2011 NBA Playoffs

[Rockstar Matt]

Enjoy this win Mavericks fans. Our fate was sealed as soon as Kobe called that ref a fa****. (And to an extent, our fate was sealed when we won the title last year. We've looked tired this whole season) It's awful that refs will let a vendetta against Kobe dictate how this series was called. I've never seen a worse officiated series. I fully believe the league is rigged. It makes me wonder how much Cuban is paying the refs in this series...

While the Lakers haven't played up to par this whole season, in these playoffs, both the Hornets and the Mavericks have been allowed to consistently hack the Lakers and the Mavs have gotten away with clogging the paint up with up to 5 guys at times in there for well over 5, 6, 7 and even 10 seconds. While the refs will call bogus fouls on us and let the Mavs clobber the Lakers.

The Lakers in this second half have not played like themselves with Bynum getting ejected and he was rightfully ejected.

I hope the Mavericks lose the next series (to either Memphis or the Thunder) at home. Correction, I hope they get the living snot beat out of them. I also hope we play them next year in the playoffs, because we'll kick the living s*** out of them.

[Seadragon76]

The shocking thing... is not that the Lakers are getting swept out (which is shocking in itself).

It's that the Mavericks are stomping them in Game 4. Losing by 32? Wow... Never would of imagined seeing the mighty Lakers getting dumptrucked the way they are right now.

So much for the 'Angel of Stern' (as so called on PTI) getting involved in this series.

[tBBP]

Enjoy this win Mavericks fans. Our fate was sealed as soon as Kobe called that ref a fa****. (And to an extent, our fate was sealed when we won the title last year. We've looked tired this whole season) It's awful that refs will let a vendetta against Kobe dictate how this series was called. I've never seen a worse officiated series. I fully believe the league is rigged. It makes me wonder how much Cuban is paying the refs in this series...

While the Lakers haven't played up to par this whole season, in these playoffs, both the Hornets and the Mavericks have been allowed to consistently hack the Lakers and the Mavs have gotten away with clogging the paint up with up to 5 guys at times in there for well over 5, 6, 7 and even 10 seconds. While the refs will call bogus fouls on us and let the Mavs clobber the Lakers.

The Lakers in this second half have not played like themselves with Bynum getting ejected and he was rightfully ejected.

I hope the Mavericks lose the next series (to either Memphis or the Thunder) at home. Correction, I hope they get the living snot beat out of them. I also hope we play them next year in the playoffs, because we'll kick the living s*** out of them.

Would you like some cheese with that whine, good sir? Perhaps someone should call the waaaambulance?

Face it, the Lakers straight got stomped on in this game, and uncharacteristically imploded as a result. I guess this year Dirk and Co. figured they wasn't about to choke as per their M.O. the past couple seasons. If anyone was watching Friday night, when the Mavs came back from like 16 down or something like that, it was apparent then that the Lake Show was about to exit stage left. I don't think anyone thought that the Mavs would sweep, though.

Either way it goes, the West has had one helluva postseason thus far. Could a Memphis/Dallas final be on the horizon?? (And who woulda thunk that to be possible before this season started?)

The NBA...where amazing happens.

[rainmaker17]

Enjoy this win Mavericks fans. Our fate was sealed as soon as Kobe called that ref a fa****. (And to an extent, our fate was sealed when we won the title last year. We've looked tired this whole season) It's awful that refs will let a vendetta against Kobe dictate how this series was called. I've never seen a worse officiated series. I fully believe the league is rigged. It makes me wonder how much Cuban is paying the refs in this series...

While the Lakers haven't played up to par this whole season, in these playoffs, both the Hornets and the Mavericks have been allowed to consistently hack the Lakers and the Mavs have gotten away with clogging the paint up with up to 5 guys at times in there for well over 5, 6, 7 and even 10 seconds. While the refs will call bogus fouls on us and let the Mavs clobber the Lakers.

The Lakers in this second half have not played like themselves with Bynum getting ejected and he was rightfully ejected.

