The NBA . . . . . gone and forgotten

[Senator Clay Davis]

Awesome, even the players think the draft lottery was rigged

http://www.iamagm.com/news/2012/05/3...ery.conspiracy

[PeteLFan]

David stern is a piece of garbage. Everyone knows he has rigged drafts many times. Last night was no different, just like he axed the Paul to the lakers. Just like how he instructs the refs to let the heat and lechoke get the calls.

[socalwingfan]

Classic:

Joe Posnanski ‏@JPosnanski Just stubbed my toe getting ready for morn flight. Not only did it hurt like hell, it put Dwyane Wade at the free-throw line.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Further proof the NBA/ESPN wants the Heat in the Finals...

Total time: 444.25 minutes
Time (minus commercials): 336.25
TIME DEVOTED TO INDIVIDUAL SPORTS
NBA: 171 minutes (50.9%) (last week: 27.7%)
MLB: 72 (21.4%) (last week: 32.1%)
SportsCenter staples (things like the "Top 10," "Encore," "What 2 Watch 4," etc.): 51 (15.2%) (last week: 16%)
NHL: 16.5 (4.9%) (last week: 11%)
Other sports: 10.5 (3.1%) (last week: 1.2%)
NFL: 9 (2.7%) (last week: 4%)
Golf: 2.75 (0.8%) (last week: 4%)
NASCAR: 2.75 (0.8%) (last week: 1.7%)
College football: 0.75 (.2%) (last week: 2.6%)
College basketball: 0 minutes (0%) (last week: 0.2%)
MOST-COVERED TEAMS BY SPORT
Miami Heat (NBA): 78.25 minutes (23.3%)
New York Rangers (NHL): 11.5 (3.4%)
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (MLB): 7.75 (2.3%)
New York Jets (NFL): 2.5 (0.7%)
West Virginia Mountaineers (college football) 0.75 (0.2%)
MOST-MENTIONED SPORTS FIGURES
Rather than break down the amount of time a specific athlete or figure was covered, we counted how frequently names were mentioned in the transcripts from the week. The 15 most-mentioned sports people for May 19-May 25:
LeBron James: 135
Dwyane Wade: 112
Kobe Bryant: 70
Russell Westbrook: 38
Kevin Durant: 33
Justin Verlander: 26
Bryce Harper: 24
Rajon Rondo: 22
Danny Granger: 22
Roy Hibbert: 19
Larry Bird: 19
Chris Bosh: 19
Lance Stephenson: 18
Henrik Lundqvist: 14
Andrew Bynum: 13

http://deadspin.com/5914304/bristolm...the-miami-heat

Notice, not a single San Antonio Spur mentioned more than the guy who did the choke sign to LeBron. Spurs also mentioned for a whopping 4 minutes the entire week. I would say I cannot wait for the Spurs to annihilate the Heat 4-0 and win each game 15+ points, but we all know Stern isn't letting that happen.

[Get-Iggy-With-It]

There is no doubt the NBA draft lottery is rigged, especially the last 3 years with some of the story lines.

Washington Wizards 2010: Wizards suck, Gilbert Arenas' whole gun fiasco occurs, Abe Pollin dies, his senile wife represents the Wizards at the draft lottery and they win despite only being the 5th worst team in the league with a 10% chance.

Deflects media away from negative publicity regarding NBA players, acts as a nice story for the Pollin family, and hooks Ted Leonsis up with John Wall after taking the Wizards off Pollin's wife's hands.

Cleveland Cavaliers 2011: Lebron James leaves Cleveland, Dan Gilbert has a pannick attack, enough said. Cleveland won the lottery with the Clippers draft pick at 2.8% odds.

New Orleans Hornets 2012: Bought by the NBA last year due to financial difficulty, have a terrible season where their one bright spot (Eric Gordon), plays all of 9 games and was rumoured to be sitting out the entire season until summer when he becomes a free agent. Even turned down a $50 million deal offered by NO in January so he could explore his options in free agency.

NBA finally sells the Hornets to Benson and coincidentally they win draft lottery despite being the 3rd worst team in the NBA. 14 more wins than the Bobcats in a shortened season who desperately need any form of talent on their roster.

The NBA is turning into an absolute joke of a league.

I've been following this league forever and love basketball, but if the Heat win this year after the officiating that's been going on in these playoffs I might have to boycott the NBA. At least until David Stern and Adam Silver are gone.

Rant over lol

[Senator Clay Davis]

I just have accepted the NBA is as legitimate as the WWE. I'm gonna keep watching it because its entertaining, just like wrestling was at some point, and when it becomes about the game of basketball again I'll still probably watch. But I don't hold the NBA champ in the same regard as the other big 3 sports champions.

Also another just atrociously officiated game last night. Travelling has obviously been changed to 4 steps without anyone realizing it and what constitutes a foul is dependant on the circumstances. Thunder played great, not saying the refs are why they won, the reffing was horrible both ways. Its that point that angers me. No consistency to reffing anymore, likely because it changes as Stern dictates.

[corporatejay]

I really don't think that the "fix" is in with respect to the NBA, but I'm sure star players and star teams get more calls and always have.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Obviously its impossible to outright fix the games as the players would have to be complicit in the scheme. The NBA is the only sport that is able to outright influence games because of the free throw line. Wanna know when a game is going to be heavilfy influenced? Any time a team gets into the bonus within the first 4 minutes of a quarter. Thats 8 minutes where any foul, even an offensive foul, results in free throws.

Interesting fact, only 4 times in David Sterns 27 years as commish has the NBA not had one of the America's top 5 TV markets in the Finals. By comparision during the same 27 years, it has happened 15 times in the NFL, 15 times in the NHL and 11 times in the MLB.

[CofR]

Pierce and Rondo in foul trouble now... Celtics can't afford to lose both of those guys.

[CofR]

Heat tie the game after being down 18... I'm gonna be sick.

[corporatejay]

Well that seemed ridiculous.

[CofR]

And now Pierce fouls out in OT.

[CofR]

Now Lebron is out as well on an offensive foul. Lebron's first foul as a member of the Heat according to the commentators.

[CofR]

Celts up by 2, 21.4 left in OT

[CofR]

Celtics win!

[OILFAN #81]

Game 5 in both series' should be great. Home teams have won all 8 games so far. Really interested to see if OKC or Boston can win on the road in game 5.

[Get-Iggy-With-It]

Sooo happy the Heat lost that game. I would just love to see them bounced by the Celtics. It's a similar feeling to when the Canucks lose in the playoffs. I could also then totally enjoy the finals. Stress free.

[OILFAN #81]

Miami gets a boost. Bosh back for game 5:

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2012...ording-sources

[Senator Clay Davis]

LeChoke once again wanting absolutely nothing to do with a game winning shot. Its gonna suck when he actually makes one, cause all the people on his jock will then try and use that as proof of his clutchness, nevermind he passes 9 times out of 10 in that situation, and when he does shoot its generally a terrible shot.

[PeteLFan]

The stat was something like 2-16 on game winning or tying shots in the 4th for LeChoke. One of the worst clutch players ever.