2024 NBA Season and Playoffs

[celticsclay]

Pacers-Knicks going 7 games..but Carlisle is livid saying small market teams needs be given a chance to win ouch!!! He gotta get fined lol

Reminding me of the Bucks and 76ers in 2001. The Bucks feeling the NBA refs worked against them to make sure they wouldn't make the Finals because Philly was the bigger market / draw than them.

The Western conference has Minnesota, OKC and Denver ll in the second round none of whom are exactly "big" markets. In the East Indy beat Phili round 1, so that's weird if the NBA wants "bigger" markets to advanced.

Denver won a title last year. SAS got Wemby in the lottery. If the NBA is rigging stuff in favor of big markets then they are doing an awful job at it.

How do you think Philly played Indiana in the first round? That New York Philly series was pretty memorable

[Phantom255x]

Pat Beverley suspended 4 games. That's it??

[angryguy77]

Pacers-Knicks going 7 games..but Carlisle is livid saying small market teams needs be given a chance to win ouch!!! He gotta get fined lol

Reminding me of the Bucks and 76ers in 2001. The Bucks feeling the NBA refs worked against them to make sure they wouldn't make the Finals because Philly was the bigger market / draw than them.

The Western conference has Minnesota, OKC and Denver ll in the second round none of whom are exactly "big" markets. In the East Indy beat Phili round 1, so that's weird if the NBA wants "bigger" markets to advanced.

Denver won a title last year. SAS got Wemby in the lottery. If the NBA is rigging stuff in favor of big markets then they are doing an awful job at it.

There's levels to how they can influence games. I mean look at those awful calls in game 1, just inexcusable. Tell me how 3 refs mistake a kickball on a play so out in the open.

Do you really think Donaghey was the only one? I sincerely doubt it. Now with gambling legal, the odds of there being dirty refs has got to be higher than ever.

I'd think the league may not outright fix things, but maybe just put a thumb on the scale in ways they try to make it not look so obvious.

[Birdman]

Pat Beverley suspended 4 games. That's it??

Unreal, should be at least 20 & 100K..he could had hurt someone

[Kernewek]

Pacers-Knicks going 7 games..but Carlisle is livid saying small market teams needs be given a chance to win ouch!!! He gotta get fined lol

Reminding me of the Bucks and 76ers in 2001. The Bucks feeling the NBA refs worked against them to make sure they wouldn't make the Finals because Philly was the bigger market / draw than them.

The Western conference has Minnesota, OKC and Denver ll in the second round none of whom are exactly "big" markets. In the East Indy beat Phili round 1, so that's weird if the NBA wants "bigger" markets to advanced.

Denver won a title last year. SAS got Wemby in the lottery. If the NBA is rigging stuff in favor of big markets then they are doing an awful job at it.

There's levels to how they can influence games. I mean look at those awful calls in game 1, just inexcusable. Tell me how 3 refs mistake a kickball on a play so out in the open.

Do you really think Donaghey was the only one? I sincerely doubt it. Now with gambling legal, the odds of there being dirty refs has got to be higher than ever.

I'd think the league may not outright fix things, but maybe just put a thumb on the scale in ways they try to make it not look so obvious.

The burden of proof is on you to prove this, though, because with the legalisation & widespread acceptance of gambling comes an incredibly high level of scrutiny. If they were actually 'putting a thumb on the scale' in any way you could definitively prove - that is to say, beyond the refereeing being somewhat variable game-to-game in a series - the referees involved (not to mention the league itself) would instantly be in absolutely massive hot water.

From a 'health of the league' perspective, there is more money to be had than ever before. As a result, two things are true: the gains from illicit behaviour have never been smaller, and the risks have never been higher - because all of that money would vanish overnight if the league was ever found making any sort of organised 'thumb movements' like you're describing.

Now, would the NBA front office prefer to have Lakers/Celtics, Warriors/Knicks, etc etc every year in the Finals? Sure. So would Wyc. So would the Buss Family. So would Dolan & Lacob. But you seem to be unaware of the sheer scope of difficulty in what you're suggesting.