I hope the Mavericks lose the next series (to either Memphis or the Thunder) at home. Correction, I hope they get the living snot beat out of them. I also hope we play them next year in the playoffs, because we'll kick the living s*** out of them.

This is why a lot of people are sick of Lakers fans. Obnoxious winners, poor losers. The refs cheated L.A., the Lakers gave it away, the league is fixed...blah blah blah. Get over yourselves and give it up to a team that beat you fair and square.

Oh, and to act like the Lakers don't get the calls maybe the funniest thing I've ever read on this board, and I've been here since '05.

[ADW77]

Enjoy this win Mavericks fans. Our fate was sealed as soon as Kobe called that ref a fa****. (And to an extent, our fate was sealed when we won the title last year. We've looked tired this whole season) It's awful that refs will let a vendetta against Kobe dictate how this series was called. I've never seen a worse officiated series. I fully believe the league is rigged. It makes me wonder how much Cuban is paying the refs in this series...

While the Lakers haven't played up to par this whole season, in these playoffs, both the Hornets and the Mavericks have been allowed to consistently hack the Lakers and the Mavs have gotten away with clogging the paint up with up to 5 guys at times in there for well over 5, 6, 7 and even 10 seconds. While the refs will call bogus fouls on us and let the Mavs clobber the Lakers.

The Lakers in this second half have not played like themselves with Bynum getting ejected and he was rightfully ejected.

I hope the Mavericks lose the next series (to either Memphis or the Thunder) at home. Correction, I hope they get the living snot beat out of them. I also hope we play them next year in the playoffs, because we'll kick the living s*** out of them.

Delivery for Lakers fans: one box of butthurt; please sign and date on the dotted line.

[Seadragon76]

If you ask me, with the Lakers blowing Game 3 sky high and letting the Mavs get back into the game and winning it, it just took all the momentum away from any Laker comeback and then Dallas today just nailed the coffin shut with 3's. Lots and lots of 3's... To the tune of 20 three pointers made (which is a playoff record along with 49 threes made in a four game sweep).

Laker fans can make all the excuses they want, but the truth is right there: When they lost Game 3, the Lakers just gave up and surrendered and let Dallas make them look so damn bad.

Oh, and congrats to Dallas. Back in the Conference Finals for the first time since 2006 (when they reached the NBA Finals).

[Rockstar Matt]

Enjoy this win Mavericks fans. Our fate was sealed as soon as Kobe called that ref a fa****. (And to an extent, our fate was sealed when we won the title last year. We've looked tired this whole season) It's awful that refs will let a vendetta against Kobe dictate how this series was called. I've never seen a worse officiated series. I fully believe the league is rigged. It makes me wonder how much Cuban is paying the refs in this series...

While the Lakers haven't played up to par this whole season, in these playoffs, both the Hornets and the Mavericks have been allowed to consistently hack the Lakers and the Mavs have gotten away with clogging the paint up with up to 5 guys at times in there for well over 5, 6, 7 and even 10 seconds. While the refs will call bogus fouls on us and let the Mavs clobber the Lakers.

The Lakers in this second half have not played like themselves with Bynum getting ejected and he was rightfully ejected.

I hope the Mavericks lose the next series (to either Memphis or the Thunder) at home. Correction, I hope they get the living snot beat out of them. I also hope we play them next year in the playoffs, because we'll kick the living s*** out of them.

Would you like some cheese with that whine, good sir? Perhaps someone should call the waaaambulance?

Face it, the Lakers straight got stomped on. I guess this year Dirk and Co. figured they wasn't about to choke as per their M.O. the past couple seasons. If anyone was watching Friday night, when the Mavs came back from like 16 down or something like that, it was apparent then that the Lake Show was about to exit stage left. I don't think anyone thought that the Mavs would sweep, though.

Either way it goes, the West has had one helluva postseason thus far. Could a Memphis/Dallas final be on the horizon?? (And who woulda thunk that to be possible before this season started?)

The NBA...where amazing happens.

