Was the 2002 western conference finals settled by the Refs or did Kings choke?

[Deltron3030]

It'll happen but it won't be on his own. It'll have to happen on a defensive steal for a fastbreak, or something similar. I just don't see him taking that clutch moment shot on his own, it'll have to be handed to him whether it's him creating something defensively or the team creating a turnover.

[The Iron Fist]

There's no "the Kings should have done this"...that's absolute nonsense. They got shafted in what was one of the biggest sports controversies to hit professional basketball.

Is it not understood that there was blatant cheating going on? The game was fixed to screw the Kings. The logic being shown above is absurd. If cheating happens, it's ok, as long as they are fairly given a chance the next game? Surprised to hear this from you, All Net.

Is that when the Kings shot 35 free throws and LA only 15?

[eazyduzzit10]

Is that when the Kings shot 35 free throws and LA only 15?

The number of free throws given is irrelevant. It's whether the FTs/calls given were actually legit? I'm not disagreeing with you or anything because I actually haven't seen that series. I just find it weird how people justify fair officiating with free throw numbers

[Simple Jack]

Never said in game 6 Kings didn't get screwed as they did. However Lakers also had some bad calls in game 5...fact remains Kings still had chances to win and should of done in game 7...but failed to make the right plays to put L.A away.

Bad calls is one thing. A referee going to jail because he completely destroyed the integrity of the game is another.

If they were given a fair shot throughout, I'd understand the reasoning but they were literally cheated out of a game. What happened after is irrelevant; especially considering how close of a series it was.

[Simple Jack]

Is that when the Kings shot 35 free throws and LA only 15?

I'm referring to game 6 where the Lakers shot 27 (?) ft's in the 4th quarter.

In game 7, Lakers took 33 to Kings 30.

[All Net]

Bad calls is one thing. A referee going to jail because he completely destroyed the integrity of the game is another.

If they were given a fair shot throughout, I'd understand the reasoning but they were literally cheated out of a game. What happened after is irrelevant; especially considering how close of a series it was.

I'm not disagreeing...Kings got screwed in game 6 but it's not like this happened in the last game. They still had the series in their hands and couldn't make the simple foul shots to win that was my point.

[poido123]

I'm not disagreeing...Kings got screwed in game 6 but it's not like this happened in the last game. They still had the series in their hands and couldn't make the simple foul shots to win that was my point.

If game 5 was rigged in Kings favour, to ensure the series went to at least 6 games, there was no way that kings were going to bounce back and win game 7 after such terrible officiating in game 6. So point is All Net, the series was ALWAYS going to be won by the Lakers.

Has nothing to do with Kings not taking chances in game 7, they had already lost mentally in game 6.

[HighFlyer23]

2002 WCF and the 2006 finals were the biggest fixes in NBA history ... maybe even professional sports history ...

[AngelEyes]

2002 WCF and the 2006 finals were the biggest fixes in NBA history ... maybe even professional sports history ...

1972 olympics

[Shepseskaf]

2002 WCF and the 2006 finals were the biggest fixes in NBA history ... maybe even professional sports history ...

Yup. And what has Dictator Stern done to refute the fixing charges?

Nothing.

Probably because he ordered them himself. In 2002 he wanted to promote the Lakers as a possible dynasty to increase league popularity, and in 2006 he wanted to screw Mark Cuban.

[Yanch856]

Frigging rigged. What does it tell you when a ref, Tim Donaghy, was sentenced to jail for fixing the games? That not only were games rigged in the NBA, and more refs were probably doing the same.

Straight up the 2001-2002 Kings should be the real champs. The looked a better team, played like a better team, that Kings team should have been historical. C-Webb, Divac, Christie, Bibby, Peja?? Not to mention BJax, Hedo and co off the bench.

This video is actually pretty well made you have time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdOe4IxIvo0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K7WRxuYs9w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDyBXNSPGMQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxTjOPImyts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbxrA...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVDiX...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDqs8ptcOdM

[FindingTim]

Finals or not, those Kings teams were some of the best I've ever seen.
Truth be told, those teams are what got me into basketball.
They were truly a TEAM. Everyone mattered. Everyone passed.

I'm not from Sacramento or anything, but those Kings were probably my favorite team of all-time-- in any sport. The only group that gives them competition is the mid-late 90's Seattle Mariners.

[Deuce Bigalow]

Kings shot more freethrows than the Lakers for the series and 20 more times in game 3

[Simple Jack]

Kings shot more freethrows than the Lakers for the series and 20 more times in game 3

Deuce explained it. Discussion over. Nothing more to see here.

What does this have to do with anything? Tim Donaghy went to jail and there will forever be a stain on the NBA and it's officiating because of Game 6. Justify the rest however you want, but game 6 was one of the most disgusting/sad displays in sports history IMO and nearly destroyed the integrity of the game.

[Yanch856]

Finals or not, those Kings teams were some of the best I've ever seen.
Truth be told, those teams are what got me into basketball.
They were truly a TEAM. Everyone mattered. Everyone passed.

I'm not from Sacramento or anything, but those Kings were probably my favorite team of all-time-- in any sport. The only group that gives them competition is the mid-late 90's Seattle Mariners.

Same here. I stopped watching the NBA when Jordan retired, and had been latent for a few years until my friends started discussing the NBA again. At first I was like, "Nah, nothing after Michael will be the same again". Then I saw the Kings - that team was incredible man. I don't know how it ranks all time but whatever the ranking it, it will no doubt under-rate the true greatness that was the Adelman era Kings. For example, greater than 2004 champion pistons? At least equal IMO.