New NBA Scandal a Slam-Dunk for Kings Fans
Shocking charges by a disgraced referee are music to the ears of die-hard Sacramento Kings supporters.
Todd Pinnell, a native of Sacramento, remembers watching the 2002 NBA semi finals between the Lakers and Kings with a sense of disbelief. The Kings led the series 3-2, and most Kings fans felt like this was their year; the Kings would win this game and head to the finals.
But strange things were afoot in L.A.
Star Vlade Divac fouled out in 31 minutes. Scott Pollard picked up six fouls in 11 minutes. Mike Bibby was clocked by Kobe Bryant’s elbow and Bibby was called for a foul while he lay bleeding on the floor. The Lakers had a stunning 27 free throws in the fourth quarter alone, and ended up outscoring the Kings at the foul line 34-18.
The Kings lost, the Lakers went on to beat the Nets in the finals, and Kings fans were left with nothing but conspiracy theories and anger.
Yesterday, the members of that Kings team and their fans got a small sense of vindication when court paper revealed that disgraced NBA referee Tim Donaghy blew the whistle on the other refs in that game.
While the game is never specifically noted as that one, the papers – submitted by Donaghy’s lawyer – refer to a “game six of a seven game series” in 2002, and the Lakers/Kings series was the only one that went seven games.
The letter states:
“Referees A, F and G were officiating a playoff series between Teams 5 and 6 in May of 2002. It was the sixth game of a seven-game series, and a Team 5 victory that night would have ended the series. However, Tim learned from Referee A that Referees A and F wanted to extend the series to seven games. Tim knew referees A and F to be “company men,” always acting in the interest of the NBA, and that night, it was in the NBA’s interest to add another game to the series. Referees A and F heavily favored Team 6. Personal fouls [resulting in obviously injured players] were ignored even when they occurred in full view of the referees. Conversely, the referees called made-up fouls on Team 5 in order to give additional free throw opportunities for Team 6. Their foul-calling also led to the ejection of two Team 5 players. The referees’ favoring of Team 6 led to that team’s victory that night, and Team 6 came back from behind to win that series.”
The NBA, of course, is denying Donaghy’s allegations, saying that he is just grasping at straws in an attempt for leniency when he is sentenced for his NBA related crimes.
NBA Commissioner David Stern said yesterday about Donaghy, “He turned on basically all of his colleagues in an attempt to demonstrate that he is not the only one who engaged in criminal activity. The US Attorney’s office, the FBI, have fully investigated it, and Mr. Donaghy is the only one who is guilty of a crime. And he will be sentenced for that crime regardless of the desperate attempts to implicate as many people as he can.”
But Kings fans aren’t buying that. The allegations are just adding fuel to the fire that has been burning since 2002.
“It was so obvious watching the game that something weird was going on,” said Pinnell, who has never let up on his theory that the game was fixed. “Everyone knew it, even the announcers were talking about how many fouls were being called against the Kings.”
During that night’s network telecast, announcers Marv Albert, Steve Jones and Bill Walton repeatedly referenced the questionable officiating. Jones noted that the Kings were “going to have to work through tough officiating,” and at one point early in the fourth, after Pollard had been called for consecutive fouls — one for an alleged moving screen, the other for breathing on Shaquille O’Neal as the Lakers center spun into the lane — an exasperated Walton blurted, “That’s not a foul, I’m sorry.”
The fans and announcers weren’t the only ones who noticed. Shortly after the game, Ralph Nader wrote a letter to Stern asking for a review of the officiating.
While Donaghy’s revelation may bring some relief to Kings fans who now have some backing for their fixed game theory, it also has renewed the anger they felt in 2002. This wasn’t just some game in the middle of the season; it was a game that meant the world to the Kings and their fans, a realized dream of a trip to the NBA finals and a chance at basketball glory.
Kings fan Reggie Boon recalls what he felt as he watched the game unfold. “It was like the NBA was telling all the smaller markets to go to hell, that all the NBA wanted to see was dollar signs and Sacramento just didn’t have enough.”
For the Kings, this is their job, their profession. Imagine if you were up for a promotion at work and the day you walk into your boss’s office with the anticipation of being handed the promotion, you find out that some guy who did half the work you did, who is clearly not as capable as you, was handed the job. Why? Because he’s better looking. Or wears nicer ties. Looks better for the company. I’m sure that’s the same sense of frustration the Kings felt that night.