I would point out everything the referees let the Mavs get away with, but that'd be too time-consuming. While, yes, we've played like crap this entire season, the amount of god-awful calls and non-calls completely took us out of our rhythm from Game 1 and onward. It got us frustrated. we stopped driving in and forcing the refs to call fouls because they wouldn't call the fouls. Before today's game ESPN pointed out the Kobe has completed only one layup the entire series. That's indicative of how often the Mavericks were in the paint. Whenever Bynum, Gasol, or any other Laker was on the low-post, you'd see two sometimes three Maverick players coming to help, or just sit in the paint until they can make a swipe at the ball which would often result in a no-call.

But seeing how awful this series was called makes me wonder if all of the Champions in the Stern-era became champions because of the referees, and yes I know this includes my Lakers winning titles, calling games in order to make it so.

[LMU]

See my previous post for the view of a rational Laker fan.

[FiddySicks]

Enjoy this win Mavericks fans. Our fate was sealed as soon as Kobe called that ref a fa****. (And to an extent, our fate was sealed when we won the title last year. We've looked tired this whole season) It's awful that refs will let a vendetta against Kobe dictate how this series was called. I've never seen a worse officiated series. I fully believe the league is rigged. It makes me wonder how much Cuban is paying the refs in this series...

While the Lakers haven't played up to par this whole season, in these playoffs, both the Hornets and the Mavericks have been allowed to consistently hack the Lakers and the Mavs have gotten away with clogging the paint up with up to 5 guys at times in there for well over 5, 6, 7 and even 10 seconds. While the refs will call bogus fouls on us and let the Mavs clobber the Lakers.

The Lakers in this second half have not played like themselves with Bynum getting ejected and he was rightfully ejected.

I hope the Mavericks lose the next series (to either Memphis or the Thunder) at home. Correction, I hope they get the living snot beat out of them. I also hope we play them next year in the playoffs, because we'll kick the living s*** out of them.

This is why a lot of people are sick of Lakers fans. Obnoxious winners, poor losers. The refs cheated L.A., the Lakers gave it away, the league is fixed...blah blah blah. Get over yourselves and give it up to a team that beat you fair and square.

Oh, and to act like the Lakers don't get the calls maybe the funniest thing I've ever read on this board, and I've been here since '05.

As someone who pulled for the Kings in the early 2000's I feel almost insulted that a Lakers fan would go on that they lost this series because the NBA is rigged and Cuban paid off the refs. This is why I hate the NBA in general, everyone from the owners to the players to the fans cry foul whenever something doesn't go their way. Nobody can just man up and accept the responsibility that their team played like a bunch of weak little girls and folded under the pressure. The Lakers got smacked around by a better team and instead of manning up and stepping up the intensity they fell apart. The entire Lakers organization is the epitome of what I dislike about sports, and you just made my feelings even stronger, Matt.

[Rockstar Matt]

Enjoy this win Mavericks fans. Our fate was sealed as soon as Kobe called that ref a fa****. (And to an extent, our fate was sealed when we won the title last year. We've looked tired this whole season) It's awful that refs will let a vendetta against Kobe dictate how this series was called. I've never seen a worse officiated series. I fully believe the league is rigged. It makes me wonder how much Cuban is paying the refs in this series...

While the Lakers haven't played up to par this whole season, in these playoffs, both the Hornets and the Mavericks have been allowed to consistently hack the Lakers and the Mavs have gotten away with clogging the paint up with up to 5 guys at times in there for well over 5, 6, 7 and even 10 seconds. While the refs will call bogus fouls on us and let the Mavs clobber the Lakers.

The Lakers in this second half have not played like themselves with Bynum getting ejected and he was rightfully ejected.

I hope the Mavericks lose the next series (to either Memphis or the Thunder) at home. Correction, I hope they get the living snot beat out of them. I also hope we play them next year in the playoffs, because we'll kick the living s*** out of them.

This is why a lot of people are sick of Lakers fans. Obnoxious winners, poor losers. The refs cheated L.A., the Lakers gave it away, the league is fixed...blah blah blah. Get over yourselves and give it up to a team that beat you fair and square.

