Official NBA Referee "Bashing" Thread

[JellosJigglin]

Free throw discrepancy is not the most important factor. In fact, last night the Celtics earned a large portion of that discrepancy

Exposed.

[JellosJigglin]

"The problem was that the Lakers weren't playing significantly less aggressively than the Celtics, and still got hosed. It's one thing to see teams get the short end of the stick and retreat into a shell. The Lakers, though, continued to go to the rack. Check the shot charts for Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/shotchart ... =280608002

Pretty much every shot is in the paint or just outside it - between the two of them, they took 23 shots. 18 of them were within 5 feet of the hoop. They shot 1 foul between them. Look at the comparable shot chart for KG - 2 shots in the paint. 4 free throws. There's getting hosed, and then there's inexplicable.

Don't like ESPN? How about CBS: http://www.sportsline.com/nba/gamecente ... 08_LAL@BOS

30 shots by LA were layups or dunks. Boston had 18. Let's amend that somewhat by noting that the Celtics were the recipients of a number of 2-shot shooting fouls. They were credited with SEVENTEEN shooting fouls - LA got THREE. If we were to give every one of Boston's 2-shot fouls to the Celtics as a 'layup' or 'dunk' attempt (they had 14), that gives them 32 shots at the rim. Both of LA's two-shot attempts were on layups, I believe (one by Fisher, one by Bryant). That gives LA 32 shots at the rim. Gasol and Odom had 16 of them, and received, again, one foul shot for their troubles.

I'll reiterate simply because it bears repeating: Exactly even at the rim in shot attempts. Seventeen shooting fouls to three. On a night when the two teams took the exact same number of shots at the rim. That's not bad, that's borderline absurd. You pretend like the officiating got better in the second half? First half: 19-2, Boston. Second half: 19-8, Boston. Oh good, the Lakers got 6 extra free throws. "Fouls at the end of the game" don't hold water, because LA only fouled once on Posey - let's take that out. 17-8 in the second half, despite long stretches that saw LA play more at being matadors than at defenders because they were trying to avoid getting called for fouls!

I don't expect LA necessarily be -ahead- in free throws. But one expects them to be within, oh, I don't know, twenty? Fifteen too much to ask, perhaps? You're calling out Odom - maybe he struggled because every time he tried to go in the lane, he got hammered or called for an offensive foul? The same is true of Gasol, who admittedly allowed the officiating to take him out of the game - but it took him out of the game because it was so egregiously bad that he attempted 11 shots right in the paint amidst a significant amount of contact, and was rewarded with one foul shot.

Lost in all of this is the fact that Kobe actually played really well against the "Kobe stopper" Boston defense. 30 points on 23 shots is plenty efficient (that's just as efficient as 39 points on 30 shots, which was how he played in game 5 against the Spurs, when everybody couldn't stop talking about how well he played). He tossed in 8 assists to boot. All this despite being saddled with 3 fouls early, all of which were on the floor. I don't know that being "MVP" is worth the 20 or so FTAs it seemed to be against Utah, but, really, Kobe gets called for ticky-tack stuff 3x in the first half while Leon Powe spends his first 10 minutes in the game shoving Pau Gasol half into the stanchion every time down the court!

The 'comeback' almost buries the story more than it should, because the fact is that the officiating killed the Lakers. It pulled Kobe out of the game early, and as soon as he left the early LA lead evaporated (Lakers were up by 1 when he left, were down by 8 when he returned). When he got his 3rd on yet another nonsense call (I was unaware that being shoved into Paul Pierce by PJ Brown was considered a foul, but hey, I'm not an NBA ref - on the flipside, I can see better than Stevie Wonder, which seems to be something they all lack), the Celtics extended a 7-point lead to 12 at the half. And you're fooling yourself if you don't think that the tight officiating (at the Lakers' end, and ONLY at the Lakers' end, for the 2nd quarter) didn't affect how LA played defense for the remainder of the game."

[AILebronMelo]

Laker fans are really getting annoying with the whinning. I actually get a kick out of it because for years they were on the good side of offciating and when other teams would say something then you are being a Laker Hater in their eyes lol......just like they thought the Gasol trade was fair. Oh wait who will you guys rip off next year? Maybe you can get Melo or Lebron for Walton and Radman and justify that not being fishy too.

[JellosJigglin]

Laker fans are really getting annoying with the whinning. I actually get a kick out of it because for years they were on the good side of offciating and when other teams would say something then you are being a Laker Hater in their eyes lol......just like they thought the Gasol trade was fair. Oh wait who will you guys rip off next year? Maybe you can get Melo or Lebron for Walton and Radman and justify that not being fishy too.

