2000 POR/LAL, Game 7: Blaming the referees

[Red Pill Sports]

Over the past couple decades I've heard many people blaming the officials for the Trail Blazers collapse against the Lakers in 2000, claiming the game was rigged and biased


But here are some inconvenient facts those people ignore

1. Shaquille O'Neal, the league MVP and Lakers superstar, was whistled for three fouls in the first half

2. The officials allowed Portland to build a 16 point lead at one point late in the 3rd

3. In the 4th quarter, the Lakers were whistled for their 4th team foul with nearly 8 minutes remaining. The Lakers still trailed by 8 points at this point in the game.

So for a game that was supposedly rigged and biased in LA's favor, the officials were damn sloppy. What benefit is it to the Lakers if their MVP has 3 fouls before halftime?

What benefit is it to the Lakers for Portland to have a 16 point lead in the 2nd half? Allowing Portland to build a big lead would put the alleged fix in jeopardy.

What benefit would it serve to put the Lakers at the foul limit with nearly 8 minutes left and still trailing by 8? Did the officials have foreknowledge that Portland would miss 13 consecutive shots and thus render this moot?

The main point of contention I hear is the two questionable fouls on Sabonis in the 4th. My response; so ****ing what? Sabonis was not the reason they had a big lead. His absence in the 4th didn't cause the Trail Blazers to build a brick house throughout the final period.

To quote Heath Ledger's Joker, "What happened, did your balls drop off?" That's exactly what happened to Portland in the 4th quarter. No other explanation needed.

[warriorfan]

I don’t hear this one get brought up much it’s mainly Lakers vs the Kings instead

[Red Pill Sports]

I don’t hear this one get brought up much it’s mainly Lakers vs the Kings instead

I have heard people equate the two games over the years but frankly they aren't equivalent examples. Sacramento was truly screwed over, Portland's wounds were self-inflicted.

[HoopsNY]

Over the past couple decades I've heard many people blaming the officials for the Trail Blazers collapse against the Lakers in 2000, claiming the game was rigged and biased


But here are some inconvenient facts those people ignore

1. Shaquille O'Neal, the league MVP and Lakers superstar, was whistled for three fouls in the first half

2. The officials allowed Portland to build a 16 point lead at one point late in the 3rd

3. In the 4th quarter, the Lakers were whistled for their 4th team foul with nearly 8 minutes remaining. The Lakers still trailed by 8 points at this point in the game.

So for a game that was supposedly rigged and biased in LA's favor, the officials were damn sloppy. What benefit is it to the Lakers if their MVP has 3 fouls before halftime?

What benefit is it to the Lakers for Portland to have a 16 point lead in the 2nd half? Allowing Portland to build a big lead would put the alleged fix in jeopardy.

What benefit would it serve to put the Lakers at the foul limit with nearly 8 minutes left and still trailing by 8? Did the officials have foreknowledge that Portland would miss 13 consecutive shots and thus render this moot?

The main point of contention I hear is the two questionable fouls on Sabonis in the 4th. My response; so ****ing what? Sabonis was not the reason they had a big lead. His absence in the 4th didn't cause the Trail Blazers to build a brick house throughout the final period.

To quote Heath Ledger's Joker, "What happened, did your balls drop off?" That's exactly what happened to Portland in the 4th quarter. No other explanation needed.

I don't believe the criticism is about game 7. What people were complaining about at the time was how Shaq was being officiated for the entire year. Portland had issues with the first 6 games. I don't recall them isolating game 7 only.

In addition to that, the league rigged the 2002 WCF against Sacramento. Shaq and Kobe's 3-peat is tainted. It counts in the record books, but it will never have the strength of greatness that fans have been known to associate with it then and now, who are also mostly made up of casuals.

Wilt called it as it is. Only people who are oblivious to the truth deny how the league refereed Shaq and how ridiculous it became by 2000, which coincidentally followed the retirement of MJ and the lockout in 1999.