Oh, and to act like the Lakers don't get the calls maybe the funniest thing I've ever read on this board, and I've been here since '05.

Yes, we've played like crap, not just this series but the whole damn season. I always had this funny little feeling that we weren't going to get into another Finals because we've already been in 3 straight and asking for 4 in row is extremely demanding.

But hey man, I'm not an obnoxious winner and I never have been. I hate gloating and you'll never see me do it. Ever. The Mavs didn't beat us fair and sqaure. Only one game in this series when the Lakers were playing like the Lakers did I think the Mavs actually beat us fair and square, and that was Game 1. I've never seen a team allowed to bunker down the paint without getting defensive three as much the Mavs got away with.

But, I think this loss was good for us. It'll make us angry and last the Lakers were angry they won two-consecutive titles. And it shows that we desperately need to get younger and more athletic.

[Rockstar Matt]

Enjoy this win Mavericks fans. Our fate was sealed as soon as Kobe called that ref a fa****. (And to an extent, our fate was sealed when we won the title last year. We've looked tired this whole season) It's awful that refs will let a vendetta against Kobe dictate how this series was called. I've never seen a worse officiated series. I fully believe the league is rigged. It makes me wonder how much Cuban is paying the refs in this series...

While the Lakers haven't played up to par this whole season, in these playoffs, both the Hornets and the Mavericks have been allowed to consistently hack the Lakers and the Mavs have gotten away with clogging the paint up with up to 5 guys at times in there for well over 5, 6, 7 and even 10 seconds. While the refs will call bogus fouls on us and let the Mavs clobber the Lakers.

The Lakers in this second half have not played like themselves with Bynum getting ejected and he was rightfully ejected.

I hope the Mavericks lose the next series (to either Memphis or the Thunder) at home. Correction, I hope they get the living snot beat out of them. I also hope we play them next year in the playoffs, because we'll kick the living s*** out of them.

This is why a lot of people are sick of Lakers fans. Obnoxious winners, poor losers. The refs cheated L.A., the Lakers gave it away, the league is fixed...blah blah blah. Get over yourselves and give it up to a team that beat you fair and square.

Oh, and to act like the Lakers don't get the calls maybe the funniest thing I've ever read on this board, and I've been here since '05.

As someone who pulled for the Kings in the early 2000's I feel almost insulted that a Lakers fan would go on that they lost this series because the NBA is rigged and Cuban paid off the refs. This is why I hate the NBA in general, everyone from the owners to the players to the fans cry foul whenever something doesn't go their way. Nobody can just man up and accept the responsibility that their team played like a bunch of weak little girls and folded under the pressure. The Lakers got smacked around by a better team and instead of manning up and stepping up the intensity they fell apart. The entire Lakers organization is the epitome of what I dislike about sports, and you just made my feelings even stronger, Matt.

But, now seeing it from the opposite spectrum as opposed to being the beneficiary of thrown games/series it makes me question whether the NBA really did let the Lakers beat the Kings. I know everyone points out Game 6 of that series, but I don't remember that game for some reason. And now, I really wonder if the NBA selects it's champion once the playoffs begin.

That being said, I hope every series isn't as bad as this one was from the officiating stand point. My dad has constantly pointed out since Stern became commissioner, the the refs have gotten progressively worst. And I have to agree with him. AND my feelings aren't coming solely from this series. Just over the course of watching basketball, I've seen some games where the Lakers aren't even involved and some things just don't add up.

[Rockstar Matt]

AND I want all the people who read/comment on this thread, to know that the Lakers did not, and do not deserve to win a title this year. We haven't played like Champions this entire year and subsequently/deservedly, we won't be.

It's just I'm of the opinion that this particular series was given to the Mavs, who took advantage with spectacular three-point shooting. I actually had a horrible suspicion that we'd lose to either the Grizzlies or the Thunder, and if not them, Chicago or Miami.

