Yahoo has spoken. OKC and Knicks are already done.

[miraclejohan]

I love a good conspiracy. Note the OKC/Mem and NYK/Pacers series.  Yahoo says they're already over.  The site has since been updated, but I grabbed this screenshot.  Did Yahoo just jump ahead a few days in their script that Stern passed out at the beginning of the season?



PS I don't really believe its a conspiracy, but this image really had me confused this morning.

[Moranis]

ah yes because it makes total sense that the league would prefer a team in Memphis and a team in Indiana, none of which have real stars, over a team in New York with a star and a team in Oklahoma City that has a number of stars.  That makes total sense.

[mkogav]

Love the screenshot. TP for the quick thinking!

Mk

[Chelm]

ah yes because it makes total sense that the league would prefer a team in Memphis and a team in Indiana, none of which have real stars, over a team in New York with a star and a team in Oklahoma City that has a number of stars.  That makes total sense.

TP for mirroring my exact thoughts!

[esel1000]

ah yes because it makes total sense that the league would prefer a team in Memphis and a team in Indiana, none of which have real stars, over a team in New York with a star and a team in Oklahoma City that has a number of stars.  That makes total sense.

TP for mirroring my exact thoughts!

Stern just doesn't want it to be obvious that he's already decided Miami. Now he can say it obviously wasn't him since if he wanted teams for stars he'd "never" pick Memphis and Indiana.

I mean hey we're talking conspiracies right? In all honestly I think it was a typo, though ill never forget when the NBA store had Heat champion shirts up before the end of the Heat/OKC series. Those were taken down pretty fast as well

[Moranis]

ah yes because it makes total sense that the league would prefer a team in Memphis and a team in Indiana, none of which have real stars, over a team in New York with a star and a team in Oklahoma City that has a number of stars.  That makes total sense.

TP for mirroring my exact thoughts!

Stern just doesn't want it to be obvious that he's already decided Miami. Now he can say it obviously wasn't him since if he wanted teams for stars he'd "never" pick Memphis and Indiana.

I mean hey we're talking conspiracies right? In all honestly I think it was a typo, though ill never forget when the NBA store had Heat champion shirts up before the end of the Heat/OKC series. Those were taken down pretty fast as well

yeah but they still want and need people to watch.  way more money in the long term.  conspiracies need to be based in reality or they just don't make sense.  This is one of that that has no basis in reality and thus is clearly not a conspiracy.

[Donoghus]

I'd say Yahoo's right about the Knicks being done (although, not in 4 games). 

[CelticConcourse]

In 4? lol

[SparzWizard]

At least get it right Yahoo...Memphis in 5, Indiana in 5 

We all know Miami is going to be in the finals or else Stern will be losing money. As for the West, I'm leaning on San Antonio since they are more popular than Memphis/Golden State Warriors.

[pearljammer10]

In 4? lol

Exactly.

[CelticConcourse]

I also like how it states "Grizzlies in 4", whereas the OKC logo is highlighted (depicts victory).

Full of fail

[D.o.s.]

ah yes because it makes total sense that the league would prefer a team in Memphis and a team in Indiana, none of which have real stars, over a team in New York with a star and a team in Oklahoma City that has a number of stars.  That makes total sense.

TP for the successful use of your frontal cortex!

[fairweatherfan]

ah yes because it makes total sense that the league would prefer a team in Memphis and a team in Indiana, none of which have real stars, over a team in New York with a star and a team in Oklahoma City that has a number of stars.  That makes total sense.

It's kind of a weird year actually - all 4 teams out West + Indiana are small-market teams, and the Miami area has maybe the most apathetic fans of any bigger market in the league.

This of course begs the question - just what is the success rate of David Stern's many conspiracies?  Let's hope Silver runs a tighter ship, we'll never catch the WWE at this rate.

[miraclejohan]

Just FTR, I did end my initial post with "PS I don't really believe its a conspiracy, but this image really had me confused this morning," so take that for what it's worth.

Of course Miami will be in the Finals (fingers crossed that I am wrong), but it still makes WWE sense to have OKC bow out early due to the Westbrook injury...why waste a rematch narrative with an incomplete team? I mean there's Cinderella and then there's Buster Douglas. 

IF there's any pulling of puppet strings involved, I fully support Memphis advancing.  Small market, unsexy, old school front line, Tony Allen....in either case, I'll be excited to watch a Spurs/MEM vs MIA finals.  Could actually be compelling basketball.

[Celtics18]

I think the most likely explanation is that they've got a bunch of yahoos working over at Yahoo.