If anyone remembers, one reason MJ returned the following season was because of the ratings dropping significantly and he wanted to give the league a boost. The NBA had to keep that brand going somehow. What better way than to elevate baby-MJ and "peak" Shaq in the second largest market.

Here's wilt talking about it in the very opening of the video. And look at how Shaq commits offensive fouls against Mutombo. Shaq was a fraud.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-XTPVBOCLw&ab_channel=WiltChamberlainArchive

[SouBeachTalents]

There were several bad calls that went against the Blazers in that game, but that still doesn’t excuse their historic choke.

[HoopsNY]

There were several bad calls that went against the Blazers in that game, but that still doesn’t excuse their historic choke.

You remember that series. But this was the theme back then because of ratings. The league needed to regain the popularity from its MJ/Bulls dynasty days. Forget 2000 and 2002, how about Ray Allen alleging the league was "tampering" in order to get a Lakers/Sixers finals. Here's what he said back in 2018:


“I don’t know if they were manipulating it, it just seemed like it was not going to go in our favor,” Allen told Sporting News. “It’s hard to understand now, it was so far in the past, what the tone was. But they had the Sixth Man of the Year (Aaron McKie), they had the MVP (Iverson), they had the Defensive Player of the Year (Dikembe Mutombo).

“We were the lowly Milwaukee Bucks. Small market, everyone always was talking about ratings, the ones we did not draw that much of.”

“Just the fact that Scott Williams was suspended for Game 7, you suspend one of our crucial players for a deciding game that would send us to the NBA Finals?” Allen said. “That, to me, is beyond me. How do you tamper with a game that much? People around the world and in the NBA wanted to see AI-Kobe. That was the sentiment.

“But let us decide it, let us duke it out. It was a hard play, he elbowed him, but it wasn’t anything worth suspending him the next game.”

https://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/ray-allen-book-news-bucks-76ers-eastern-conference-finals-trade-george-karl/1w2qt2hjtio511bitxh9lz3d6k

Here's the kicker. Scott Williams wasn't even ejected during that game! The NBA reassessed the foul and changed it!

What's very troubling about all of this is that casuals seem to always forget context surrounding these discussions. The league tampering back then was not some odd conspiracy theory devoid of any evidence. It was a legitimate claim backed by VERY questionable behavior of the league and refs.

Check this out...


For example, Williams’ suspension was highlighted alongside the more general foul disparity in the series in Brian Tuohy’s book, The Fix is in: The Showbiz Manipulations of the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and NASCAR.

“During the course of their seven-game series, all of the calls went the 76ers’ way. The Bucks were called for 43 more fouls than the 76ers while also being called for 11 technical fouls compared to two for the 76ers. The Bucks also were tagged for four flagrant fouls (none for the 76ers), one of which suspended Bucks center Scott Williams for Game Seven.

Here’s the strange part: at that time in NBA history, there was a point system amassed by the league for counting intentional and flagrant fouls. When a player’s tally reached 12 points, he was automatically suspended for a game. In Game Six, Williams accrued his 11th point. The NBA reviewed Williams’ flagrant foul and decided it wasn’t a one-point flagrant foul, but a two-point flagrant foul thus giving Williams 12 points and instantly suspending him for Game Seven.”

Bill Simmons also championed the idea of a conspiracy against the Bucks in that series in his book, The Book of Basketball:

“The Sixers finished with advantages of 186-120 in free throws, 11-2 in technicals and 4-0 in flagrant fouls. Glenn Robinson, one of Milwaukee’s top-two scorers, didn’t even attempt a free throw until Game 5.”