It's only considered "whining" when you look beyond all the stats and arguments that are being provided. Stats that have exposed that mockery of a game for what it was: an off night for the officials.

[AILebronMelo]

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It's only considered "whining" when you look beyond all the stats and arguments that are being provided. Stats that have exposed that mockery of a game for what it was: an off night for the officials.

Bad officiating has been going on for the longest. Whenever it is the Lakers getting the calls I do not hear any Laker fan complain about it. All I am saying is its getting very annoying and pretty hyprocitical of you guys to try to assume something is rigged when the Lakers as a team and a franchise has gotten more gifts from the NBA then any other team.

[JellosJigglin]

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Bad officiating has been going on for the longest. Whenever it is the Lakers getting the calls I do not hear any Laker fan complain about it. All I am saying is its getting very annoying and pretty hyprocitical of you guys to try to assume something is rigged when the Lakers as a team and a franchise has gotten more gifts from the NBA then any other team.

Just curious, did you read the title of this thread before you clicked? This is a ref bashing thread. If it annoys you, then don't click it. YOU made that choice, not Laker fans.

[JellosJigglin]

And another thing, if you think Lakers fans are the only ones complaining about the officiating in that last game, you are mistaken.

[AILebronMelo]

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Just curious, did you read the title of this thread before you clicked? This is a ref bashing thread. If it annoys you, then don't click it. YOU made that choice, not Laker fans.

I am fully aware what type of thread it is. However you Laker fans have been crying since last night let it go and move on to game 3 it is not the end of the world. I mean like I said did you do any complaining when the Lakers 75% has had it their way in the NBA with officating and trades? Lakers fans are so use to getting things handed to you they can not take being on the other side for once and it is pretty funny again.

[Curmudgeon]

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Exposed.

For what-- having watched the game?

Officiating in the NBA is spotty at best. Every team gets screwed at one time or another. Last night was not one of those times. The Lakers were outplayed, and screwed themselves by committing dumb fouls (like Kobe's elbow on Ray Allen) and by not taking it to the hoop.

Go ahead and whine all you want. I'm rather enjoying it.

[JellosJigglin]

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I am fully aware what type of thread it is. However you Laker fans have been crying since last night let it go and move on to game 3 it is not the end of the world. I mean like I said did you do any complaining when the Lakers 75% has had it their way in the NBA with officating and trades? Lakers fans are so use to getting things handed to you they can not take being on the other side for once and it is pretty funny again.

I am assuming by "that other side" you mean the side that gets absolutely screwed. That is really all the admission I need. The Lakers got screwed by a crew that had an off night. Glad we can at least agree on that. That's really all this thread is about.

Now, do you want to respond to the post on the previous page that breaks down how the Lakers were close to, or just as aggressive as Boston? Because I repeat, we're only "whining" if you look completely beyond the arguments we are presenting, which are backed up with stats.

[JellosJigglin]

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(like Kobe's elbow on Ray Allen)

Wow you're on a roll. I haven't seen anyone outside of Boston who actually thinks that was a foul. Keep it coming!

[Curmudgeon]

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Wow you're on a roll. I haven't seen anyone outside of Boston who actually thinks that was a foul. Keep it coming!

If Kobe had done it to Rajon Rondo, it would not have been a foul. But Ray Allen is an all star and it was done right in the ref's face. Should it have been called? No. Was it likely to be called given who the defender was and given the fact that the official was about five feet away? Yes.

Bad judgment on Kobe's part , bordering on hubris.

[JellosJigglin]

If that was a foul, then the entire Boston roster should have fouled out by halftime.

[AILebronMelo]

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I am assuming by "that other side" you mean the side that gets absolutely screwed. That is really all the admission I need. The Lakers got screwed by a crew that had an off night. Glad we can at least agree on that. That's really all this thread is about.

Now, do you want to respond to the post on the previous page that breaks down how the Lakers were close to, or just as aggressive as Boston? Because I repeat, we're only "whining" if you look completely beyond the arguments we are presenting, which are backed up with stats.

I am not saying the Lakers did not get jobbed on some calls I am just saying this type of stuff has been happening and was not new last night.

