Hmm… Where to begin?
Well for starters let’s hope this article isn’t half as bad as the officiating during the Eastern Conference Finals.
After watching the first six games of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals, there is one thing for certain – the refereeing has been atrocious. Quite frankly I don’t even think “atrocious” can correctly describe what one might even consider to be “refereeing”
Several questions need answering; Are these refs trying to rig the games? Does the NBA want the powerhouse Miami Heat to make it the finals bad enough they would consider tampering with the officiating? Are money and television ratings a factor in the outcome?
After game two, I would have answered yes to all of those questions. It was especially true as I watched the fourth quarter in that contest and saw Dwayne Wade drive the paint, jumping up and leading with his right leg, doing his best imitation of a ‘Lyu Kang’ flying kick (from Mortal Kombat), whilst pushing Paul Pierce backwards and out of the way as Pierce had his hands up for the block. Clearly that was an offensive foul. In fact during the season you may have noticed the league crack down on this type of maneuver. Yet somehow with 47 seconds left in a close game, where Miami was only up by 2 points, Pierce gets fouled out, after receiving a ninja kick and called for a foul of his own. This call gave Miami a chance for a four point lead, although Wade would only sink one basket and Ray Allen would sink a trey to force overtime – an overtime that Boston’s Star, Pierce, could not participate in due to the call on Wade’s ninja-kick lay up.
After watching this game, I don’t know how anyone could not be screaming “Rigatoni”. Miami had a total of 47 free throws this game, compared to Boston who only got to the line for 29 attempts. Miami would go on to win the game in overtime and take a 2-0 lead in the series.
Fast forward to game four of the series and I am sitting here like a lost duck. Just when I was convinced some of the most fishy officiating in NBA history was going on, LeBron James fouls out of a game for the first time in four years. I mean, the call is one he got away with consistently over his career. Yet, the ref didn’t even hesitate to foul him out. So now I am left thinking that perhaps the refs are just that bad, and the bias I was certain of in game two, was just a whistle happy referee.
Over the next three games, all of which Boston won, each team got between 20-27 free throw attempts per game. Along with the wrath of the unique point guard, Rajon Rondo, Boston has started to show some life and are now one game away from taking the series and moving on to the NBA Championship. Following a monster performance by Lebron, the Heat would win Game 6, squaring the series and sending us to the all important Game 7.
Will the officials put an end to Boston’s dreams and have another officiating performance replicating game two, or have the men in stripes just completely cracked, and are set to resume blowing their whistles? I don’t know, am I alone in this? Have you been seeing it the same was as I have? After watching this series, I don’t think I have a clue where zebras came from anymore! (and the refs don`t even wear stripes).
As always you can leave your comments below.
… and that is the Last Word.
