NBA CHAMPIONSHIP: Who wins and in how many games

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

Westbrook was incredible last night. If it wasn't for him, the Thunder lose by 20. Durant simply isn't strong enough to get the ball a lot of the time.

I find it incredibly difficult to stomach the constant phantom fouls when Wade and James shoot. It really is sickening. Half the time,the refs can't even figure out who to call the foul on after the whistle, so they just make something up. On top of that, Westbrook was fouled a minimum of 10 times last night, 2 were called. Yeah, that makes sense.

You do realize the NBA is practically scripted.

The two darling Stern darling teams made the finals, what a shock.

The more darling of the two is getting dramatically favored by the refs. Another shock.

[King Glorious]

It's always funny to read people talking about the games being set up. I guess the league never wanted to see James vs Bryant in the finals, especially when Shaq was in Cleveland. That wouldn't have made for good TV at all. I guess they don't want large market teams like NY or Chicago in there and would much rather have OKC, SA, and Orlando in there. I also love how they want James to win so much that eight years in, he's still never won. If anything, I'd bet that the league would rather he lose because he's a much bigger draw and more polarizing when people can make the "yeah but he's never won" argument. Were the Rose and Howard injuries both faked to make his path easier this year? Did he almost derail Stern’s plans last night with that whole fake cramp thing or was that part of the script? Talk all you want about fouls but that is not what is deciding this series. If OKC is getting anything from Harden, they are up 3-1 instead. Who scripted Battier in those first three games or Chalmers and Cole last night? Were the OKC players told to let them score? Has Harden been paid to miss? I would have loved to have been in the meeting where the league told Harden to play bad on purpose and he agreed. I'm still waiting for the first player to come out and say that the league approached him and asked him to do his best to lose. How much do you offer a guy making $10 million plus to give up their dream?

It's not incomprehensible to believe that outside sources could get to a player and force him to compromise his game or to a coach and make him compromise his team's chances with how he coaches. I wouldn't doubt some OKC fans are wondering if the mob got to Brooks and that's why Fisher was on the court so much. But the league doing it? No chance.

[Calzone Lord]

Of course it isn't rigged.

Maybe star players get preferential treatment from the refs in terms of calls -- but it's been that way at least since Jordan was playing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaZIAXJJDKQ

[golfer]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaZIAXJJDKQ

"Everything in the NBA is completely Legit"

Tim Donaghy

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaZIAXJJDKQ

That's a classic Coach!

However, can anyone with even six brain cells left in their head watch this short clip and not realize Boston had no hope of beating Miami this year???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjvlxqJFOj0

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

That's a classic Coach!

However, can anyone with even six brain cells left in their head watch this short clip and not realize Boston had no hope of beating Miami this year???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjvlxqJFOj0

Refs might suck and they might favor stars -- but other than that -- the game is on the square.

If it wasn't ... why aren't you cleaning up and making a fortune betting on the winner of these obviously fixed series?

[horseofcourse]

If OKC goes on to win the next 3 this will be one of the best played out fixes in world history I must say!! I still say it's absolutely possible too. After seeing the first 4 games I still think OKC can win one in Miami.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Refs might suck and they might favor stars -- but other than that -- the game is on the square.

If it wasn't ... why aren't you cleaning up and making a fortune betting on the winner of these obviously fixed series?

Because I'm not betting them.

[Calzone Lord]

I probably got fooled by randomness with Fisher and Harden a little.

Yesterday, they had no spark coming off of the bench and they were a -4 and a -5

The Miami Heat only had three players come off the bench and play more than 3 minutes:

James Jones (20 minutes) +8
Udonis Haslem (11 minutes) +9
Norris Cole (8 minutes) +12


Everyone wants to talk about the stars -- but this game was decided by the bench players. James Jones, Haslem, and Norris Cole were better than Harden and Fisher. If that happens, it's almost impossible for OKC to win no matter what the starters do.

Norris Cole played 8 minutes, scored 8 points, grabbed 2 rebounds, and was +12. Had he played starter minutes (36 minutes) he was on pace to score 36 points, grab 9 rebounds, and Miami was on pace to outscore OKC by 54 points with him on the floor.

He's a rookie from the Horizon league who just played over his head. Harden and Fisher just need to play better a lot better than the chumps off of Miami's bench.

[Calzone Lord]

Sorry, I had to do it to annoy Cannon Shell.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

I probably got fooled by randomness with Fisher and Harden a little.

Yesterday, they had no spark coming off of the bench and they were a -4 and a -5

The Miami Heat only had three players come off the bench and play more than 3 minutes:

James Jones (20 minutes) +8
Udonis Haslem (11 minutes) +9
Norris Cole (8 minutes) +12


Everyone wants to talk about the stars -- but this game was decided by the bench players. James Jones, Haslem, and Norris Cole were better than Harden and Fisher. If that happens, it's almost impossible for OKC to win no matter what the starters do.

Norris Cole played 8 minutes, scored 8 points, grabbed 2 rebounds, and was +12. Had he played starter minutes (36 minutes) he was on pace to score 36 points, grab 9 rebounds, and Miami was on pace to outscore OKC by 54 points with him on the floor.

He's a rookie from the Horizon league who just played over his head. Harden and Fisher just need to play better a lot better than the chumps off of Miami's bench.