[snaquille oatmeal]

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Was home advantage ever ridicilous in your eyes when the Lakers was shooting alot more free throws against other teams? Or it only matters now because the Lakers are finally on the other side?

i know you asked somebody else this question, but I have seen this very question asked many times of Lakers fans. this is what I wrote during the Jazz series about the refs

we have all heard the counter aurguments. most of us accept them as part of the game. everyone is so jaded that it never makes the news and topics on it here on our board get locked faster than it is going to take me to write this post.
well, I've had enough of this crap and will open this thread anyway.

when the refs are so bad in a game towards both teams that I end up getting more p***ed about the calls for both sides than my team losing...that is saying something!

....but,

-it all evens out at the end
-the home team always gets better treatment
-this are the playoffs
-it all evens out at the end

.....yeah, these are the counter arguments against bad calls, well I call BS to those stands on the grounds that I love this game.

the blind acceptance of these moronic excuses are ruining this game that we love so much.

I am not gonna get specific on any one or two calls, but when the refs bad calls let one team make an 8 point run in the middle of the fourth quater then to make up for it let the other team counter with a ten point run on bad calls to "even it out" that just kills the pleasure of watching a great game.

I was distraught with some of the blalantly bad calls for both sides. the refs just took the life and the element of not knowing the final outcome out of this series. it is now a 3 game series and guess who will get the benefits of the calls in two of the 3 remaining games.

the visiting teams power forward got in foul trouble early in games 1 and 2 and the visiting teams point guard got in foul trouble early in games 3 and 4. sure it all evened out at the end, but I'll be danmed if you think that it didn't kill the games for the visiting teams and some of the love of the game for their respective fans.

why is it policy that the home team gets better calls? why are we so accepting of this BS? why is the media so afraid to call the refs out? I like Hubie Brown, but the old man will go out of his way not to criticize the refs. why Hubie? I loved you as the old Mormon preacher in the Poltergeist movies so why can't you grow your cojones back and haunt the refs with your words on ABC?

why aren't Jim Rome, Dan Patrick and others from the media calling out the refs? I think that if the media would make a stink about it something would be done for the love of the game.

in the end did it all even out? sure, the game was even at the end of regulation and the series was even at the end of overtime.

...so can we expect things to even out at the end of game seven?

...hardly.

...is it fair to the Jazz?

...never.

I love (yawn) this game!

go Lakers!

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Bad officiating has been going on for the longest. Whenever it is the Lakers getting the calls I do not hear any Laker fan complain about it. All I am saying is its getting very annoying and pretty hyprocitical of you guys to try to assume something is rigged when the Lakers as a team and a franchise has gotten more gifts from the NBA then any other team.

perhaps you should actually read other boards and not just the Celtics to find out what other fan bases are actually saying before you post anymore tripe.

[Nate505]

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It's only considered "whining" when you look beyond all the stats and arguments that are being provided. Stats that have exposed that mockery of a game for what it was: an off night for the officials.

When Jazz fans were complaining about the huge discrepency in FT's in that series I seem to remember a bunch of holier than thou crap from Laker fans about how Jazz fans whine too much about the refs and that the more aggressive team gets the calls and blah blah blah.

It's sort of amusing when the shoe is on the other foot.

[JellosJigglin]

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When Jazz fans were complaining about the huge discrepency in FT's in that series I seem to remember a bunch of holier than thou crap from Laker fans about how Jazz fans whine too much about the refs and that the more aggressive team gets the calls and blah blah blah.

It's sort of amusing when the shoe is on the other foot.

When your team leads the NBA in fouls, you're not going to get much sympathy from anyone.

[RIPskaterdude]

The 15 minutes comment was cute. Let's try going back 18 Finals series. In terms of free throw discrepancy, this is something the league has only seen twice going back to 1991, and maybe even further back (I haven't looked). Only one was worse, which involved the Lakers versus Detroit a few years ago.

I know you were just talking about the Finals but...

The Kings thought the Lakers got some help from the officials as well. Los Angeles made 34-of-40 free throws while Sacramento sank 18-of-25. In the fourth quarter, the Lakers hit 21-of-27 from the line while the Kings made 7-of-9.

[LLcoleJ]

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I personally am over it. But it is amusing that yesterday complainers of fouls are now telling the present/relative complainers that they cant complain?

ok

[JellosJigglin]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=IUtf6-avo2c

Can anyone watch this video and honestly say this game was called fairly?

Watch this video and tell me the Lakers weren't going to the basket and being aggressive.

And this is a small sample.

Garnett is already a good defender, but when you allow him to get away with that much contact on his block attempts, forget it. Fortunately Gasol is a pretty good finisher under the basket, so he still made some of those. Should've been and-1's.