[tvko]

It's awful that refs will let a vendetta against Kobe dictate how this series was called. I've never seen a worse officiated series. I fully believe the league is rigged. It makes me wonder how much Cuban is paying the refs in this series...

and...

But, now seeing it from the opposite spectrum as opposed to being the beneficiary of thrown games/series it makes me question whether the NBA really did let the Lakers beat the Kings. I know everyone points out Game 6 of that series, but I don't remember that game for some reason. And now, I really wonder if the NBA selects it's champion once the playoffs begin.

Oh SHUT UP. the Lakers were definitely the beneficiary of alleged fixing in game 6. You as a Laker fan, have no grounds to discuss rigged officiating, and it didn't even happen here.

The Lakers losing this series was not the fault of the refs. The Lakers were outclassed and overwhelmed in all of the games. If your belief is that the refs in this game impacted the series at all (and changed the outcome) then you're completely and utterly delusional.

Also, classless move, Bynum and Odom. Pathetic act from a pathetic couple of guys.

[srj34]

the refs have gotten progressively worst.

I'm not seeing it. I would like for someone to measure the quality of officiating, to the extent that it's possible.

I really wonder if the NBA selects it's champion once the playoffs begin.

If that really went on, I would wonder 1) how the Spurs, ratings death personified, would have ever been allowed to make the Finals, and 2) why anyone who felt that way would watch.

The most plausible way the NBA could manipulate the result would be when the teams are evenly matched. If one team is consistently outplaying the other, no amount of cheating could overcome that. The Lakers-Kings 2002 *could* have been influenced, but the Kings didn't make free throws. If they had done so, the attempt to fix would not have mattered. And the fix didn't make Vlade Divac decide to get rid of the ball instead of securing the rebound in game four.

[Rockstar Matt]

But, now seeing it from the opposite spectrum as opposed to being the beneficiary of thrown games/series it makes me question whether the NBA really did let the Lakers beat the Kings. I know everyone points out Game 6 of that series, but I don't remember that game for some reason. And now, I really wonder if the NBA selects it's champion once the playoffs begin.

Oh give me a break. the Lakers were definitely the beneficiary of alleged fixing in game 6.

The Lakers losing this series, though, was not the fault of the refs. The Lakers were outclassed and overwhelmed in all of the games. If your belief is that the refs in this game impacted the series at all (and changed the outcome) then you're completely and utterly delusional.

Also, classless move, Bynum and Odom. Pathetic act from a pathetic couple of guys.

Hey, I was ten, and I don't remember that game. So if that series was thrown, why wasn't this one? I can point out so many things the Mavs got away with.

Bynum deserved to be ejected, but I understand his frustration as he hacked this whole series and hardly got a call his way, he vented his feelings in a way that is not acceptable and should not be tolerated. But, Odom didn't deserve an ejection.

[FiddySicks]

Enjoy this win Mavericks fans. Our fate was sealed as soon as Kobe called that ref a fa****. (And to an extent, our fate was sealed when we won the title last year. We've looked tired this whole season) It's awful that refs will let a vendetta against Kobe dictate how this series was called. I've never seen a worse officiated series. I fully believe the league is rigged. It makes me wonder how much Cuban is paying the refs in this series...

While the Lakers haven't played up to par this whole season, in these playoffs, both the Hornets and the Mavericks have been allowed to consistently hack the Lakers and the Mavs have gotten away with clogging the paint up with up to 5 guys at times in there for well over 5, 6, 7 and even 10 seconds. While the refs will call bogus fouls on us and let the Mavs clobber the Lakers.

The Lakers in this second half have not played like themselves with Bynum getting ejected and he was rightfully ejected.

I hope the Mavericks lose the next series (to either Memphis or the Thunder) at home. Correction, I hope they get the living snot beat out of them. I also hope we play them next year in the playoffs, because we'll kick the living s*** out of them.

This is why a lot of people are sick of Lakers fans. Obnoxious winners, poor losers. The refs cheated L.A., the Lakers gave it away, the league is fixed...blah blah blah. Get over yourselves and give it up to a team that beat you fair and square.

