Comments on: New NBA Scandal a Slam-Dunk for Kings Fans

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 01:42:48 +0000

Only a blind person would have to be convinced that not only are there special rules for super-stars, there are understandings that the bigger markets’ teams get further in the playoffs.
Shaq is a great example because for years he was allowed his Shaq hop in the lane. Also, every other big men got fouls against them when they would hit Shaq’s huge shoulder with their chests when he turned and lunged to the rim. But this year, it was like “Its over. Your super-star status has been revoked.” All of the sudden he was traveling and was being called for offensive fouls.
The Sacramento game was a disgrace to the NBA. And you can think of many more in playoff situations. The problem is that maybe it true, maybe not, but Stern cannot make this stink go away with a few disclaimers. It will not go away until he does. The sooner the NBA realizes that the better.

By: Thoondilkaaran

Thoondilkaaran — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 23:32:41 +0000

Well, if game 5 was decided by refs in the last moment and Game 6 decided by refs in the 4 quarter, what the point of the ball game…

I rather watch WWE than NBA… because I already know that WWE is fake… NBA just pretend to be real…

By: clark smith!

clark smith! — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:51:44 +0000

(I direct this response not to the author of the article above, but to the Laker haters out there, who–if they have an ounce of conscience or an iota of self-realization–know who they are)

It sickens me to hear everybody still talking about Game 6, especially after the refs handed the Kings Game 5. It’s so galling to me they can receive Game 5, handed like a gift to the Kings, then turn around and say the league wanted the Lakers to win all along.

In the closing seconds of Game 5, with the Lakers up by a point, Webber stood by himself at the base line and fumbled the ball out of bounds.

Game over, right?

WRONG! The refs inexplicably gave the ball to the Kings to take out of bounds.

Kings inbound and Webber FLOORS Bibby’s defender with an illegal screen.

Clear foul on Webber. Game over, right?

WRONG! The refs swallowed their whistles. Bibby shoots an open, game-winning jumper after his defender had been blasted to the floor.

Don’t anyone talk to me about how the refs were in the tank for the Lakers and shafted the Kings ’cause a fix was in.

At it’s very worst, Game 6 was nothing more than a make-up game for the Game 5 the refs handed to the Kings on a silver platter.

Everyone talks about the 27 fouls the Kings racked up in the 4th quarter of Game 6. People seem to forget that “Hack-a-Shaq” was in full effect, and that routinely was hacked en masse every time he worked his way into the paint.

The conspiracy theorists that postulate the league is in the tank for the Lakers need to just give it up. Readjust those tinfoil hats and go back to disproving the moon landing or something.

By: Frossca

Frossca — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:07:48 +0000

Heck, Warriors fans have known the NBA was a rigged league since 1985…

By: Dee

Dee — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:10:17 +0000

I remember that game well. It was not the first time I accused that ref for cheating, it was the last time.

After that game, I have not attended or watched another professional basketball game. The local high school kids and college kids feel that need quite well. Plus the they are more fun to watch since most are not over paid criminals.

And hey, still can’t figure out why I should pay taxes for a rich man’s toy.

By: urbanleftbehind

urbanleftbehind — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:50:55 +0000

Stern should be fired and the league should cough up money toward a new Sacramento arena. The rumored or real fixing activity probably is in the back of Sacramento voter’s mind as in…”we could have a new arena with revenue streams to get top talent…but the league would still screw our small market anyway”.

By: BartJones

BartJones — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:36:24 +0000

The Kings weren’t given “the opportunity to try” to win? Yes they were — in game 7 at Sacramento, where they folded like lawn chairs in a very well officiated game. And the horrendous officiating in game 6 came on the heels of blown call in game 5 (Chris Webber dribbling the ball off his own foot) that handed the win to Sacramento. I’m not defending the officiating, but if you start peeling back the onion you can’t simply stop at the layer most favorable to your home team.

Many insiders dispute Donaghy’s allegation of game fixing, and it certainly seems likely that he’s picked this particular game to highlight because of its infamy (and thus ability to stir controversy in articles such as this one). However this takes away from the more important Donaghy story: that he had close associations with professional gamblers, bet on games that he worked, and clearly used his position to affect the outcome of games to ensure winning bets for himself and his ‘friends’. The evidence on these facts is clear, unlike these unproven charges thrown out by Donaghy to curry favor with the feds prior to his sentencing.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:18:07 +0000

Not a Kings fan,not a basketball fan, don’t care who wins, don’t care if the League goes bankrupt, don’t care if all associated with Pro basketball wind up in the poorhouse. But, I was with some fan friends and watched the game in question. The Kings got a job done on ‘em. By the refs, probably at the direction of the NBA front office. LA= Big city, big market, big name players, party at Jack Nicholsons house.

By: Roy

Roy — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:55:27 +0000

There are surely many in the NBA now reviewing the video of the game in question to see if the allegations are credible. However, Kings fans do not need to review the video — They know they got screwed. The NBA should have worked harder at the time to disprove what was an obvious embarassment of officiating. Unfortunately, they were silent.

By: Captain Hate

Captain Hate — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:52:07 +0000

Stern should be fired for failing to take any action to insulate the NBA when Donaghy’s gambling was first reported. Phil Jackson has displayed more insight into this, by stating that the league should farm out the reffing function to avoid the appearance of complicity, than Stern and his in-house toadies. Plus Stern provoked Donaghy dropping this by adding costs of the NBA “investigating” him to the criminal charges before sentencing; this from the same cost-effective commissioner that copiously bleeds money propping up the worthless WNBA.

Stern has turned a blind eye to the controversies in the last two years’ playoffs such as Miami getting favorable treatment against Dallas and Phoenix’s players being suspended against San Antonio. The game has declined under his watch to the point where NBA players regularly lose in international competition. I’ll be surprised if some owners, such as Mark Cuban, don’t initiate some sort of action to remove him because of how the integrity of the game, and the future value of their franchises, has declined under Stern’s watch. If they don’t, they’re dumber than I thought.