Does the NBA have bias officiating?

[edczxcvbnm]

I just want to hear what everyone thinks on this. Do they have bias officiating towards the home team or certain teams. Do you think they call the games certain ways so that certain teams can get to the play-offs or the finals?

This seems to be something that comes up more and more every year. I have not really been watching the finals but just looking at the scores tells me something is probably going on. SA wins by 15 and then by 20 at home. Now they are in Detroit and they win by something like 20 and 30. I have an impossible time believing that the games are not called bias at home when you have the 2 top teams from each confrence going up against each other and there are 20 point differencials. I don't believe the teams are just having an "off night" because they are away. Thats a really really big smurfing off night for teams to have 2 nights in a row.

What does everyone think?

[Kirobaito]

While I am a staunch supporter that certain teams get preferential treatment due to reputation and respect (ie, the Spurs), I don't think you can comment much on the games in the Finals if you haven't been watching them. I haven't been watching them either, of course, so I can't comment specifically on the Finals, but yeah, there is bias in officiating. I no longer think that it is a conspiracy of any sort, but sure, bias occurs. It happens that way in every sport. The best hitters get the smallest strike zone, the best pitchers get the largest strike zone, pass interference isn't pass interference when it's a Pro-Bowl cornerback, Terrell Owens and Michael Irvin <i>NEVER</i> push off, etc.

[edczxcvbnm]

I say that because I watch some college BBall this year and their officiating was solid. I have zero complaints with the way they called the games. There was 1 or 2 mistakes but BBall is incredibly hard to call and they did a fantasic job in EVERY game I watched. I watch NBA BBall and I have tons of complains on calls left and right. I don't know if it is bias or just 100% <img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif">ty officiating all around.

[RedCydranth]

You also must realize that there are a lot of pressures in playing on an opponents court. The home team's confidence is way up, especially for both San Antonio and Detroit, both sporting great home records this year. State of mind is a huge thing in basketball.

Also, officiating in basketball, I do not feel is biased, but it does have flaws. I don't think travelling is an offense anymore because I see players when dribbling fast downcourt, place their hand under the ball and do an "overpush" to get it to go more at their speed, this is a form of travelling that is not called. Micheal Jordan made this move famous, so if #23 can do it, so can everyone else I guess.

As for the whopping leads on home courts, it happens all the time. the difference between a 2 point game and a 20 point game is only 6 shots. All it takes is for a perimiter shooter to have a great day, and that can be the difference. Even if you notice that the opponents point guard is doing great on the 3, it means double teaming him, leaving one of your forwards open. Both the Spurs and the Pistons have explosive offenses and I'm not surprised by the scores at all.

[Kirobaito]

Both the Pistons and the Spurs have explosive offenses?

That makes me want to explode.

EDIT: Meaning these teams are so disgustingly boring that I'm not bothering to watch the series.

[RedCydranth]

Okay, if you can't watch a game of basketball, especially in the finals, without getting bored, then you aren't a fan of the game. You can be a fan of a certain team, but not of the game.. If say you only watched the Knicks play, and enjoy it only when they play, you are a team fan. There are those who can watch any two teams play and still enjoy it.

[edczxcvbnm]

I would like to say that I watched the game last night and it was good but the score was reflective of that. A blow out game is boring to watch for the most part in any sport.

I still had a problem with the officiating though. Giambi got away with traveling the whole night. Horry got screwed on a two blocking fouls that should have been charging fouls from what they showed in the replays.

Overall it was just a terribly called game for both teams.

[Kirobaito]

Okay, if you can't watch a game of basketball, especially in the finals, without getting bored, then you aren't a fan of the game. You can be a fan of a certain team, but not of the game.. If say you only watched the Knicks play, and enjoy it only when they play, you are a team fan. There are those who can watch any two teams play and still enjoy it.

Oh, I definitely am a fan of basketball. I've watched the Finals every other year. I watched almost every playoff game up until this point this year. However, I just don't see any excitement (with the exception of last night) in seeing a bunch of guys clobber each other, where the losing team fails to score 80 points. It's just not worth watching.

[Zell's Fists of Fury]

Okay, if you can't watch a game of basketball, especially in the finals, without getting bored, then you aren't a fan of the game. You can be a fan of a certain team, but not of the game.. If say you only watched the Knicks play, and enjoy it only when they play, you are a team fan. There are those who can watch any two teams play and still enjoy it.

That's a silly thing to say. I'm a huge fan of football, but if there's a boring game on, i don't watch it, playoff game or not.