The Bucks had been vocal with their concerns throughout the series, ultimately leading to fines. Most memorably, Ray Allen spoke of his family having spotted then-commissioner David Stern cheering for Philadelphia, before offering the following insight:

“It behooves everybody for the league to make more money and the league knows that Philadelphia is going to make more money with L.A. than we would with L.A.”

https://behindthebuckpass.com/2017/09/11/milwaukee-bucks-scott-williams-legend-was-further-forged-in-conspiracy/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CAfter%20reviewing%20videotape%20 of%20the,penalty%20points%20in%20the%20playoffs.%E 2%80%9D

[ArbitraryWater]

The thing that stands out that game was how they benched Sabonis (the refs) in the 4th (fouled out with 3:30 left on bogus calls) and this no call down 4 with 27 secs left:

https://i.gyazo.com/c929a2da388f79593c9b04f2126241f1.gif

[ArbitraryWater]

You remember that series. But this was the theme back then because of ratings. The league needed to regain the popularity from its MJ/Bulls dynasty days. Forget 2000 and 2002, how about Ray Allen alleging the league was "tampering" in order to get a Lakers/Sixers finals. Here's what he said back in 2018:



https://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/ray-allen-book-news-bucks-76ers-eastern-conference-finals-trade-george-karl/1w2qt2hjtio511bitxh9lz3d6k

Here's the kicker. Scott Williams wasn't even ejected during that game! The NBA reassessed the foul and changed it!

What's very troubling about all of this is that casuals seem to always forget context surrounding these discussions. The league tampering back then was not some odd conspiracy theory devoid of any evidence. It was a legitimate claim backed by VERY questionable behavior of the league and refs.

Check this out...



https://behindthebuckpass.com/2017/09/11/milwaukee-bucks-scott-williams-legend-was-further-forged-in-conspiracy/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CAfter%20reviewing%20videotape%20 of%20the,penalty%20points%20in%20the%20playoffs.%E 2%80%9D


2001 Eastern Conference Finals Game 7: 32-19 FT +13 advantage


but the calls themselves were BS

[Bawkish]

David Stern used Gambino style of management during his term

[Reggie43]

Dont really remember the refs being blamed for that loss it was mostly on the players because they played scared with that big lead and stopped being agressive.

[JBSptfn]

The Lakers probably took over the mantra of the good guys in 2000 from MJ. That's how Dick Ebersol, NBC producer, ran the league. They produced the titles for MJ, Shaq, and Kobe. All have asterisks next to them.

Look at what happened in 2003. The first year ABC had the contract, the Lakers didn't win it. They also didn't win in 2004, either.

[ImKobe]

Portland choked hard

refs make bad calls all the time but we only complain about the ones that go in favor of the winning team..


The Lakers probably took over the mantra of the good guys in 2000 from MJ. That's how Dick Ebersol, NBC producer, ran the league. They produced the titles for MJ, Shaq, and Kobe. All have asterisks next to them.

Look at what happened in 2003. The first year ABC had the contract, the Lakers didn't win it. They also didn't win in 2004, either.

Yeah sure, ABC made Robert Horry miss wide open 3s in that series..

[Gohan]

The sixers bucks series if rigged tells me it should have been rigged. Iverson deserved to be in the place where he belongs… the finals. The nba has my full support now. Lets get another one for curry

[Reggie43]

Yeah Bucks Sixers was basically a matchup of a soft jumpshooting team that played no defense (Bucks) versus one of the leagues most disciplined defense (Sixers) which coincidentally was one of the best teams at drawing fouls.

Funny thing is that the foul disparity was actually bigger in the four games they played in the regular season. Sixers 26 fta Bucks 14 fta which became 26-17 in the playoffs.

[JBSptfn]

Portland choked hard

refs make bad calls all the time but we only complain about the ones that go in favor of the winning team..



Yeah sure, ABC made Robert Horry miss wide open 3s in that series..

That's how it went when NBC had the contract. Ebersol fixed MJ's title runs as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ejrKdhCvyk

[Chick Stern]

I don't believe the criticism is about game 7. What people were complaining about at the time was how Shaq was being officiated for the entire year. Portland had issues with the first 6 games. I don't recall them isolating game 7 only.

