of illegitimate calls I take issue with.
The team that's down 2-0 heading back home ALWAYS wins game three. It's one of the biggest locks in the NBA playoffs. It's game 4 after the series is 2-1 that will tell you a lot more about the two teams.
About this whole Derek Fisher thing. I like the guy, he was clutch for Utah last year. I hate seeing him play against them though because he never misses a damn shot it seems. The Utah fans feel that Derek Fisher took advantage of Larry Miller's kindness. They feel that he didn't want any part to do with Utah anymore. After all, he is a Laker and always has been. I don't agree with it because his daughter's treatment for cancer was the main reason for him wanting out of his contract. If there was nothing that important happening in his life, I can understand the booing.
But did the calls influence the outcome of the series? I can see an argument for influencing the final scores of some individual games in that series, but I don't think the refereeing was so bad that it caused one team to win a game or games it shouldn't have.
Man the Cavs were in no danger of losing tonight. I think when the C's would pull within 14 they would send it back to 17-18. I don't understand how a team can be so great at home but so horrible on the road. Do they switch up game plans for Home and Away games?
If the Heat won four games decisively, I would agree with you. However, they won games 3, 5, and 6 by a total of 6 points. Dwyane Wade took 64 free throws in those three games, including a mind-boggling 25 in game 5...a game in which Miami took 49 free throws to Dallas' 25 and won the game by one measly point. It seems clear to me that the refs made a real difference in that series.
I am absolutely befuddled by the difference in Boston at home and on the road. There should be some difference; many players get amped up by the home crowd, and more importantly, they feel more comfortable and confident by their familiar surroundings and the luxury of sleeping in their own beds and being in their regular routine. But there shouldn't be THIS much difference. Admittedly, we're talking about a small sample size here (just 4 games), but at some point, Doc Rivers has to wonder what's going on here. Actually, scratch that, he doesn't. He's Doc Rivers, after all. I'm pretty sure, in the Atlanta series, Tim Thibodeau had to lean over and tell him "you know, Doc, it is legal to double-team a player. We might want to do that with Joe Johnson." And LeBrn S still can't make a shot. With him playing this poorly, the Cavs should feel okay only being down 2-1 instead of 3-0.
I disagree. Avery Johnson made it known his strategy to win the Finals was to foul as often as possible. It started off with Shaq, but when Wade went hot, the Mavs switched over out of necessity. IMO, the real reason most people complain about that particular Finals has to do with that 05-06 Dallas team being perceived as far superior to the 05-06 Heat team.
The Pistons looked very good yesterday. Without Billups, Rip showed that he can carry the team on his back, he played great yesterday scoring 32 points. I really think that this series is over, and that the Pistons have a great shot at beating the Celtics/Cavs in the Eastern Confernce Finals.
I doubt that it was Johnson's intent to send the Heat to the line twice as often as the Mavs. And I really truly doubt they intended to send Wade to the line 64 times in three games. I believed then, and believe now, that Wade got a ton of undeserved calls in that series, and in a series THAT close, that made all the difference.
I think it means Shake My head. The only way Boston can win is if KG, Allen, and Pierce all shoot above 50% from the field and all getting above 20 points. Or Rondo just did what he did in Game 1 and drive.
I agree, that was one of the worst officiated series in memory. Pretty much handed the series to the Heat with the advantage at the free throw line. Theres always been an understanding that the refs don't whistle as much in the playoffs for some reason it was forgotten in that series.
Bad call by the refs throwing out Turiaf. Turiaf went for the ball and that Jazz player happened to bounce off him. Flagrant one was probably the right call, not flagrant two.
is there anyone who can tell me how can we have fish with 3 fouls, miss 10 foul shots, williams is like 5-5 from 3 point land, kobe has tweaked his back, turiaf is gone and this is tied at 55-55......WOW
The Jazz should be up by a lot more, but if you look at the numbers of the big men comparison it's not a surprise why it's tied. Boozer and Okur are getting out played badly by Gasol and Odom.
Pau Gasol has to be the biggest crybaby I have ever seen in an NBA game. After every play he is crying.
I'm sorry, but I don't see it. Yes, Wade went to the line quite a bit, but I watch the footage and I see legitimate fouls being made on him. He would drive to the basket and would get fouled. Let's just agree to disagree. Regarding LA and Utah, what is it with this round of playoffs and the home team winning almost all the games?
It's not really a surprise with Utah. They are 41-5 at home this season including the playoffs. What is Bryant 2-14 in the 4th quarter? I can't wait to hear all of the "I am playing injured" excuses.
Pau really needed to step up late with Kobe injured. Lakers better hope his back isnt serious or they're in trouble.
Excuses are all the Lakers have to give right now. They just got creamed. I wonder--if the Lakers lose this series, will Kobe begin his "trade me" antics again?
Because he is lieing right? Utah fans are classless and are probably deserve to go to the gas chamber for all the nonsense they have pulled. Booing someone like Derek Fisher is bad enough. But to cover up one eye as he shoots free throws is beyond low (for those who don't know, Derek's young daughter has eye cancer and still has the possibility of having it removed). Utah is in serious trouble as this game would be over if L.A. hits one more free throw in regulation. The refs didn't help calling ticky tack fouls on L.A. and letting them get butchered on their end. The Turiaf ejection alone was a horrid call. As long as Kobe can put himself back together (arthritic knees, borken fingers and now a bad back to boot), Utah will get their *** handed to them in game 5. God I hate Utah fans worse than any other fans in the league. they are scum and don't deserve to be classified as humans.
Creamed? In overtime? With the MVP CLEARLY hobbled? With the refs neutering them by tossing out their best big man off the bench when he shouldn't have? How did they get creamed again? I forgot, the Heat are the bestest EVAR and should just be handed the title even when they tank and Wade pretends to be injured again.
Agreed. If Kobe isn't good to go for game 5, the series is over. You can't be without the MVP and expect to win. I find it silly that Jazz fans will poo poo it as a nothing injury, knowing full well that if it was on the other foot, they would be screaming from the hilltops. Game 4 would have been nice to grab, but really, L.A. is still in the driver's seat. Two of the next three are in L.A. where they play much better and Utah stinks (17-24).
What are you talking about Wade pretending to be injured? He is ALWAYS injured. The guy is made out of glass.
