NBA - 2002/03

[JediMAC]

Just caught this article about the Lakers over at ESPN.com.  Interesting read, discussing some of the things we've been talking about regarding Shaq and the challenge of officiating him, some of the "anti-Laker sentiment", and some opinions on Kobe, a.k.a. "Frank Sinatra".  (read the article to figure out why, if you couldn't already)

[Morgbug]

The turning point in the series was game 3?  That's just a tad arrogant don't you think?  Last I checked, the series was headed back to Texas with both teams winning with home court advantage.  If that stays true, guess who wins the series?

MVP award doesn't count if Shaq hammers Duncan?  What kind of twisted logic is that.  It's a regular season award for heaven's sake.  The Lakers "dogged" it for a good part of the season.  Near as I can figure that regular season record is why Kobe didn't get the nod.  #5 seed with the MVP?  I think not.  Besides, when did an MVP award become more important than a championship?  You don't think fourpeat is more appealing that MVP and lost to Minnesota in the first round?  Duh.  

And, hey, when a big guy and a smaller guy collide, the big guy is the one who's going to be left standing. Is it fair to tag the big guy with a foul because he's bigger and stronger? Using the same logic, every time a small guy jets past a big guy, the refs should call the small guy for traveling."

Is this guy for real?  The game USED to be a non-contact sport.  Now it seems to be a home team gets the calls sport.  Sorry, Shaq great as he is, is kicking the crap out of some guy and not supposed to get called?  Wrong sport, I believe you Yanks call the full contact sport football.  

The NBA wants total control of its product. They want to control the media, the coaches and the players. But Shaq won't kow-tow to the league. He says whatever he wants to say, whenever and wherever he wants to say it. That's why the NBA, and the referees -- who, after all, work for the NBA and are its agents -- don't give Shaq the respect he deserves

Hi, I'm the author and I bleed yellow and purple.  Duh.  The problem is that the NBA has lost control of its product, simply by no longer enforcing the rules.  It's pretty clear this was written prior to yesterday's games.  I could write the same thing just substituting in Duncan's name to get a reversal that would read just as well given yesterday's officiating.  

That's why Jackson is so intent on criticizing the way the games have been officiated. "And you know what?" the coach says. "Taking the refs to task in the media absolutely, positively gets results."

Never were more damning words uttered by a coach.  Great, the officials are so frail and frightened that just slamming them in the media is enough to get calls going your way?  Wow, there's a league I want to support.  Jackson's right though.  Look at the reffing.  One can only hope the San Antonio media is currently berating the refs in their media so the same result is achieved.  

Great logic.  Talent has nothing to do with the outcome of the game.  ...ego, psychology, resourcefulness, and, the mother of all causes and effects, politics.

Yeah, why do I prefer hockey again?

[Nicklab]

Break out the brooms!  NETS SWEEP THE CELTICS!

[JediMAC]

Ah, I see you enjoyed the article, eh Brent?  Just for clarification folks, Morgbug is quoting the ESPN article above, and not anything I said...  

You certainly picked up on a few of the segments I noticed too Brent.  I said the article was "interesting" though, keep in mind.  Not necessarily entirely "accurate"...  

I think you're feeling especially hostile tonight though, due to that ugly atrocity your underachieving Celts just endured.  That was pathetic.  They should be embarrassed of themselves for that display of ineptitude against the Nets.  Sorry Brent (seriously).  I was hoping we'd meet up in the Finals like the old days...  

[Morgbug]

Heck no, the Celtics overachieved.  They really never should have gone past the Pacers.  

Also, I should have clarified, those quotes are indeed from the ESPN article.  Which in case it wasn't abundantly clear, I found awful.  

Further clarification.  I hate the Lakers.  But that stems from the old series back in the 80s, Magic versus Bird etc.  This is not to say that the Lakers of then were not remarkably talented.  Magic, Jabbar, Nixon were amongst the best if not the best at what they did.  There was a phenomenal supporting cast at the time too.  Perpetual sixth man awards and Rambis and his glasses.  

The recent version of the loathed Lakers has the best center in the NBA bar none.  Probably the best out and out player in Kobe.  It also has a remarkable coach and a reasonable supporting cast.  

What I cannot abide is a bunch of whining on the part of Lakers fans (no, not you specifically Matt) and media.  Fouls are fouls, they need to be called.  Reffing should be fair and even.  

Just to continue my rant about this article Matt linked, this is about the worst analogy I have ever seen in my life:

But it's not Shaq's fault that Rose is only 6-foot-7, and that his elbow is at the level of Rose's face. And, hey, when a big guy and a smaller guy collide, the big guy is the one who's going to be left standing. Is it fair to tag the big guy with a foul because he's bigger and stronger? Using the same logic, every time a small guy jets past a big guy, the refs should call the small guy for traveling."

Great, so by the same token when Rose is posting up on Shaq, because Shaq's 'private parts' are at the same height as Rose's elbows, he should feel free to crank him in the crackers a couple of times?  I thought the by-line said this guy used to be a coach, not a grade 5 student (with all due respect to more sensible grade 5 students)?  

Elbowing a guy in a face to make space is a foul.  End of story.  Doesn't matter if you elbow him in the face or the nether regions.  So too it doesn't matter if you are 7'6" or 6'7" or 5'4".  It's still a foul.  And if the little guy in the author's pathetic analogy isn't dribbling the ball when he blasts past the big guy, yeah, call him for travelling.  They're called RULES.

[JediMAC]

   

[Morgbug]

You know I'm right, fanboy

[dustrho]

Lakers have been down by an average of 20 points for a while now, and there's just over 11 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.

GO SPURS!

[Morgbug]

Please do keep me updated.  The only sports on the tube up here right now is a Braves game.  *shudder*

Hockey game is over.

[dustrho]

Lakers (64) vs. Spurs (80)... end of the 3rd quarter

[dustrho]

Woah!  This game is way to close now!

with 3:24 remaining in the game... Lakers (86) vs. Spurs (90)

[dustrho]

Here's the final score...

Lakers (94) vs. Spurs (96)

Robert Horry almost made a 3-pointer at the buzzer (went in and then back out), and that would have made them win the game by 1 point.  It was a blowout the entire game, and then the Lakers almost won it at the very end.

[Morgbug]

Thanks for the updates

That is the beauty of the NBA though.  Game is not over until the last buzzer sounds.  so easy to come back from 20 down.  

Out of curiousity, will Laker fans be whining about the reffing?  Curse those conspiratorial directors at NBA headquarters.  BTW, was game 3 still the turning point

[dustrho]

Thanks for the updates

any time

[FX-7]

One more game!