Had he played startes minutes against the OKC starters, he likely would have scored 10 points and had three rebounds and fouled out trying to guard Westbrook. That's if he didn't pass out from exhaustion at the 24 minute mark.

Your point is correct though. The stars are basically cancelling each other out. Miami is getting a bit more from their third star than OKC is but Westbrook more than offset that last night with his advantage over Wade. It's the role players. Battier was huge those first three games. Last night, Chalmers and Cole were the difference. What I don't understand is why Brooks continues to rely on his role players as much as he does? There is no reason why Durant and Westbrook can't be on the court 48 minutes a night. They have all summer to rest.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

It's always funny to read people talking about the games being set up. I guess the league never wanted to see James vs Bryant in the finals, especially when Shaq was in Cleveland. That wouldn't have made for good TV at all. I guess they don't want large market teams like NY or Chicago in there and would much rather have OKC, SA, and Orlando in there. I also love how they want James to win so much that eight years in, he's still never won. If anything, I'd bet that the league would rather he lose because he's a much bigger draw and more polarizing when people can make the "yeah but he's never won" argument. Were the Rose and Howard injuries both faked to make his path easier this year? Did he almost derail Stern’s plans last night with that whole fake cramp thing or was that part of the script? Talk all you want about fouls but that is not what is deciding this series. If OKC is getting anything from Harden, they are up 3-1 instead. Who scripted Battier in those first three games or Chalmers and Cole last night? Were the OKC players told to let them score? Has Harden been paid to miss? I would have loved to have been in the meeting where the league told Harden to play bad on purpose and he agreed. I'm still waiting for the first player to come out and say that the league approached him and asked him to do his best to lose. How much do you offer a guy making $10 million plus to give up their dream?

It's not incomprehensible to believe that outside sources could get to a player and force him to compromise his game or to a coach and make him compromise his team's chances with how he coaches. I wouldn't doubt some OKC fans are wondering if the mob got to Brooks and that's why Fisher was on the court so much. But the league doing it? No chance.

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Of course it isn't rigged.

Maybe star players get preferential treatment from the refs in terms of calls -- but it's been that way at least since Jordan was playing.

Absolutely it's rigged. I mean beyond any shadow of a doubt.

Doesn't anyone remember game 6 of the Kings vs Lakers game back in 2002?????????????????????

If you can watch players like Jordan, Wade, etc. get away with flagrant rule breaking and not say it's rigged, you are idiotic.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Absolutely it's rigged. I mean beyond any shadow of a doubt.

Doesn't anyone remember game 6 of the Kings vs Lakers game back in 2002?????????????????????

If you can watch players like Jordan, Wade, etc. get away with flagrant rule breaking and not say it's rigged, you are idiotic.

That Kings/Lakers game was a joke. The biggest joke I've ever seen in the NBA. I don't have any doubts that things were not on the up and up there. But I also think that this was the referees doing, not the league. Do you realize how many people have to be involved in the league fixing games? Do you realize how many people have to remain silent to let them get away with it? I have serious doubts that they could get a guy like Kobe Bryant or Kevin Durant or LeBron James or Kevin Garnett to go along with their plans and agree to lose games on purpose. Guys aren't making $200k anymore. They are making millions and millions. You can't pay them enough to have them go along with it. And again, if Harden is giving OKC anything at all, they are winning this series. This despite whatever you might think of the refereeing. Harden was 2-10. That had nothing to do with the refs. Westbrook committed that silly foul with 13.8 left. Nothing to do with the refs. OKC is losing because they've failed to make the key plays. Period.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

That Kings/Lakers game was a joke. The biggest joke I've ever seen in the NBA. I don't have any doubts that things were not on the up and up there. But I also think that this was the referees doing, not the league. Do you realize how many people have to be involved in the league fixing games? Do you realize how many people have to remain silent to let them get away with it? I have serious doubts that they could get a guy like Kobe Bryant or Kevin Durant or LeBron James or Kevin Garnett to go along with their plans and agree to lose games on purpose. Guys aren't making $200k anymore. They are making millions and millions. You can't pay them enough to have them go along with it. And again, if Harden is giving OKC anything at all, they are winning this series. This despite whatever you might think of the refereeing. Harden was 2-10. That had nothing to do with the refs. Westbrook committed that silly foul with 13.8 left. Nothing to do with the refs. OKC is losing because they've failed to make the key plays. Period.

I never said the players are in on it, at all. I can see why you might think I implied that though. It's the officiating, plain and simple. Just use your eyes and don't be afraid of the implications of what you are seeing. It can liberate you.

An interesting note about refs. A friend of mine here says that something like five current or recent NBA refs all went to this one high school in the Philly area.

How weird is that?

Well next season lets hope the West can produce a team that can beat the Oklahoma City Sprinkles. I've seen enough of that team for a good 3 years.

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

Well next season lets hope the West can produce a team that can beat the Oklahoma City Sprinkles. I've seen enough of that team for a good 3 years.

Good luck with that.

[RockHardTen1985]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

Well next season lets hope the West can produce a team that can beat the Oklahoma City Sprinkles. I've seen enough of that team for a good 3 years.

No one in the West can beat that team.
Lets just say Dallas somehow brings in Williams and Howard.... They still cant beat OKC.