The NBA vs. Sir Isaac Newton

(I apologize for taking so long between posts, but I have been working on a few at a time, and have just finished one of them)

The NBA has reached that point. The hole in the space-time continuum. The entrance to a parallel dimension has been located, and we have just unhinged the door. They have proved Sir Isaac Newton's 3rd law of motion (For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction) to be present well past the physical world. They have truly reached the point where nothing good can happen without some sort of bad being attached to it.

I am talking, of course, about the conspiracy that is associated with the officiating of NBA games.

Well before the investigation into Tim Donaghy became news, NBA games, more than any other league, appeared to have been directly influenced by the officiating. It was often noted that fan favorites like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant were allowed to stretch the rules a little bit. A travel was no longer just the lifting of a pivot foot. A carry was no longer placing the hand under the ball. A drive to the hoop almost always resulted in a defensive foul call, provided the star on offense attempted to wow the casting directors in Hollywood with his acting ability.

As legends like Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Magic Johnson retired, so too did the interest in the league. There was no longer any stars to watch, and the larger market teams began to do poorly; a result of so many great years with weak draft picks resulting from their playoff runs. We were left with a league with little watchability.

(please note that some of the statements I make in the next few paragraphs are my own personal beliefs and not necessarily the truth)

When a league becomes unwatchable, there are only a few options. They can a) Fold (XFL), b) go into a lockout, make the league a bit more small scale, and rely on new talent to generate some interest (NHL), or c) Make the game more interesting. Now how could option C be utilized? Simple. By giving the viewers more of what makes sports so interesting in the first place: tough match ups, series going extra games, all-star players putting up outrageous numbers. The NBA appeared to choose option C. As we were leaving the 1990s and approaching the new millennium, the NBA needed something to help compete with the mass markets of MLB and the NFL. All of a sudden, we start seeing some tough series go 6 or 7 games. We see teams in large markets like the Lakers, Nets, and Knicks competing for the title of World Champion. We see players like Shaq and Kobe being given permission to sidestep common NBA rules (illegal defense, traveling, etc.) to provide a bit of an advantage.

We see what might be the NBA "adjusting" games/series.

Tim Donaghy may be a rogue referee in a sense. He BET on games. Outside of his involvement, we have not seen any evidence to indict any others of this felony. But in an attempt to lessen the jail time he will inevitably serve, Donaghy has cowardly passed information on, true or untrue, regarding other officials helping fix games, including a disputed game 6 in the 2002 NBA Playoffs.

The infamous game 6 between the Kings and the Lakers, though not officially the game in question, was considered odd back in 2002, but has recently taken on a new life with the allegations. Not only did the Lakers get every call in the final quarter of the game, but they exceeded their average free throws per game in ONE quarter!! Does that sound a little familiar during this postseason (and I'm not just talking about game 2 in the Finals...the Lakers could have driven to the basket a bit more and not tried to flop around like the Euro-trash they are)?

Commissioner Extraordinaire David Stern has time and again made comments assuring the public that Donaghy was a rogue official, and that all the problems are baseless, but yet former officials are being questioned by the Feds about current official Dick Bavetta (check this great post by Bill Simmons to see who reffed game 6 in 2002). Then David Stern doesn't bat an eye as he allows Bavetta to roam the court in Sunday's game 5. If you want to look like you are handling the situation, you leave nothing to speculation. Now we have TWO games in the 2008 NBA Finals refereed by an individual who is being looked at by the FBI. I don't know how any fans can look at these games and question how legit they are.

Which brings me back to my original point...

Why is it that after every great game, the officiating becomes more and more of a focal point?

The NBA has the renewed Lakers-Celtics rivalry filling headlines and more importantly, television sets, across America. But with questionable call, the common fan must be thinking that the series might not be entirely up to the Celtics and Lakers. It could be the incredible free throw differential in game 2. It could be the fact that the refs decided to let a game in which the Lakers were dominating, suddenly become more physical to help aid the Celtics in an historic comeback. It could be the Kobe Bryant "hack Paul Pierce in the stomach to make him lose the ball" steal to secure a lead late in game 5.

As we approach game 6, Boston fans (let's go C's!!!) hope to finish off the greatest turnaround season ever, while Lakers fans shop for the newest Louis Vuitton bag (OK, that wasn't necessary. Lets try again...)

As we approach game 6, Boston fans (let's go C's!!!) hope to finish off the greatest turnaround season ever, while Lakers fans hope to prolong the season for just one more game, so they can have an opportunity to win it all. It has been an incredible series so far, complete with the two best teams from their respective conferences, and some of the best basketball players that have ever played the game. With all the competitive fire in the two teams, and the renewed rivalry, it was predicted by many that this game would potentially go 7 games. Could you imagine the buildup? All the former members of the two teams gathered to watch the deciding game, the competitive fire leaking out of the TD Banknorth Garden. The Celtics attempting to keep Red Auerbach's record alive by not letting the Zen Master Phil Jackson take sole possession of the most NBA titles as a coach. This would be the game for the ages. The NBA's very own Super Bowl. Everyone and their little sister would watch this game. America would be glued to the tube as Paul Pierce and Kobe Bryant battle it out for the Championship and MVP trophies. WOW!! The NBA would make SOOOO much money off of this game!!

Now why do I feel (disgustingly) like this was the plan all along?