Could this be the reason we didn't make the playoffs last season?

[playoffs...PLAYOFFS?]

These are excerpts from the book by Tim Donaghy ( the ref that got suspended from gambling)

You have to take with a grain of salt..specially given that it is his account and he doesn't have the best rep. But I've always though..that where there is smoke there is a fire.

After reading it..you can't help to wonder if some games didn't go our way at the end of the season. I have a feeling that the NBA is not too hot on Larry Brown. Plus the fact that we are a small market..

http://deadspin.com/5392067/excerpts-from-the-book-the-nba-doesnt-want-you-to-read

[Dcarnys]

Would make sense. The NBA is a big market league, its as clear as day they're favored with the NBA and refs.

[spectre]

Wow, good read.

[ohara831]

Wow! Just wonder tho how much is true and how much is BS for the publicity of the book.

[dav7z]

Great read , good find

[BRNC]

You're taking the word of a felon trying to cover his a** and can't even live up to the terms of his probation? I think I'll pass on anything this a**hole has to say....

[playoffs...PLAYOFFS?]

You're taking the word of a felon trying to cover his a** and can't even live up to the terms of his probation? I think I'll pass on anything this a**hole has to say....

could be...but it's a given fact that refs will call a quick foul when they feel that a game is starting to get out of control..i refed intramural games in college, this was definitely something we all did and was even encouraged by the guy in charge of running the refs. yes this is college intramural vs NBA, but this goes on in soccer as well. i really think its definitely foreseable that a NBA ref would call it on a scrub rather than a star.

i also remember distinctively last season one or two times that LB was libid when we played a game were we only got 10 foul calls and the other team got 30...

if anyone has ever heard LB talk about the NBA refs he says that the NBA has the best refs in any professional sport. thats just a bunch of PR..he knows that part of the game is to work them.

i think there is a reality in that article...what you have to question is the motives of the refs. that's where the article gets dubious..and thats when you start to wonder if we've gotten screwed in certain games last season..that could have made a difference

[BRNC]

playoffs...I know there are problems with officiating in the NBA...major ones IMO...but what this guy has to say I will not even take with a grain of salt...I put him down where I put all criminals trying to make a buck off their crimes...totally unreliable...

Let me just add...how did we do against LAL last year? I think we missed the playoffs when Crash was injured in LA and other guys did not step up...not because of the refs...agan just my opinion...

[teej]

^BRNC, noting that the justice system in Texas just killed a man who was days later proven innocent, I think you need to be careful about your comments toward those in prison.

As for this, most of it seems totally believable, especially the star treatment and the parts on Raja, techs, and Bavetta. But I don't know about all of it. Note that 8 teams have won the last 30 titles, and I don't think any of them were small markets.

What I don't get is that the NFL does much better as a sport, and they have true parity. Green Bay could win, or Minnesota, or Oakland. The NFL doesn't need to throw games. The NBA thinks they do, when in reality they'd be just fine without it.

[Walt Cronkite]

Certainly star treatment has affected our team negatively, but I don't think you can argue that it was a reason we missed the playoffs. In light of the Donaghy scandal, I imagine last year the zebras were forced to cut back on some of their antics.

Still, interesting read.

[SWedd523]

Certainly star treatment has affected our team negatively, but I don't think you can argue that it was a reason we missed the playoffs. In light of the Donaghy scandal, I imagine last year the zebras were forced to cut back on some of their antics.

Still, interesting read.
Definitely true. Surely the stars get preferential treatment, but that's not what kept us from the playoffs. Especially last year when they were under more scrutiny than usual.

[BRNC]

^BRNC, noting that the justice system in Texas just killed a man who was days later proven innocent, I think you need to be careful about your comments toward those in prison.

Teej...I'm not talking about everyone in prison (I have major issues with the "legal system" also) but this particular guy...

[davcbow]

I believe it could be a large portion why things work out the way they do during the season and during the playoffs so yes I agree., but if I ever found it to be true Id quit being a fan of the NBA..:cool:

[ziggy]

The game that has always troubled me was the 2002 Western Conference Finals Game 6 between the Lakers and the Kings. This was game was either the worst officiated game in the long history of the NBA or it was fixed. Those are the only two choices.

There is a 10 part series on this from Youtube, but you can get the gist of how disturbing it was from parts 6 & 7

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhlGYvIMPgQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVfZ-CU-bx0

[BETCATS]

i find this a bit paranoid to say the refs have a secret pact or code that would decide which teams to keep out of the playoffs, and which players to favor.

Yes favoritism among refs is true. Yes all refs do have preferences. I am sure these have altered calls.

However, any time we got a bad call going against us, we were playing slopy. The refs only call something if it 'looks like we are breaking the rules. This is wrong, because looks can be decieving, and were in many cases. But dont take this as me saying the refs have not used favoritism and their personal preferences against us, they have. But it is not why we missed the playoffs and it did not affect the majority of our games. We didnt make the playoffs because we were beat out by better teams and because of a end of season implusion. Nothing more, nothing less. Dont scapegoat the refs.

[GoBobs]

I have no doubt the majority of that his true. The league has an interest in the ratings being good. They are going to be tempted to fudge a little, and if that works good why not fudge a little more.

The league does not want to see an upstart bobcats team in the playoffs. If we had gotten the respect a normal team gets all year long we would have made it last year. I have watched a lot of bobcats games and we never get calls.