[keevsnick]

Pacers-Knicks going 7 games..but Carlisle is livid saying small market teams needs be given a chance to win ouch!!! He gotta get fined lol

Reminding me of the Bucks and 76ers in 2001. The Bucks feeling the NBA refs worked against them to make sure they wouldn't make the Finals because Philly was the bigger market / draw than them.

The Western conference has Minnesota, OKC and Denver ll in the second round none of whom are exactly "big" markets. In the East Indy beat Phili round 1, so that's weird if the NBA wants "bigger" markets to advanced.

Denver won a title last year. SAS got Wemby in the lottery. If the NBA is rigging stuff in favor of big markets then they are doing an awful job at it.

How do you think Philly played Indiana in the first round? That New York Philly series was pretty memorable

Ya that's my bad, Ind played Milwaukee so both of those are small markets although i'd think the NAB would rather advance the team with Giannis/Lillard if ratings are the goal.

The idea that the NBA reffing favors large markets is still kind of silly to me. its not something you could keep secret.

[Who]

Pacers-Knicks going 7 games..but Carlisle is livid saying small market teams needs be given a chance to win ouch!!! He gotta get fined lol

Reminding me of the Bucks and 76ers in 2001. The Bucks feeling the NBA refs worked against them to make sure they wouldn't make the Finals because Philly was the bigger market / draw than them.

The Western conference has Minnesota, OKC and Denver ll in the second round none of whom are exactly "big" markets. In the East Indy beat Phili round 1, so that's weird if the NBA wants "bigger" markets to advanced.

Denver won a title last year. SAS got Wemby in the lottery. If the NBA is rigging stuff in favor of big markets then they are doing an awful job at it.

There's levels to how they can influence games. I mean look at those awful calls in game 1, just inexcusable. Tell me how 3 refs mistake a kickball on a play so out in the open.

Do you really think Donaghey was the only one? I sincerely doubt it. Now with gambling legal, the odds of there being dirty refs has got to be higher than ever.

I'd think the league may not outright fix things, but maybe just put a thumb on the scale in ways they try to make it not look so obvious.

The burden of proof is on you to prove this, though, because with the legalisation & widespread acceptance of gambling comes an incredibly high level of scrutiny. If they were actually 'putting a thumb on the scale' in any way you could definitively prove - that is to say, beyond the refereeing being somewhat variable game-to-game in a series - the referees involved (not to mention the league itself) would instantly be in absolutely massive hot water.

From a 'health of the league' perspective, there is more money to be had than ever before. As a result, two things are true: the gains from illicit behaviour have never been smaller, and the risks have never been higher - because all of that money would vanish overnight if the league was ever found making any sort of organised 'thumb movements' like you're describing.

Now, would the NBA front office prefer to have Lakers/Celtics, Warriors/Knicks, etc etc every year in the Finals? Sure. So would Wyc. So would the Buss Family. So would Dolan & Lacob. But you seem to be unaware of the sheer scope of difficulty in what you're suggesting.

We already know they are putting their thumb on the scale. They have created a system to institutionalize it. They give referee notes before games / series of what to look for. What plays to prioritize. Both fouls commited by certain defenders to or to protect certain defenders from certain fouls.

They then have teams lobby the league with videos of calls they feel are unfair to them. These videos are looked at by the league. They then give orders to the referees. I forget whether it is series by series or game by game in the playoffs. I think it is game by game. And referees change how they call the game based on what they are told by league office after being lobbied by teams and whatever the league themselves wants.

The thumb is always on the scale. There is no question about thumb on the scale. That is baked into the system.

----------------------------------

What happened in Gm 1 of the NY Indy series was way worse than that though. That was not a gentle manipulation of the game. That was blatant in your face altering the result. The referees decided that outcome of that game.

Now whether that is gross incompetence that led to the referees deciding the outcome of that game or intentional action is debatable.

[Kernewek]

I don't disagree, but this is not the same thing as what's being suggested, and conflating the two feels to be a pretty easy thing to avoid.

