How do I explain the success of the Spurs? I don't think I understand your question. The Spurs are an absurdly good team - the most dominant of our era. They have the best coach in basketball AND the best player in basketball. Their winning percentage has been higher since Tim Duncan joined the team than any team in organized sports, worldwide.

For a team like say, Cleveland, to beat the Spurs they would need to get such blatantly biased officiating that it would be apparent to even the most casual observer that something wasn't on the level.... and the Spurs might just win anyway.

Also, just to throw out some statistics -

Since round 2 of the playoffs the home team has won roughly 84% of the time. During that span the home team has shot an average of over 5 free throws more than the opposing team in each contest.

In light of Donaghy's recent comments, the newly revealed information that NBA execs give directives to refs before tip-off and at halftime and the popularly held notion that star players are allowed more liberties with the refs... reasonable people might question whether this is on the level.

There was a major soccer scandal in Europe recently, with a wide range of games proven to be fixed. Its not out of the realm of possibility that David Stern et al might look at the NBA as a business. I'm not saying its fixed for sure - but when even the odds in Vegas swing hugely on home vs. away ( Example: Celtics were 4-1 underdogs in Game 3, despite being up 2-0 in the series) you have to wonder if thats because of more than just screaming fans and thunder sticks.

That one is easy.

Stern hates Cuban with a passion. The Mavericks were off to the races with that series, and all of sudden, the tide changed. Wade couldn't foul nobody, nor could anybody get near him without drawing a foul.

I raised hell about this back when it happened, and after the fact it has been talked about nationally as being one of the most lopsided officiated finals in history.

The Spurs in The Finals with their less than compelling, workman-like, pot-hole filling, watch the grass growing, turn the clock backwards style is everything BUT exciting.
Why on Earth would the NBA fix games in order to feature the Spurs? Or the Pistons for that matter? Is No-Doze the official sponser of the NBA?
If the NBA is throwing games, they're really bad at it.

The NBA isn't fixed. It's broken.

'02 Game 6 Video Disappears From Youtube

Video footage from 2002's Lakers vs. Kings Game 6 mysteriously disappeared from YouTube on Thursday.

David Stern said Thursday night that there is no truth to Tim Donaghy's claims that the fix was in for that game. "We could go back and look at it," he said. "My guess is it won't be pretty, but it won't be dishonest and it won't be illegal." According to a New York Daily News poll, 91% of fans believe Donaghy's accusations. And now that the video evidence from Game 6 has vanished from the web, conspiracy theories will probably only gain more steam. "We do not comment on individual videos or video sets," a YouTube spokesperson said. Jun. 13 - 9:03 am et

Couldn't that also be attributed to the amount of younger players and lack of playoff experience? N

And also what are the stats "including" round one? It's easy to make the stats fit your argument when you omit certain things.

Okay, so why did tonight's Boston-LA series end in six games? A seventh game would've been huge for the league, money, etc..

What, Stern has a thing against Phil Jackson now?

The fact is if you WANT to find a conspiracy behind just about anything, you can selectively choose facts to construct one. That doesn't necessarily mean it actually makes sense.

Celtic fans booed Stern tonight. Also, a recent poll (taken before the Donaghy bombshell) showed the at large % of fans believe the NBA is rigged. It is time for Stern to go.

I'm not a Stern fan, but I couldn't figure out the boo's. It really made no sense. As to allegations that the NBA is rigged, I have proof that Belicheck filmed the Lakers practices over the past 2 month's!

Rigged or not, the best team in the league all season won. Period.

It makes perfect sense. David Stern is awful and the fans want him gone. From the perception of corruption to the NBA's broken business model to the shady Sonics situation to David Stern's anger, ineptitude, and meglomania, it really does make sense if you follow NBA basketball.

Time for Stern to go!

tru dat silver and black

I dont know, but they are similar. I simply wasn't able to go back and tally THAT MANY games. I'd love to know what they were since even the Celtics Hawks series was at 100% home wins.

Since round 2 was all the specific home vs. away games I could remember with total accuracy... and thats a LOT of games.

http://www.tinfoilonmyhead.com/TheHerd5-14-2008.mp3