How bad does the NBA want the Miami Heat in the finals?

jackman · « **on:** 31 May 2012, 04:15 pm »

Don't know if anyone watched last night's game but, IMO, it was a disgrace. Rondo played his butt off and had one of the best games I have ever seen at point guard...but that was not enough to overcome the Heat and the NBA refs who were determined to "gift" that game to baby Bron Bron and his little Girlfriend, Dwayne Wade.

Every call seems to go to the Heat, yet you can't even breathe on Wade or LeBron without sending them to the line. The NBA makes me sick...except for the Spurs who are playing some great basketball. I'm not a Boston fan but feel bad for their fans and the team. The officiating in the Celtics/Heat series makes me sick.

The Spurs appear to be playing the best ball of any team at the moment but (assuming they get by the Thunder) I don't think they can overcome this Miami team if Bron Bron and Wade keep getting these kinds of calls. What a joke.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--celtics-more-devastated-over-wasting-rajon-rondo-s-44-point-outing-than-questionable-officiating.html

Danny Richie · « **Reply #1 on:** 31 May 2012, 04:23 pm »

I watched the game as well and did note a pretty lopsided favoritism in the calls. I really felt for Rondo when on one of those last drives he got his head and face swatted hard enough to bring him to his knees and he still couldn't get a call. And that one call, near the end of the game, could have been a game changer.

JCarney · « **Reply #2 on:** 31 May 2012, 04:25 pm »

NBA officials have been, and will always bee the worst officiating group in any sport. "The Jordan Rules" are a prime example. It's been going on for more then 3 decades. Started in the 80's, and has gotten progressively worse. Won't matter. Duncan is going to get his fifth, and retire.

JCarney

TF1216 · « **Reply #3 on:** 31 May 2012, 04:34 pm »

I'm a Celtics fan but I want to see the Spurs win (and the Heat lose). I have had it for Lebron since he went to Miami and hearing about his egotism in Cleveland. The Spurs play team basketball in my opinion and that is a lost art in the NBA.

Berto · « **Reply #4 on:** 31 May 2012, 04:35 pm »

I saw it and agrre w/Rondos play and the shitty calls but I think the Spurs (like Dallas did last year) take the Heat out. Plus nothing will make me happier then to see the Heat lose in back to back finals

sts9fan · « **Reply #5 on:** 31 May 2012, 05:16 pm »

I am just happy to know that the Heat have zero chance against the Spurs.

cujobob · « **Reply #6 on:** 31 May 2012, 05:46 pm »

I stopped watching basketball because it's almost scripted. Lebron has always received special treatment and I don't care to witness it. Good luck to the Spurs, may the league allow you to beat the Heat.

jackman · « **Reply #7 on:** 31 May 2012, 05:51 pm »

The Spurs are playing great, but if the Heat continues to get calls like last night, I'm not sure any team will beat them. That play where Rondo was literally hit in the head, in front of everyone, was a clear indicator. I believe there was a "clear path" call that went to the Heat that was questionable as well. One or two of those calls could easily change the outcome of a game.

There was one play last night in which Rondo and Baby Bron Bron went for a loose ball. Both players went for the ball and neither seemed to have an advantage. Bron Bron fell on top of Rondo and guess who got the foul? Miami wound up scoring two points on the ensuing posession, instead of Boston shooting free-throws if the call went to Rondo. That's a four point swing. A couple of those types of calls can put a game out of reach. The NBA wants ratings and they seem to want LeBron to be legitimized by having a ring. He's a talented guy but he still chokes at the end of games (as he did yesterday).

If the Spurs and Heat meet in the finals and the NBA continues to favor the Miami bunch, I don't think I will ever watch basketball again. Miami is a bunch of floppers as well and they always seem to get the benefit of charging calls on defense. On offense, Lebron and Wade can literally run over guys and rarely get called for a charge.

Lastly, the Jordan Rules had nothing to do with officiating. Although MJ received his share of favorable calls by the refs, the Jordan Rules is a reference to the defense the Detroit Pistons used to try to slow Jordan down. They would double team him and force him to give up the ball. Jordan played in an era where the refs (and the league) allowed players to hand check and physically contact players without calling a foul. Offensive players were allowed to push away defenders and defenders were allowed to contact offensive players much more than today. The game was much more fairly officiated back then because they allowed much more contact.

cujobob · « **Reply #8 on:** 31 May 2012, 06:10 pm »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Rules

People refer to Jordan rules now as extra steps and less contact to get a foul. Superstar favoritism. This is a league wide thing and is done for ratings, not to protect anyone. Every major sport has done this to an extent.

a.wayne · « **Reply #9 on:** 31 May 2012, 06:14 pm »

Wow Haters going to hate ... GO HEAT ....

F-100 · « **Reply #10 on:** 31 May 2012, 06:15 pm »

Forget NBA... I stopped watching them a long time ago.

Hockey is better...

