Vikings Message Board.Com

Do you feel that some NBA games were "rigged", or if not rigged, "worked" or "influenced"? I certainly do.
Dick Bavetta and Tim Donaghy are really all you need to know as far as I'm concerned. They flat out admitted to botching game 3 and game 6 calls to force series to game 6 and game 7 for ratings. Look at the game 3 and game 6s of the 2002 Kings/Lakers series and try to honestly tell me that it was nothing but a happy coincidence that the Kings received 25 more free throw attempts than the Lakers as they were about to go down 3-0. And of course, it was nothing but yet one more happy coincidence that when throwing that sympathy game to the Kings seemed to give them the spark they needed to take the series over that the Lakers got 42, thats right, FORTY TWO, free throw attempts to the Kings' 15 in Game 6.
Because Stern would have been so pleased to see a Kings/Nets NBA finals, right?
Not one year before that, another small market team got hosed in the 2001 Eastern Conference finalsm the Bucks, when they played the 76ers. The Sixers received two times the amount of fouls called against them, and more than twice the free throw attempts, and there was a key suspension against a Bucks players for game 7, on Scott Williams.
How about game 3 of the Suns/Spurs? Go Youtube that one and don't tell me that Donaghy didn't have some HUGE dough riding on THAT one. Absolutely horrid call and non-call, its like a highlight reel of corruption and incompetence.
How about the 1998 game 6 of the Bulls/Jazz game? A 5 point swing due to deliberate miscalling on shot clock, and Jordan's game winner was a push off fest.
Dick Bavetta wasn't called Knick Bavetta for no reason, either.

Though it doesn't fit in with rigging, I'm sure you all know of the 1985 Knicks/Ewing scandal.
The NBA draft lottery is a freaking sham as far as I'm concerned. We don't see the picks being made, only the results, which magically have big market teams getting sweet picks. Riiiiiiiiiiiight.
Can you imagine if the NFL tried to switch to a backroom lottery next season? Would you stand for that for even one second?

Not at all, but that is one of the reasons i follow football instead of basketball. I dont get why ed hocculi almost gets fired for an honest mistake earlier this year but nothing even close comes to these guys. Just doesnt make sense.

No, but just like NFL football, the game has gotten so fast, the players so big, that it's virtually impossible to call fouls and penalties on a consistent basis. Which is a shame, as too many games are decided by a few key calls. I'd say its much worse in the NFL than the NBA.

Eli wrote:No, but just like NFL football, the game has gotten so fast, the players so big, that it's virtually impossible to call fouls and penalties on a consistent basis. Which is a shame, as too many games are decided by a few key calls. I'd say its much worse in the NFL than the NBA.

Which is why they need to add more officials. Add two to NFL and at least one to NBA. At least with more eyes they could see more of the field/court and (in therory) get more calls correct.

yeah, especially to get the flags right. it's not as bad if they screw up a fumble or a catch, cause those can be returned via review. all the penalties can't and i could make a very long list of games that were decided by a bad call or no call.

i completely agree that the nba is rigged. its a joke.