The Lamers' Race for 8th

[JaoSming]

oops, Lakers' is what I meant, such a silly mistake.


but still, this shit is getting out of hand. I knew of the Rubio and Kings plays....but damn.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MhmGyZ7KF0

phpBB [video]

[NovU]

POR vs LAL, I remember that game. It was horrid. The Blazers were solid and were up something like 15 in late third. Then momentum shifts with series of bad/non calls. A recent Bucks game also was a joke. LoLakers still lost though. LoL. kings? Kings game wasn't as bad because the Kings actually wanted to lose despite couple Kings players wanting to win and giving solid effort. Smart just didn't want to win though. I mean look at their rotation. So the referees didn't have to do much to award Lakers with a win.

Anyways, it's been awhile this has been going on. Recently, Kobe has gone untouchable, seriously. Kobe going to the line 15-20 times has become a norm(and he's a jump shooter, even gets calls shooting 3s). I don't think all referees are part of this LAL-to-the-Playoffs scheme but I'm sure it's more than just series of luck that's causing the calls to go in favor of LAL these days.

[benji]

mods help

[Patr1ck]

There is no conspiracy. Just teams playing in an unorthodox way that makes it more difficult to make clean calls. All of those plays were borderline. End of discussion. Lakers would be better off missing the playoffs and using the extra time and lottery pick to make there team better for next year.

[Andrew]

I also wouldn't call it a conspiracy, but there were some terrible, not exactly borderline calls spotlighted in that video, enough to make one at least wonder. It's pretty bad on the part of the league and its officials, something that should be cleaned up and folks should be held accountable for. Having said that, I don't believe that there's been some clear directive handed down to the officials to help the Lakers get into the Playoffs. Calls like that are commonplace when it comes to big stars and big markets, whether they're struggling to make the Playoffs or sitting atop the league, including the Lakers in years gone by.

Even if the Lakers had locked up a Playoff berth at this juncture, we'd be able to go through games and note incidents like that. They just wouldn't stand out as such a big deal or appear to be a "conspiracy" if they'd been a good team all year long and demonstrating an ability to win and win often, based on their skill and talent. It'd just be regular old superstar treatment. I love that they included that Kobe quote though; you don't call that shit...unless of course, it sends him to the free throw line. There's not much else he can say in response to that I suppose, but a cocky statement will draw some rolled eyeballs when he's complaining about touch fouls. I say there's no conspiracy, but a shoddy performance by the officials if nothing else.

As far as their pick this year is concerned...isn't it unprotected and going to Phoenix as part of the Steve Nash trade?

[Stress Fracture]

AFAIK it's unprotected.

[Patr1ck]

Forgot about that. They can always trade for one on draft day if they don't make the playoffs.

[koberulz]

All of those plays were borderline. End of discussion.

Either you're being sarcastic or you're watching a different video.

[Andrew]

Forgot about that. They can always trade for one on draft day if they don't make the playoffs.

In the spirit of Kwame Brown for Pau Gasol, Chris Duhon for the #1 pick.

[shadowgrin]

It's obvious that the league wants the Lakers to win the championship for the departed Jerry Buss and avoid the same mistake they did with Red Auerbach's death with the delay of the Celtics winning the championship a season after his death.

[Patr1ck]

That's a stretch. Stern would never allow D'Antoni to win a 'ship after quitting on his favorite team. It's more sensible to get them in the playoffs to get some experience before they win it all next year, after which, Kobe will retire, and then comeback a year later with Phil Jackson to one up Jordan.

[Andrew]

Stern's retiring midway through next season though, so for the Lakers to win another title on his watch, they'll have to make it through this year. Well then, perhaps there is a conspiracy after all.

[benji]

You guys are all nuts with these conspiracy theories. Anyone who approaches this from a rational and logical perspective can see that Stern wants LeBron to win another title, then Stern "retires" and Kobe challenges yet again with a real team and coach. And who's that? Saving the Bobcats and suiting up?

And Stern "has nothing to do with it."

All to deny Kobe another ring.

Look at the big picture for once.

[Andrew]

Ah, it's all coming into focus now.

[NovU]

phpBB [video]

I don't know about you guys, but the Warriors were forced to play passive defense pretty much the entire game because of the way referees were calling the shots and due foul troubles. And that last foul call on Curry made it blatantly obvious to me. That was a crucial crucial possession.

Because of that I don't feel sorry for the Lakers this season whatsoever. Some even say it's a karma.

- Lakers were 27 FTA per game and 2nd in the league up until 21 Mar 13.
- Jazz were 24 FTA per game and 10th in the league up until 21 Mar 13.
- Since 21 Mar 13 Lakers have been no.1 with 30FTA per game, Jazz dead last with 16 FTA per game.

[Andrew]

Yeah, that was pretty bad.

[shadowgrin]

So the Lakers were 2nd in FTA before the league conspired to help them and now they are 1st in FTA?!
OMG THAT'S A HUGE JUMP! CLEARLY A CONSPIRACY BY THE LEAGUE!
Teams choke and the Jazz seem to be doing that.

[Andrew]

Any team that has Dwight Howard is going to shoot a lot of free throws. In 2011, his last full season in Orlando, the Magic were fifth in the league behind the Nuggets, Thunder, Heat and Clippers. The Lakers were 18th in the league in free throw attempts that season. Put a prolific scorer like Kobe and a big man who is played very physically like Howard on a team together, and that team is going to get a lot of free throws. I don't buy into the whole conspiracy.

That said, that was some shoddy officiating.

[JaoSming]

its not about the Jazz choking, its about all those touch fouls

[Patr1ck]

That video was bad. Notice how only the truly bad calls were shown in replays. I watched that game and there were some touch fouls called. The problem is that people don't look at regular games like this, but the moment it comes to the playoffs, it's rigged games.

[JaoSming]

The problem is that people don't look at regular games like this, but the moment it comes to the playoffs, it's rigged games.

they do, just not as many people care/listen

[Andrew]

Well, it was a video highlighting bad calls, of which there were quite a few. It isn't going to focus on good calls, since they're a non-issue.

I do agree however that it stands out more given the circumstances. The Lakers (and other big market teams with superstar players) benefit from those calls all the time, even when they're winning 60 games and are one of the frontrunners for the championship. It looks worse and feeds into the conspiracy theories when they're in desperate need of wins. However, it's still an example of poor officiating.

[NovU]

Conspiracy or not it don't really matter as we'll never know. It's more upsetting that league won't do anything about it, nor respond to the issue in a comprehensible way if they ever do.

[JaoSming]

comments about the Spurs game

Spurs Fan
Fuck
Edit: just wanna say that the officiating this game was excellent. there was no way I could view the refs as siding with the lakers. They even called a goaltend on an obvious blocked shot in favor of the spurs!

Lakers Fan
Timmy went H.A.M in the 4th. Much respect to the big fundamental.

Raptors Fan
This is some classy shit goin on right now.

Celtics Fan
Lakers fans are just really emotional right now.

Lakers Fan
We are all feeling very bipolar. Today I told a Clippers fan I would shave my head if the Clipper won a championship this year...then I declared that Chris Paul is a great point guard and that Blake could go on to be a great power forward.

ah Reddit

[_Steve_]

With Utah still in the race it will be a real nail-biter on Wednesday. Couldn't be any better.