[Moranis]

The Pacers lost game 1 because they left completely ineffective Haliburton on the floor. Brunson torched him and he didn't even take a single shot in over 9 and a half minutes.  3 turnovers, 0 points on 0 shots, while Brunson goes 6 of 10 from the field and scores 21 points. Each team committed 7 fouls.  Yes the refs missed a call at the end, but they missed calls the other way earlier.  Ricky C got thoroughly outcoached and the Pacers got outhustled. Thst is why they lost game 1 (and frankly game 2 as well).

[Goldstar88]

Happy Trails to Frank Vogel. Didn’t last long in Phoenix…

[jpotter33]

https://x.com/shamscharania/status/1788683320294781162?s=46&t=lGU0TGXtwjkuVuoin6WTNw

Left hamstring strain for OG. Out for Game 3, at least. But with any kind of hamstring strain that’s at least like a ten days to two week injury, right? Doubt we see him the rest of the Pacers series.

[celticinorlando]

https://x.com/shamscharania/status/1788683320294781162?s=46&t=lGU0TGXtwjkuVuoin6WTNw

Left hamstring strain for OG. Out for Game 3, at least. But with any kind of hamstring strain that’s at least like a ten days to two week injury, right? Doubt we see him the rest of the Pacers series.

The way he reacted and could barely walk tells me it’s a pretty bad strain

[Neurotic Guy]

The Knicks have been down double digits in all 8 playoff games. You cannot beat good teams doing that.

You can if the zebras help you. Game 1 was totally handed to the Knicks by refs.

the fouls called and foul shot attempts are fairly close and that includes the technical foul shots and all of the take fouls at the end of both games.  There isn't really a discrepancy.  Yes the refs missed some calls, but they missed some benefiting the Pacers also.  The Knicks are winning because the Pacers simply aren't good enough and aren't winning the hustle plays.  As TJ McConnell said "We're not going to sit here and blame the officials. We have to be better. It's just that simple. They smashed us on the boards again tonight and just brought more energy than we did. We have to fix that." Or how about Tyrese Haliburton, "At the end of the day, we got outplayed...They outplayed us. Let's not pretend like the refs are the reason we lost. We just got to better."

They are right. They just didn't play as hard as the Knicks. The rebounds through 2 games are 84 to 66. That's the difference

I love this post. Not sure where you typically stand on referees being corrupt - purposefully influencing games - but I generally think it’s untrue. Notice the word ‘think’ - I’m open to being wrong, I just doubt there is an NBA ref conspiracy to favor certain teams. It’s not that I know their collective or individual ethics to be sound, it’s that I’m dubious that this could occur without being exposed.  Others here are certain of it but all there is is anecdotal evidence. Every NBA fan base in America believes that their team is the victim and every fan base can point to their ‘evidence’. Please show me the game thread where Celtics Strong posters claim that the Cs were the beneficiary of a conspiracy to get them a win. Admissions sometimes that a call went their way but never that the refs conspired to get the Celts a win.

I don’t deny that refs can be bad at their job or that a rogue ref might try to manipulate a game for their own gain, but I doubt there is a ref conspiracy with the goal, for example, of getting NY past Indy.

[Celtics2021]

https://x.com/shamscharania/status/1788683320294781162?s=46&t=lGU0TGXtwjkuVuoin6WTNw

Left hamstring strain for OG. Out for Game 3, at least. But with any kind of hamstring strain that’s at least like a ten days to two week injury, right? Doubt we see him the rest of the Pacers series.

It’s not impossible to come back more quickly.  Remember Jaylen Brown strained a hamstring in game 7 of the 1st round in 2018 against Milwaukee and was back by game 2 vs. Philly 5 days later.  OG’s looked a bit more serious, but it also didn’t look catastrophic. 

[Birdman]

Happy Trails to Frank Vogel. Didn’t last long in Phoenix…

With all these big stars in one team like the lakers & suns, someone gotta take the fall when they lose in the first round