Any sports fan (though perhaps not a 2002 Lakers fan) can sympathize with the angry Kings fans. Imagine being that close to celebrating a victory only to have the rug pulled out from under you – not by lousy playing or even bad bounces, but by the people who run the game and the sport. The chance to win or lose is not even in the hands of the players, nothing they can do will change the outcome of the game. It’s frustrating, to say the least.
Like most Kings fans who witnessed that game, Pinnell never let go of that residual anger toward the NBA. He’ll bring it up with other Kings fans a few times every basketball season. They all wonder how a win for the Kings that night would have changed where the Kings are now.
Even if the allegations prove to be untrue, they will certainly leave people wondering, especially since this is not the NBA’s first experience with phantom fouls. Blogger Rick Moran writes about the Bulls/Knicks series that had rumors circulating:
Little or no contact with the shooter would draw a whistle and send the player to the free throw line. I can recall several games in this series where players and coaches were beside themselves as a result of a foul called for some ticky tacky contact or worse, no contact at all.
But Moran is wary of Donaghy’s claim of refs running afoul in the Kings series:
Donaghy put the pro game under a cloud with his gambling. His shocking allegations could bring the NBA crashing down – if they were true. But even if they haven’t been investigated, Donaghy’s lack of proof in making these spectacular charges only reinforces the idea that he is just another con looking for a break from prosecutors.
Despite the protestations of the NBA and some observers, most Kings fans will go on believing Donaghy’s version of the event. The vindication they feel doesn’t make up for what they believe was an NBA sanctioned loss, but it’s a small pleasure they can take in a time when their team isn’t offering them much to cheer about.
Says Pinnell, “It’s not like we can say for sure whether the Kings would have won the championship and go on to better things if they won that game. But they weren’t even given the opportunity to try.”
Michele Catalano lives, writes, and takes photographs on Long Island.
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12 Comments
1. Cal:Stern is a rogue, corrupt human being who has destroyed the NBA.
And since this is also a political site, it’s worth noting he donates millions to Democrats, including Obama this cycle. Typical.
Beat LA!
Jun 12, 2008 - 3:01 am 2. David Thomson:It is rumored that Michael Jordan got special treatment from the NBA because it deemed him its cash cow. This must is certain: the rules were changed to help him score more! Will Chamberlain remarked about this nonsense. The NBA literally enacted new rules to hurt him on the basketball court. Yup, it’s time to take another look at the career of Michael Jordan. A lot of questions need to be answered. This link might be of interest:
http://pw1.netcom.com/~bjalas/basketball/bulls/love.htm
Jun 12, 2008 - 6:35 am 3. Captain Hate:Stern should be fired for failing to take any action to insulate the NBA when Donaghy’s gambling was first reported. Phil Jackson has displayed more insight into this, by stating that the league should farm out the reffing function to avoid the appearance of complicity, than Stern and his in-house toadies. Plus Stern provoked Donaghy dropping this by adding costs of the NBA “investigating” him to the criminal charges before sentencing; this from the same cost-effective commissioner that copiously bleeds money propping up the worthless WNBA.
Stern has turned a blind eye to the controversies in the last two years’ playoffs such as Miami getting favorable treatment against Dallas and Phoenix’s players being suspended against San Antonio. The game has declined under his watch to the point where NBA players regularly lose in international competition. I’ll be surprised if some owners, such as Mark Cuban, don’t initiate some sort of action to remove him because of how the integrity of the game, and the future value of their franchises, has declined under Stern’s watch. If they don’t, they’re dumber than I thought.
Jun 12, 2008 - 6:52 am 4. Roy:There are surely many in the NBA now reviewing the video of the game in question to see if the allegations are credible. However, Kings fans do not need to review the video — They know they got screwed. The NBA should have worked harder at the time to disprove what was an obvious embarassment of officiating. Unfortunately, they were silent.
Jun 12, 2008 - 6:55 am 5. Glenn:Not a Kings fan,not a basketball fan, don’t care who wins, don’t care if the League goes bankrupt, don’t care if all associated with Pro basketball wind up in the poorhouse. But, I was with some fan friends and watched the game in question. The Kings got a job done on ‘em. By the refs, probably at the direction of the NBA front office. LA= Big city, big market, big name players, party at Jack Nicholsons house.
