Re: Pacers/Knicks

["R. Bentz Kirby" <bocelts@usit.net>]

Peter:

I have made that observation.  And it is difficult to stop Alan Houston when the
refs won't let you hold him, grab him, or even guard him.  While on the other
hand, Reggie Miller et al were held every step of the way.  Camby could come over
anyone's back on just about any play, but Smits couldn't even keep his position on
the floor.  It was really a joke.

peter delevett wrote:

> I've been outta town the past few days, so I don't know if this topic has
> gotten much discussion on the list -- but, did anybody watch the final game of
> the Knicks/Pacers series and notice some incredibly bad officiating? E.g., the
> Knicks made more than three times as many free throws as the Pacers ATTEMPTED;
> Indy's two best players were hampered by fouls throughout the game and could
> never get going; and there were numerous phantom calls against Indy that I
> just couldn't comprehend. The officiating wasn't the only reason the Pacers
> lost -- their inability to put the ball in the hole while being unable to stop
> Houston et al. from scoring at will was the main culprit -- but it's got to
> take a lot out of a team when the calls are so heavily slanted against it.
>
> It truly made me wonder whether the league and/or NBC might have instructed
> the refs that they really, really wanted the Knicks to win. Ordinarily I would
> dismiss such a conspiracy theory out of hand, but having watched the game it
> was impossible not to consider. It's no secret a San Antonio/Indianapolis
> final would have made for dismal ratings, even if the Spurs go on to sweep New
> York. I really hope this is not the case, as it would basically degrade the
> league to a WCW-type spectacle.

--
Bentz Kirby
bocelts@usit.net
http://www.scsn.net/users/sclaw