The House that Boom Built

Before I dive into post Game thoughts and what not, I just saw something on odenized of a clip that I had not seen during the coverage of tonights game. I probably missed it, but it really is interesting.

Quick synopsis of the video. Basically, Tim Donaghy, under pressure of hard time has, come out with allegations against the league. He is alleging that the NBA instructed its officials to officiate the game in a way favorable to a certain team or a certain outcome.

One such instance in which Donaghy pointed out was the Lakers-Kings series in 2002. This is particularly interesting to me because this series really represents probably one of my earliest basketball memories. I’m sure everyone in California remembers this series and how Horry hit the game winner on the miraculous tip out from Divac in Game 6 when it really looked like the Lakers were done. What a lot of people probably may not remember, I certainly forgot about it until it was brought up in the video, is that the Lakers were down big going into the Fourth quarter. That next quarter would go on to be what many still argue is the most poorly officiated playoff quarter in NBA history.

Certainly, I would argue and many others would to, the Lakers would not be in the position they were in at the end of the game, a position in which they had a chance to win in it, without some favorable officiating. Likewise, as JVG and Stern said, it is hard to find any credibility in a guy whose got his balls nailed to the proverbial wall.

Anyways, its pretty interesting. Take from it what you will.

Edit. More developments, even Ralph Nader wrote a letter to David Stern calling out the manipulation of that game.

-E