"Cheating" NBA referees

"I'm waiting for you to write about the "cheating" NBA referees have been accused of. After all, that's partly why the Suns couldn't get past those Stinkin' Spurs last year, right?! Let's hear what you have to say!"

I don't know who said that, but the reason the Suns couldn't get past "those Stinkin' Spurs" last year was because of David Stern/Stu Jackson being the jackasses that they are and Mike D'Antoni. From what I remember (and I work a lot of basketball nights (then and now)), the officiating in that series was pretty consistent. And that's all you can ask for: Consistency. Sure, maybe they were consistently bad (Bruce Bowen molesting Steve Nash every time down the floor), but that's what you have to deal with.

As for the David Stern/Stu Jackson factor, well, Boris Diaw in NO WAY should have been suspended for the fifth game of that series. Amare was well on the court and away from the bench during the "altercation", so his suspension is understandable. But Boris Diaw was lightyears away from the fracas. Boris Diaw was as close to that "huge fight" as at least 3 guys on the Spurs bench. The Suns got screwed on this one. The most popular camera angle was right behind the Suns bench, thus giving the whole Spurs team a free pass. It's ridiculous and I hate that they made such a poor decision. The Suns lost Game 5 by 3 (pretty sure). Boris Diaw could have definitely been a game changing addition. The world will never know. What the world does realize is that the winner of that series was going to be champions. People call that series "The Real NBA Finals". The Suns would've dispatched of the Jazz and the Cavaliers just as easily as the Spurs did. Ridiculous.

Concerning Mike D'Antoni, he didn't have his team ready. Steve Nash got hurt in Game 1 (which is a more pivotal game than most people realize) and D'Antoni didn't have anybody ready to step up. It would've taken 3 timeouts just to get the dust off of one of the bench players.

However, there definitely is something wrong with the officiating in the NBA. Game 2 of this year's NBA Finals was heavily in favor of the Celtics free-throw wise. Then, in Game 3, out of the first 24 free-throw attempts, 20 were by a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. David Stern would blow it off as a coincidence. But, Mr. Stern, there are FAR too many repeated occurences for them to all coincidences. After Tim Donaghy came out this new report that Game 6 of the Lakers-Kings was rigged (Which by the video that they show now looks like it. But I wasn't interested enough then to care.), I was watching PTI (Pardon The Interruption) and Tony Kornheiser suggested that the refs should have to answer to the media postgame, just like the coaches and players. I very much agree with that. I also think that the NBA should publicize the alleged punishing refs that make bad calls.

It's all a conspiracy. David Stern may not be involved. The television stations may not be involved. But, there is definitely a circle of refs that are fixing games. Maybe not all together. But, it has to be happening. Coincidences only happen every once in a while.