I knew going in to the Los Angeles-Houston series what was going to happen. Actually, I knew going in to the playoffs what was going to happen. Anyone who pays attention would too.

Coming in to the 2009 playoffs, one need only look at the top Eastern Conference team and the top Western Conference team, then recognize who both teams' star player is, to figure out who would be playing in the finals.

That's because the NBA is a business first and a basketball league second. Just imagine the money a Kobe vs LeBron NBA Finals would generate. How could you possibly pass that up if you're the NBA?

The fix has been on in the NBA for a while. That's why I can't take it seriously. And that's why I'm not upset about what is going on in the Los Angeles-Houston series despite my obvious hometown emotional investment in the series. I'm just not surprised by what is happening.

Game 1 Houston shocked Los Angeles and probably the NBA as well. That explains why Joey Crawford was given Game 2. Game 2 was garbage and I won't even bother going in to it.

Here in Game 3, the officiating was alright for the most part, but then Artest gets ejected for a regular foul that you see every game. How is that a Flagrant 2 and what Sasha Vujacic did to Von Wafer is only a foul? The fix is on. That's obvious no matter what happens with the review of Artest's foul on Pau Gasol. But if his Flagrant 2 isn't reversed, it'll be blatantly obvious.

Why doesn't the NBA just take a look at the teams over the summer, decide which two they want to play in the finals that particular year, then just play a seven game series and save us a lot of time and drama? Don't even play the regular season or the playoffs. Just go straight to the finals.

I expect to get a flood of Laker fans here. I don't expect much agreement from them about the fix. Why go against the flow when it favors you, right? But hopefully there can also be some intelligent discussion of the fix being on.

[edit on 5/9/09 by NovusOrdoMundi]

While I agree with you to an extent..the part about the NBA asking high rating and "good games" to go as far as possible, i don't think the NBA is the sole patrician. Take a look at who backs merchandising, ticketing and miscellaneous sales at the arenas and worldwide.

I just don't see anything that supports a "fix". Even with the boost in ratings that a LeBron vs. Kobe finals would bring, no professional sporting league would jeopardize everything for such a short-term boost. It would involve too many people and it just would not happen.

In the East, the Cavaliers are lucky to not be down 3-0. I haven't seen anything by the officials in that series that suggests they are pulling for Cleveland.

Thoughts?

i agree that the nba want kobe and lebron in the finals, for obvious reasons. i also agree about the referees, but its like this every playoffs, they call little touch fouls, and they are always quick to give a T. personally i would like to see denver in the finals, even though kobe is one of my favorite players, he reminds me so much of MJ, he's like a mirror image. and orlando is giving cleveland it's moneys worth. can't wait to see how they call game 4, thats the game to watch if your suspicious. will they help lebron out or not.

I think you guys don't understand how a true fix in sports is done. it is not done be going to the commish. It is done by talking to the refs. Look at the RECORD number of calls in this playoff block. It has been game changinf one-sided calls. to either allow for a comeback or to surpress a comeback. A good 70% of the calls from both series at present have been garbage or non-existent calls. Don't even get me started on the BS rollin calls as well as the blatant pushing calls that have gone uncalled.Hell even ESPN commentators have let slip a comment or 2. The NBA refs are not untouchable as we all know and times are tough...maybe for the organized crime families of the world too.

[edit on 25-5-2009 by djvexd]

[edit on 25-5-2009 by djvexd]

When I watched Game 1 or 2 the other night, late in the fourth LeBron was called on a travel as he drove the lane in an attempt to tie the game. ...might have even been in game 3. Not 100% sure what game it was, but the call was made.

The media makes a big deal of these things and it is the same in every sport.

In the NHL, certain penalties are called against some players and not others. In MLB, the strike zone is a little larger for some pitchers than others. In the NBA, some players are allowed the odd extra step here and there. The league protects their best players and while they do not flaunt this.. rarely do they make an effort to hide it. Do we hear the players screaming every day about it? Nope, because they acknowledge it as well.

It has been a simple fact in almost every major sporting league for as long as the media has been reporting their day to day business.

So I don't think it carries any merit to say that Kobe or LeBron are called for less fouls, travels, or any other violation and correlate that to an actual fix.

After watching last night's game, certainly a few questionable calls went for the Cavaliers and a few others against the Magic. Still not enough to make a believer out of me, but if I was a Magic fan I'd be screaming to the high heavens.

The non-foul call at the end of regulation last night probably would have resulted in my needing of a new television, or at the very least a new remote. I do believe Howard yanked on his arm to make it look like there was more contact.. but none of that would matter if I was a Magic fan.

As a hockey official for over 10 years and a baseball umpire for almost 15 years, you can not take something as subjective as it and correlate it to a fix. It is far too subjective for it to substantiate anything of the sort.

I just don't buy it.

If there was ever a fix, it would have to stretch beyond the officials on the court.

The short-term boost of a LeBron/Kobe finals is non-existent when you weigh it against the risk of being caught in a fix. This is the league that only a year or two ago has busted it's officials for fixing games. If something like this existed, do you think those officials would be falling on the sword? Not a chance. The blame game would have begun. It didn't.

the risk of being caught in a fix.........you mean the risk of being caught and putting it all on one Rogue official

this is the typical rationale for those not thinking a fix is possible.....now i don't know if the fix is in......but i do know you have to watch a whole entire season to see which players get the calls and not reason that they are called fair b/c the king takes a five step walk thru to the rim and gets called on it.....

now who is benefitting........the most......? advertisers? merchandisers?