It seems with every NBA playoff comes more talk about the corruption of the league’s officials. Criticism this weekend was levied by Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who has manipulated referees over the years more than anyone else, and who has benefited more than any other human being from bad calls by the refs. We reported yesterday about a Sports Illustrated column assuring Orlando Magic fans that the refs will cheat to get the Cavaliers in the finals. After last night’s Lakers-Nuggets game, Denver coach George Karl complained about Jackson and the officials, and an anonymous Nuggets player said he believes the Lakers have bought the officials.
Years ago I began pulling away from basketball because I was tired of seeing the referees “control” games. No sport inherently gives so much control to its officials, given how many calls are made over the course of a basketball game. There have been professional and collegiate games I watched that I felt were either badly officiated or the refs flat-out cheated. What do you think? Are the officials a problem for the NBA? Either way, do you think this is an image problem for the league?
on May 28th, 2009 at 2:38 PM
How does one tell when a referee “flat-out” cheats? Does he (or she — since women are actually hired as officials by the NBA) call a foul against the Nuggets and then wave over at Kobe Bryant and ask “How was that, big guy? Did I do okay?” Games are often badly officiated because rules are too complex or not properly enforced, or there are unwritten rules that may be followed such as “superstars get treated better”, or simply because of incompetence. (Hello, NHL, I’m looking at you for just about all of this!) But to accuse them of cheating requires something other than just a gut feeling.
on May 28th, 2009 at 4:19 PM
I don’t know about cheating but the officiating is horrible and has been for many years now. Then again David Stern is a money-grubbing mini-dictator who fines people if he doesn’t like what they say so nothing would surprise me.
on May 30th, 2009 at 9:12 AM
If you can go back and watch the nuggets lakers games. its not only ridiculously blatant bad calls its also and more importantly the timing of the calls. Basketball is a momentum game all it takes is one or two properly timed calls to sway a game. im convinced the lakers have the refs in their backpocket. if you disagree ask yourself can the refs really just be that bad? if so the nba has to come up with a new way to officiate.
on Jun 7th, 2009 at 10:16 PM
I am so sick and tired of the referees cheating for the Lakers. The calls are so obvious!!! Take tonight’s last shot in regulation. Goaltending!!!! It is very difficult to play against a team AND the referees!!!! It goes to show that Orlando really plays well inspite of the referees giving the game to the Lakers. It should not have gone into overtime. They had to fight against the refs and the Lakers and still there was a tight score. Had the refs not interfered “incorrectly”, this would have been a totally different game and it would be 1-1. The last play should have been reviewed.
Why are the referees fined for cheating!!!! It makes you not want to even watch the games.
And to you Lakers and fans…how can you be satisfied with how you win if you win “because” the referees helped you to do so.
I’m sick of you referees cheating….who is paying you? I hope you think it’s worth it.
If I worked at my job the way you all do I wouldn’t have a job for long.
on Jun 9th, 2009 at 11:07 AM
The NBA had one official go down for cheating and gambling on games and I believe he said there was more. If the refs do not get it together, I will never watch the NBA games or playoffs again.
on Jun 9th, 2009 at 2:35 PM
6-09-2009 As a sports novice-I keep waiting for the NCAA to write/respond, etc. abt. my emails regarding cheating. I hardly ever watch Pro sports for several reasons, but now I see in college sports the same Mary is talking abt. in the Pro’s. The worst offender, and only because they seem to hog the television sports viewing time is the Pac10(which I now refer to as the O.J.conference–mostly because of the Referees.) Refs quit for only ONE year as a result of the very bad calling in the Okla.U.vs.Oregon football game(inOrgeon-couple yrs. ago)-should of been dismissed and score reversed. But the USC vs. Arizona football game in 08??-14-7 where USC-referred to by the sports announcers as the NFL team of college-just had to win-and with help they did. UCLA vs. Tx.A&M(basketball playoff-NCAA-maybe ‘o8-UCLA got to play half their games in California)joke. NCAA doesn’t realize there are people like me that will finally turn of the TV like I did in the pro arena. How did you like the reverse call in the Pros on Kobe Bryant when it turned out he broke Ymin(sp.?)Houston team foot–from a warning-to a foul–wasn’t that interesting–always another way to eliminate a team..
on Jun 9th, 2009 at 5:34 PM
All any Orlando player has to do is breathe on Kobe and it’s a foul. And he hardly gets fouls called on him.
They are cheating the game no matter what anyone says.
on Jun 14th, 2009 at 9:49 PM
Most definitely, the NBA officials control the games. I have played basketball and officiated on a lower level. I know how basketball games flow. I know what I am seeing on television is not a true competitive basketball game. The players and the flow of the game is completely controlled by the officials and the game is not allowed to be represented by the players.
I can tell you this much. The Houston Rockets should have played the Denver Nuggets for the Western Conference Championship. The officials brought Phil Jackson and the Lakers all the way through the west. Yes, the Lakers were better than the Magic, but not their previous two opponents. The officials allowed the Lakers to be physical and get back into games and halted the Rockets and Nuggets from making any runs. It’s all about giving the team with the largest market and the player with that team, the leverage to create what Magic and Bird did in the eighties. CAPITALISM is rampant in almost everything.