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After watching the 2002 western conference finals against the lakers , where they were the better team but the series was rigged against them by the referee ( probably under orders from Stern since he didn’t want a small market in the Finals over second largest TV market in US , Los Angeles ) the Kings have still not recovered from that series.
It’s absurd to assume the NBA only wants teams in larger markets or plots against the smaller markets, as a whole; in the grand-scheme, they would be shooting themselves in the foot. It’s not always the larger market which performs better overall; one must consider the whole picture i.e. the fan base, ticket sales, ownership, funding and so on.
It’s absurd to assume the NBA only wants teams in larger markets or plots against the smaller markets, as a whole; in the grand-scheme, they would be shooting themselves in the foot. It’s not always the larger market which performs better overall; one must consider the whole picture i.e. the fan base, ticket sales, ownership, funding and so on.
That game was rigged. I watched it and called it that at the time. I don't know how high up the ladder the knowledge went, but NBA reffing in those days was one step above WWE standards; meaning they didn't look the other way when Mr. Fuji threw salt in the opponents eyes, but otherwise there were clearly orders they were operating under.
You’re missing the point regarding ‘rigged NBA games’ relative to smaller (vs. larger) markets, per sithlord72; it’s nonsensical.
I don't disagree with that point. I don't think the Kings being the smaller market mattered as much as whatever the line was for that game.
I mean, it was a on-going point shaving scandal, for lack of a better term, that went on for a few seasons. I don't think any of the crooked refs cared who won in the end, but some of them were manipulating games to keep them close. The mob got to some of the refs because they were gamblers, and with officiating so difficult at that level AND the general principle that refs manipulate calls to get desired ends for other reasons (this was the era where you got bet your bottom dollar that if both teams were struggling to score 90 points in the first half, the 3rd quarter would be a foul fest to put easy points on the board.) it was hard to know what was just a bad call, and what was a rigged one. That specific game though left no doubt, and I don't think that point should ever be glossed over.
It’s absurd to assume the NBA only wants teams in larger markets or plots against the smaller markets, as a whole; in the grand-scheme, they would be shooting themselves in the foot. It’s not always the larger market which performs better overall; one must consider the whole picture i.e. the fan base, ticket sales, ownership, funding and so on.
Agreed. If the NBA is rigging games and series then they are not doing a good job of it because if that’s the goal then how do you explain the Spurs winning 5 titles. Smaller market team, boring to watch? You could expect every Finals involving San Antonio to have poor ratings yet they kept winning for well over a decade. And then the big market teams…the Knicks, nuff said. Chicago has been mostly bad since MJ retired in 98. Even Boston, they have been a legit title contender only 3 or 4 years going all the way back to when Bird retired back in 92.
The only big market team to be worth a damn somewhat consistently has been the Lakers, Philly during the AI years and Dallas from the Dirk years to now Luka. There has been no rigging in big markets favor.
Yeah, it hasn’t been established the NBA is rigging any games (despite anyone in this thread ‘calling it.’ :-)
Yeah, well how exactly do you "prove it?" I just know what I saw, and there is no doubt in my mind that game was rigged. Even in an era of horrible officiating, it stood out as I was watching it as a piece of fiction.
But anyone can watch for themselves and see if there is any other possible explanation for what you witness other than purposeful manipulation by the officials to effect the outcome. I call that rigging, YMMV
Yeah, well how exactly do you "prove it?" I just know what I saw, and there is no doubt in my mind that game was rigged.
You didn’t; that was my point - particularly relative to smaller markets. It’s nonsensical (and it really doesn’t have anything to do with the Kings’ future/the thread, either).
You didn’t; that was my point - particularly relative to smaller markets. It’s nonsensical (and it really doesn’t have anything to do with the Kings’ future/the thread, either).
I'm honestly confused. Are you saying that game wasn't rigged, or just that the game wasn't specifically rigged because the Kings are a small market team?
I agree on the second point, plenty of small markets win and that specific Kings team played fun basketball and were on TV all the time.......much more entertaining than those Lakers in my humble opinion.
I am personally certain on the first point, the game was rigged by the officials. I watched at my uncles with 4 other people. None of us could fathom what we were watching, never seen anything like it before or since outside the WWE. None of us were fans of either team, just basketball fans watching something rotten. As mentioned, it was likely part of the point shaving scandal era games, and the footage is there in full color for the world to see.
Did it effect the Kings future? Well yes, it likely took a ring off their fingers. Does it is matter now in 2022? Probably not, but you know what they say about butterflies flapping their wings in the forest.
Last edited by westsideboy; 06-25-2022 at 07:28 PM..
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