Let's go Kings!!!

a.wayne · « **Reply #11 on:** 31 May 2012, 06:32 pm »

Wow , Haters going to hate ... GO HEAT ! ...

Airborn · « **Reply #12 on:** 31 May 2012, 06:44 pm »

That non-foul on Rondo was criminal!

That was the turning point in the game as the score was tied and Rondo would have gone to the line to shoot two (where he was 8-10 not like his usual 60%). Instead, Miami gets a fast break dunk at the other end and a four point swing at a crucial time. Also, the non-call on the offensive foul by D. Wade for kicking his leg out against Garnett and instead calling Garnett for a foul sealed Boston's fate. I usually don't complain about the refs, but they have been so one-sided this series, from the non-calls on Wade and LeBron and the technical against Rivers in the first game for no reason, they just have obviously favored the Heat. Hopefully that will change now that the series moves to Boston.

zybar · « **Reply #13 on:** 31 May 2012, 07:12 pm »

Would the Celtics fans like some cheese with their whine??

All teasing aside...one element nobody is discussing is the home team vs. visiting team angle. For as long as I have watched NBA playoff games, the home team gets a decidedly favorable advantage when it comes to close calls and going to the foul line.

Also, Miami was awarded the 8th highest number of free throws during the regular season while Boston ranked 27th. The bottom line is that Miami goes into the paint and gets fouled much more frequently then Boston.

Before all of you conspiracy nuts get too spun up, how about waiting to see how things are called over the next few games in Boston.

George

JCarney · « **Reply #14 on:** 31 May 2012, 07:24 pm »

Jackman, you are correct about how it started and the era. As time went on, he got more and more calls, and the moniker just switched. Regrdless, I quit watching the nba long before now for a multitude of reasons, not the least being what they call officiating. Just a useless game being played by Pr-Madonna's.

JCarney

bpape · « **Reply #15 on:** 31 May 2012, 07:29 pm »

Agreed. Would love to see the NBA teams play by college rules (even they are starting to loosen up quite a bit but at least they can still play defense.) The cream would still rise to the top and IMO it would be a much better game. Sure, the guys have superior talent - they just only have to use a part of it.

Any time a sport makes rules purely to favor offense, IMO, you're bastardizing the game. That's like telling the NFL you can't blitz and you can't play zone defense - gotta play man to man, can't get in the way of a receiver going for the end zone, etc. Sure, lots of points but not football.

That's why I much prefer watching college basketball. They're all still hungry to make it and have to play well individually and as part of a team on both ends of the floor.

Just my 2 cents.

Bryan

chester_audio · « **Reply #16 on:** 31 May 2012, 08:24 pm »

I agree, Bryan. I, too, fear it has already happened in the NFL as well. I still like pro-hockey, but I've about given up on all the rest. College football, and college hoops in March.

a.wayne · « **Reply #17 on:** 8 Jun 2012, 12:38 pm »

One more to go .....!!!!

launche · « **Reply #18 on:** 8 Jun 2012, 01:14 pm »

Don't know what's going to happen in game 7 but have to give Lebron credit, he was masterful last night.

All the calls have more than evened out as I suspected they would. I think Miami is getting stiffed on many calls actually. What I find really interesting as I've watched it over the last few games is the Rondo situation. He is a big complainer to the refs and I can say with confidence he gets a lot of very questionable calls. You blow on that guy he snaps his head back and gets a call. He leads with his off elbow or shoulder and always tries to get a foul. Even last night he was running up the court and a defender was running behind him, Rondo looked back and jumped into the player at mid-court and got a foul. So I have changed my thoughts on Rondo fouls and feel no remorse or issue with whatever call he doesn't get because I have seen him flopping around all series on offense. You want to see a flopper, Rondo is it and on offense no less. By comparison Lebron has to get hammered to get a call and sometimes they don't call those.

jackman · « **Reply #19 on:** 8 Jun 2012, 01:27 pm »

Launche,

LeBron FINALLY played like a superstar last night. He was as focused as I've ever seen him and looked great. He strapped that team on his back and won the game himself. It didn't hurt that Boston could not hit a 3 and that Paul Pierce has disappeared in this series. Boston looks very old and I expect the Heat to close them out in game 7.

Have to disagree with you on Lebron not getting calls. You can't even look at this guy without them blowing a whistle. Often times, he gets the call when he initiates contact. This is rare for a big guy but he's a star and that's how it goes. IMO, Rondo is not in the class of top PG's in the league. He is too inconsistant offensively.

As I stated, Boston looks OLD and I'd be shocked if they didn't get blown out in Miami. I think the Heat will have a hard time with OKC. The Thunder is not a bunch of old guys playing for one last run. They are young and playing extremely well. Lebron is going to need help from Bosch and Wade has got to show up or this is going to be a short series (even if the NBA gives the Heat every call). They really want a ring on Lebron to legitimize his status as a superstar. I'm a big critic of Lebron but he played a masterful game last night and showed his heart. The man was focused and I did not see him complain once during the game. He just took care of business.

cheers,

J