Re: I hate to admit it, but

["Jaime Salud Castillo, Jr." <jaims@philonline.com>]

As much as we hate seeing NY Knicks win, you shouldn't turn on the referees
to be the one at fault.  Give the Knicks credit for the job well done.  Good
balance offense, and superb defense on the opponents shooters.  It really
sucks to see that even if they have a leaner bench, all their role players
chipped in their supposed tasks.  How come we have a better lineup but we
couldn't get it done.  I think I am starting to believe on the concept that
less scorers has more organization and better fluidity and
effectivity...win-wise.  What we really need are role players and very
good/excellent defenders.  I know we hate the Knicks and we love Bird, but
we should credit Van Gundy as a better coach and motivator in this series.
Bird will always be great but he can't win it all everytime he wants
to...maybe next time.

I am hoping that Pitino saw what the Knicks have(personel wise...also
without a dominant center-Ewing) and would believe that they can really win
even without it.  The team just needs proper motivation and fundamentals in
offense and defense...sad to say the Knicks have both with only Spree and
Houston doing the scoring and wins.
-----Original Message-----
From: R. Bentz Kirby <bocelts@usit.net>
To: Celtics <celtics@igtc.com>
Date: Saturday, June 12, 1999 10:39 PM
Subject: I hate to admit it, but


>I hate to admit it, but the refs rule the NBA now.  I don't know who
>gives them their orders, but it seemed clear that they were to hand
>NY, the big media market, the game.  Yes, Houston had to make his
>shots, but they refused to let Indiana guard him and that made it a
>little bit easier for him to get to the hoop.  They showed a replay
>of the Johnson miracle 4 point play and what a joke.  Once the
>whistle blew, he THEN picked up the ball, measured the basket and
>shot, with noone near him.  What a joke the game last night was.
>
>You can rag on Larry and call Van Gundy a genius, and he may be, but
>the fact is, you can't coach if the refs won't let your team play.
>
>It was clear that they wanted the NY market in the finals and that
>they had to do it last night.  Frankly, I am surprised that Indiana
>kept it as close as they did.  With legitimate officating, they
>would have won this series 4-1.  Easy.
>
>I wish there was some way as a fan, cause I don't really have a dog
>in this fight, we could complain about the "rigged" games to the
>league office in a way that would make a difference.  But, the
>league is, I supposed ruined beyond repair.
>
>Walton had a good comment after a call went against Smits when he
>said, if they called walking for plays like that on O'Neal, Barkley,
>and (one other player I don't remember) we probably would never have
>heard of them.
>
>And in game No. 5 the flop calls when Ward laid down in front of
>Smits and another charging call against the Pacers when the Knick
>player was obviously moving.  How did the Knicks know to flop and
>get the charges??????????  That is what I would like to know.  It
>was obvious that on none of the calls were they set and the calls
>took Smits out and the Pacers out of their game.   Funny, they all
>happened when the Pacers were up by double digits and could have put
>the game out of reach.
>
>Now, all of this has to be put into the context of my prediction
>that the Knicks would win because they were playing team ball.
>Which they did continue to do throughout the series.  And they
>seemed to want the loose balls and rebounds more.  And the Pacers
>still did not block Marcus Camby out.  But to me, the refs ruined it
>and seemed to be working for the Stern and not objective calling.
>
>Tis sad indeed.
>
>--
>
>Bentz Kirby
>bocelts@usit.net
>http://www.public.usit.net/bocelts/
>
>
>