Oh, and to act like the Lakers don't get the calls maybe the funniest thing I've ever read on this board, and I've been here since '05.

As someone who pulled for the Kings in the early 2000's I feel almost insulted that a Lakers fan would go on that they lost this series because the NBA is rigged and Cuban paid off the refs. This is why I hate the NBA in general, everyone from the owners to the players to the fans cry foul whenever something doesn't go their way. Nobody can just man up and accept the responsibility that their team played like a bunch of weak little girls and folded under the pressure. The Lakers got smacked around by a better team and instead of manning up and stepping up the intensity they fell apart. The entire Lakers organization is the epitome of what I dislike about sports, and you just made my feelings even stronger, Matt.

But, now seeing it from the opposite spectrum as opposed to being the beneficiary of thrown games/series it makes me question whether the NBA really did let the Lakers beat the Kings. I know everyone points out Game 6 of that series, but I don't remember that game for some reason. And now, I really wonder if the NBA selects it's champion once the playoffs begin.

That being said, I hope every series isn't as bad as this one was from the officiating stand point. My dad has constantly pointed out since Stern became commissioner, the the refs have gotten progressively worst. And I have to agree with him. AND my feelings aren't coming solely from this series. Just over the course of watching basketball, I've seen some games where the Lakers aren't even involved and some things just don't add up.

The moment Kobe Bryant practically murdered Mike Bibby and they called the foul on Bibby I knew something wasn't right. I'm just like you, Matt. I think basketball is as rigged as the WWF/E. It's why after that series I completely lost a strong interest in basketball. When it's so obviously unwinnable, why bother even watching? Then after Tim Donaghy admitted to making calls to favor the point spread I lost all respect for the sport. If it wasn't for my like of Lebron and the boards here, I would have completely cut off connection to the NBA. The sport is a complete joke to me, but seeing the Lakers and Spurs out at least makes watching games somewhat entertaining for the simple fact that there's someone relatively new winning the title in that debacle of a sport.

[Rockstar Matt]

the refs have gotten progressively worst.

I'm not seeing it. I would like for someone to measure the quality of officiating, to the extent that it's possible.

I really wonder if the NBA selects it's champion once the playoffs begin.

If that really went on, I would wonder 1) how the Spurs, ratings death personified, would have ever been allowed to make the Finals, and 2) why anyone who felt that way would watch.

The most plausible way the NBA could manipulate the result would be when the teams are evenly matched. If one team is consistently outplaying the other, no amount of cheating could overcome that. The Lakers-Kings 2002 *could* have been influenced, but the Kings didn't make free throws. If they had done so, the attempt to fix would not have mattered. And the fix didn't make Vlade Divac decide to get rid of the ball instead of securing the rebound in game four.

I think Stern had that same thought because after the last Spurs Finals against the Cavs, the Lakers and Celtics miraculously become powerhouses again. The Lakers were only an average playoff team and the Celtics were one of the worst teams in the league before 2008 and then we have two Laker-Celtic finals in three years?

[tBBP]

EDIT: forget it. Ain't even worth it.

[srj34]

Odom didn't deserve an ejection.

I'll go along with that. It was a cheap shot, but nothing more. But you know how those officials are: any hint of trouble and they overdo it to keep the peace. It wasn't the worst ejection I've ever seen, but I wouldn't have thrown him out.

[tvko]

The Celtics got better after the trade.

I believe the Kings game 6 was fixed (the whole series, really. but, just watch it. all of the King centers fouled out on phantom calls, and the refs nailed Bibby for an outrageous foul that should've been on Kobe), and other games have been as well. However I don't see evidence of fixing in this series, considering how dominant the Mavs were the entire way. The Lakers' mistakes did them in, along with supreme shooting. If you deny that and point to the officiating, I don't know what to tell you. There's no way officiating changed the course of this series. At all.

My opinion on Stern is that he doesn't have a "master plan" BUT I do believe he has "influenced" the outcome of games in the past.