In addition to that, the league rigged the 2002 WCF against Sacramento. Shaq and Kobe's 3-peat is tainted. It counts in the record books, but it will never have the strength of greatness that fans have been known to associate with it then and now, who are also mostly made up of casuals.

Wilt called it as it is. Only people who are oblivious to the truth deny how the league refereed Shaq and how ridiculous it became by 2000, which coincidentally followed the retirement of MJ and the lockout in 1999.

If anyone remembers, one reason MJ returned the following season was because of the ratings dropping significantly and he wanted to give the league a boost. The NBA had to keep that brand going somehow. What better way than to elevate baby-MJ and "peak" Shaq in the second largest market.

Here's wilt talking about it in the very opening of the video. And look at how Shaq commits offensive fouls against Mutombo. Shaq was a fraud.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-XTPVBOCLw&ab_channel=WiltChamberlainArchive
“ the league rigged the 2002 WCF against Sacramento” is a delusional take.
Sac shaat the bed at the end of game 7. Completely gave it away.

[Jasper]

Over the past couple decades I've heard many people blaming the officials for the Trail Blazers collapse against the Lakers in 2000, claiming the game was rigged and biased


But here are some inconvenient facts those people ignore

1. Shaquille O'Neal, the league MVP and Lakers superstar, was whistled for three fouls in the first half

2. The officials allowed Portland to build a 16 point lead at one point late in the 3rd

3. In the 4th quarter, the Lakers were whistled for their 4th team foul with nearly 8 minutes remaining. The Lakers still trailed by 8 points at this point in the game.

So for a game that was supposedly rigged and biased in LA's favor, the officials were damn sloppy. What benefit is it to the Lakers if their MVP has 3 fouls before halftime?

What benefit is it to the Lakers for Portland to have a 16 point lead in the 2nd half? Allowing Portland to build a big lead would put the alleged fix in jeopardy.

What benefit would it serve to put the Lakers at the foul limit with nearly 8 minutes left and still trailing by 8? Did the officials have foreknowledge that Portland would miss 13 consecutive shots and thus render this moot?

The main point of contention I hear is the two questionable fouls on Sabonis in the 4th. My response; so ****ing what? Sabonis was not the reason they had a big lead. His absence in the 4th didn't cause the Trail Blazers to build a brick house throughout the final period.

To quote Heath Ledger's Joker, "What happened, did your balls drop off?" That's exactly what happened to Portland in the 4th quarter. No other explanation needed.

That game was such a buy out the league wanted and needed the Lakers to win , to maintain financial stability(.)

[Jasper]

I will comment on Shaq : The league needed a player for kids to look up to.
He was a thug using his weight and strength to bully his way to the hoop.
The league closed their eyes on it , because he was money in the bank for the league.

At the end of his career , it was quite evident the league would not tolerate it any more , and many fouls offensively he created in Miami , Cleveland and Boston.

[Red Pill Sports]

That game was such a buy out the league wanted and needed the Lakers to win , to maintain financial stability(.)

So with all the evidence pointing away from a rig job, this is your reply?

[HoopsNY]

“ the league rigged the 2002 WCF against Sacramento” is a delusional take.
Sac shaat the bed at the end of game 7. Completely gave it away.

How is it delusional? It was obvious. And the series shouldn't have even gone 7 games.

[ArbitraryWater]

So with all the evidence pointing away from a rig job, this is your reply?

what all the evidence? Sabonis was fouled out over nothing calls and a Blazer got whacked at the rim, no call game over

[Red Pill Sports]

what all the evidence? Sabonis was fouled out over nothing calls and a Blazer got whacked at the rim, no call game over

Shaq 3 fouls in the first half. Refs let Portland build a 16 point lead. Lakers whistled for 4th team foul with nearly 8 minutes left and still trailing.

Sabonis wasn't the reason for their big lead and his absence in the 4th isn't why they missed 13 shots in a row.

Portland choked. End of story.