AROUND the NBA: MIN Sweeps PHX!

[rocky164]

What about the league and its refs? I certainly don't think the "betting and rigging" is a thing with refs right now after the scandals of prior years, but we have plenty of evidence and moral certainty that the league is doing the rigging thing, for its own perceived benefit ***right freaking now*** with the L.A. (Silver) Lakers. 

Porter's lifetime ban is the height of hypocrisy from where I'm sitting, but maybe I'm just full of the same crap you humbly accuse yourself of having issues with.

I could not agree more!!  Porter should be banned for life.  But something HAS to be done regarding the free throws discrepancy awarded to the Lakers.  Last night is a perfect example NO made 8 more buckets from the field netting them +11 (Lakers made 5 more 3’s) but received 14 less free throws making them -15 at the line resulting in a 4 pt loss.  I know some of the FT were strategic end of game stuff but still.  Lakers shoot far more FT than any other team in the league and it’s not even close.  It’s time for the league to step up and put and end to this travesty.  A foul is a foul regardless of team or player.  Rules have to be enforced fairly or game becomes unwatchable.

[surfpuckmd]

The Lakers freethrow disparity compared to the rest of the league is an all time outlier. One could try to argue that they are really good at drawing fouls and not fouling on defense but they would have to be the best to ever do it by a decent margin to explain the disparity.


I wouldn't call it rigging (except for the gambling stuff) but just like any other human being refs have biases that influence their decision making. Intentionally or not they are going to make decisions that favor one team over the other. Maybe because they are facing a tough home crowd. Maybe because they have personal issues with certain players on the floor.
But that's not the real issue. The problem is the lack of accountability and control. NBRA is in control and blocks independent third party evaluations. Mistakes and issues are handled by former refs and other league officials. Resulting in nepotism and a frat mentality where members protect each other instead of trying to improve the product/performance.

The way the league officiates the Lakers is what bothers me.  It's not merely the free throw disparity which is absurd.  It's what you witness when you watch a lot of Laker games.  They reach and grab and foul on defense more than any other team in the NBA-  and they get away with it.  

I don't really see too strong a bias regarding any other team.  There is some favoritism toward established stars but not to entire rosters.  This is unique to the Lakers.  It bothers me.  I hope the Nuggets destroy the Lakers in 4 and I don't have to see any more of that.

[DallasMaverick]

When the Warriors decline Chris Paul’s $30m option, where will he sign? And for how much money?

[F Gump]

Is there evidence that MPJ has done this?

Yep. No question about it at all. 

The leagues have incredible access to who bets what, across all platforms, when they find a need to look. They have routine oversight in place, plus at times they are alerted to a specific possibility of bad acts. When something potentially nefarious pops us, they go to work to see what took place.

I doubt they necessarily catch every wrongdoer. But if you step over the line and get on their radar, I think their incredible connections ensure you'll get caught, and that the proof will be rock solid. Keep in mind that the ones taking the bets will make sure the NBA (and other leagues) get everything they have, because they are being cheated too.

[F Gump]

When the Warriors decline Chris Paul’s $30m option, where will he sign? And for how much money?

My #1 guess is that NO will chase him hard with full MLE. If he can still play, he's exactly what they are missing.

Or maybe he ring chases somewhere.

I don't think he gets more than MLE.

[dirkfansince1998]

Miami with four points in the first six minutes. They have no half court offense.

[dirkfansince1998]

But at the same time we are getting another Embiid vs zone defense and double teams lesson. Year after year it is the same story.

[The Jom]

You can reasonably conclude that UFOs are probably not from outer space. But denying that they exist is getting really, really hard.

You can reasonably conclude that there are, let’s say, natural causes of the big, in-game swings in how one team is officiated and then the other, or how superstars are favored over scrubs. But believing that there is nothing to see here is just not paying attention.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Delon Wright sighting

I’m still mad about that summer.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Miami with four points in the first six minutes. They have no half court offense.

I agree. Somehow they still willed themselves to a 51-39:halftime lead.

[surfpuckmd]

My #1 guess is that NO will chase him hard with full MLE. If he can still play, he's exactly what they are missing.

Or maybe he ring chases somewhere.

I don't think he gets more than MLE.

I think he would fit in well with the Orlando Magic.  That's a really talented team that would benefit from a veteran organizer.  I think he would really elevate them.

I also can see the Spurs pursuing him.  I think that would be a really fun situation for him.  They could become a .500 team quickly.  

I don't think he'd work well with the Pelicans.  CJ McCollum and Jose Alvarado are too small to pair with Chris Paul.  It just wouldn't work defensively.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Batum has been amazing

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Nic Batum is having a Portland flash back. He's winning the game for the Sixers with 6 3's and great defense.

[dirkfansince1998]

Herro single-handedly shooting the Heat out of the game. Jordan Poole would be proud.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Who is the next star the Heat are supposedly going to trade for using Herro? Donovan Mitchell?

[Chicagojk]

I hope these playoffs aren’t marred by injuries. Already two stars injured in the plain games and if their teams advance both may be in able to play.  Bummer

[Mavs2021]

22/10 on 33% shooting with 6 turnovers and -27. Also means +12 in the five minutes he did not play. Trae Young´s way to hand in a trade request.

For two years I said the stats suggest that White and Lavine are fine as long as they don´t play with each other. Certainly didn´t expect this outcome. I wonder whether Lavine for Klay is a trade.

[SleepingHero]

When the Warriors decline Chris Paul’s $30m option, where will he sign? And for how much money?

The Spurs are going to be calling I reckon.

For how much? Spurs have a lot of money and not a lot of people to spend it on. Maybe a 1+1 of 40 mil, 20 mil a year with a team option in year 2.

[SleepingHero]

@Shamscharania

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is feared to have an MCL injury in his knee, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The injury could sideline Butler for an indefinite period. MRI to come.

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

https://twitter.com/keerthikau/status/17...9175732589


This seems to be a clear indication either Trae Young or Dejounte Murray is gone.