Jun 12, 2008 - 8:18 am 6. BartJones:The Kings weren’t given “the opportunity to try” to win? Yes they were — in game 7 at Sacramento, where they folded like lawn chairs in a very well officiated game. And the horrendous officiating in game 6 came on the heels of blown call in game 5 (Chris Webber dribbling the ball off his own foot) that handed the win to Sacramento. I’m not defending the officiating, but if you start peeling back the onion you can’t simply stop at the layer most favorable to your home team.
Many insiders dispute Donaghy’s allegation of game fixing, and it certainly seems likely that he’s picked this particular game to highlight because of its infamy (and thus ability to stir controversy in articles such as this one). However this takes away from the more important Donaghy story: that he had close associations with professional gamblers, bet on games that he worked, and clearly used his position to affect the outcome of games to ensure winning bets for himself and his ‘friends’. The evidence on these facts is clear, unlike these unproven charges thrown out by Donaghy to curry favor with the feds prior to his sentencing.
Jun 12, 2008 - 8:36 am 7. urbanleftbehind:Stern should be fired and the league should cough up money toward a new Sacramento arena. The rumored or real fixing activity probably is in the back of Sacramento voter’s mind as in…”we could have a new arena with revenue streams to get top talent…but the league would still screw our small market anyway”.
Jun 12, 2008 - 8:50 am 8. Dee:I remember that game well. It was not the first time I accused that ref for cheating, it was the last time.
After that game, I have not attended or watched another professional basketball game. The local high school kids and college kids feel that need quite well. Plus the they are more fun to watch since most are not over paid criminals.
And hey, still can’t figure out why I should pay taxes for a rich man’s toy.
Jun 12, 2008 - 9:10 am 9. Frossca:Heck, Warriors fans have known the NBA was a rigged league since 1985…
Jun 12, 2008 - 1:07 pm 10. clark smith!:(I direct this response not to the author of the article above, but to the Laker haters out there, who–if they have an ounce of conscience or an iota of self-realization–know who they are)
It sickens me to hear everybody still talking about Game 6, especially after the refs handed the Kings Game 5. It’s so galling to me they can receive Game 5, handed like a gift to the Kings, then turn around and say the league wanted the Lakers to win all along.
In the closing seconds of Game 5, with the Lakers up by a point, Webber stood by himself at the base line and fumbled the ball out of bounds.
Game over, right?
WRONG! The refs inexplicably gave the ball to the Kings to take out of bounds.
Kings inbound and Webber FLOORS Bibby’s defender with an illegal screen.
Clear foul on Webber. Game over, right?
WRONG! The refs swallowed their whistles. Bibby shoots an open, game-winning jumper after his defender had been blasted to the floor.
Don’t anyone talk to me about how the refs were in the tank for the Lakers and shafted the Kings ’cause a fix was in.
At it’s very worst, Game 6 was nothing more than a make-up game for the Game 5 the refs handed to the Kings on a silver platter.
Everyone talks about the 27 fouls the Kings racked up in the 4th quarter of Game 6. People seem to forget that “Hack-a-Shaq” was in full effect, and that routinely was hacked en masse every time he worked his way into the paint.
The conspiracy theorists that postulate the league is in the tank for the Lakers need to just give it up. Readjust those tinfoil hats and go back to disproving the moon landing or something.
Jun 12, 2008 - 2:51 pm 11. Thoondilkaaran:Well, if game 5 was decided by refs in the last moment and Game 6 decided by refs in the 4 quarter, what the point of the ball game…
I rather watch WWE than NBA… because I already know that WWE is fake… NBA just pretend to be real…
Jun 12, 2008 - 4:32 pm 12. Dave:Only a blind person would have to be convinced that not only are there special rules for super-stars, there are understandings that the bigger markets’ teams get further in the playoffs.
Jun 15, 2008 - 6:42 pmShaq is a great example because for years he was allowed his Shaq hop in the lane. Also, every other big men got fouls against them when they would hit Shaq’s huge shoulder with their chests when he turned and lunged to the rim. But this year, it was like “Its over. Your super-star status has been revoked.” All of the sudden he was traveling and was being called for offensive fouls.
The Sacramento game was a disgrace to the NBA. And you can think of many more in playoff situations. The problem is that maybe it true, maybe not, but Stern cannot make this stink go away with a few disclaimers. It will not go away until he does. The sooner the NBA realizes that the better.