"It’s all (bleeping) entertainment"

The Paul Pierce knee bump was perhaps the worst bleeping bleepy bleep I’ve seen in a while.

I can’t say the same about Sheed’s performance. Maybe he should worry less about flopping and more about fighting under the backboards for a rebound.

Hes completely right, and I love him for saying so. Same people that suggested he “shutup and play” said that when he berated Donaghey.

I wasn’t a big bleeping fan of that bull bleep in Game 5 either…

I’m not sure if there was mentioned elsewhere on the site, but that banked in three by KG was after the shot clock buzzer went off was it not? I mean I wouldn’t expect BSPN to comment or heaven forbid show a replay on it (I realize it was not the same network, but in the Orl series all we saw for three days were replays of Chauncey’s 3rd quarter ending three, which was at least going by what the clock actually said) by I thought it was late in real time and rewinded twice during the commercial break and came up with the same conclusion every time.

That along with the no call on KP43 taking Chauncey bicep off in the open court and then getting fouled and making the ft’s on the other end was another four-point swing since we were in the bonus at that point. I mean I understand in a crowd you get hit on the wrist and there is no call, but in front of everyone grabbing someone’s BICEP and having a no call in a play that results in a steal is criminal.

ALl that being said, I still like our chances. Obviously much of that hinges on Rip’s health, but this is not the same DP team we have seen in the previous two ECF’s which makes me think we may get a result like the last one we won in ’05.

Of course any D-towner will agree with him, as I do as well – but he needs to keep his trap shut. If he gets a random, unwarranted “Rasheed Wallace” technical in game 6, we can kiss our game 7 goodbye. With Sheed talking (bleep) about NBA Officials with that many (bleeps) thrown in his comments, don’t be suprised if Sheed gets T’d up tomorrow and magically disappears for game 7. Shut your trap and hit the glass Roscoe!

Oh, and has anyone mentioned the foul Antonio was called for AFTER his clean blocked shot? That was some TRUE (bleeping) (bleep). Yeah, apparently that’s how it’s done in the NBA nowadays. sigh

I completely agree with the KG banked in 3…I thought it was late…I also thought it was a 2.

Maxiel’s 3rd foul in the 1st half was rediculous…it was when him and Rip trapped PP…replays clearly showed that Maxiel didn’t touch him. He was playing so well too, but then had to be taken out of the game. Our best runs in this series have been when Maxi, Lindsey and Stuckey are on the floor together causing all kinds of havoc on the defensive end.

There were definitely times Boston didn’t get great whistles but those times were much less frequent then the times Detroit got the shaft.

Obviously the Pistons were frustrated by the whistles, but I’m glad they were able to still keep focus on the bball court and keep playing. We lose this game by 30 last year.

@ “Something More Productive Like Roscoe”

I re-wound that KG banked three-pointer as well. I didn’t notice whether it was late. I CAN tell you that his entire foot was inside the three-point line.

Not on the line, but completely across. Of course, he was still awarded three points.

In all fairness, officiating was reall bad on BOTH ends of the court. But right now I’m more worried about Sheed’s tech. The Pistons MUST appeal it.

Agree w everyone else here about Maxy’s third (same play was not called when Stuckey was trapped later in the game) and Paul Pierce seemed to benefit from the Rajon Rondo/DWade toss yourself across the floor and get the call on Dyess’ clean block.

I have to confess I never even thought about looking at where KG’s feet were. Maybe I should become an NBA ref, since I also have a bit of a wagering issue. I can tell you he caught that ball w 1 sec left then tried to rise up and shoot. I would guesstimate it was a half-second late.

You know, if Sheed gets suspended, then Flip will have to…

Free Amir!

Or, barring that, give more minutes to Theo Ratliff.

First of all, you guys have a great site. And for the most part I really enjoy your commentary. But please, give the officiating a rest. The reffs have apparently completely forgotten the handchecking rule. You guys were all over everyone when you trapped. Hunter holds and reaches all day and when he gets called for it he acts as if it’s impossible for him to commit a foul (to be fair…most nba players do this)

I haven’t looked at KG’s three. I thought it was a two myself but I think his back foot was behind the line and he lifted his front foot up as he shot.

I cannot believe you guys are resorting to the officiating. I actually think the pistons will still win, but you lost because you allowed perkins to kill you on the boards.

We replayed the KG 3-ball bank on the Tivo – he got it off in time.

As if on cue, the NBA will start fining players who flop next season. I may be the most excited one here, as I have been waiting for 15 years for Perfect Strangers: The Movie to come out. And you know Balki Ginobli will need some extra cash to pay said fines. I wonder who will play Cousin Larry. Outbleepingstanding.

Like I mentioned before in the last night’s thread, the officiating was terrible. And being a person who thinks Rasheed is always getting the short end of the stick, I’m glad he stepped up and said something. Maybe he will play with more emotion and maybe this will get his team fired up.

Don’t worry guys – It’s not like the rest of the division’s going anywhere upward. Chicago hired Doug Collins.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/977280,collins052908.article

Perhaps Detroit should hire Chuck Daly.

it’s interesting watching the game with people who aren’t really basketball fans.

they point out that the majority of the time detroit was taking long shots they had no one near the basket to rebound.

they also point out how shocking it is to hear an announcer discuss the viewpoint that refs should start ignoring rules and officiating differently as the game progresses.

I agree with Tim that the officiating was horrible on both sides, but the point we should take from this:

In a PIVOTAL game five in the Eastern Conference Finals, the officiating was terrible.

You can mock last year’s Phoenix fans who claimed the NBA is turning into the WWE. You can mock San Antonio fans for being outraged that a missed call on Fisher cost them the game.

You can mock and dismiss all those people who criticize the NBA’s motivations, but at the end of the day we all recognize that the referees are shit.

if Stern wants to get ratings back up, he should admit this and do something about it. God knows i’m not looking forward to a Finals against the Lakers where they shoot 20-30 more free throws than the other team.

let me re-phrase one sentence: …we recognize that the referees and the system they are working in are shit.

Detroit has experience losing game 5s . . . and 6s, as of late, too.

Sheed may be loud and obnoxious (and I love him for it), but he is also right most of the time. If you see a replay of a Sheed “foul” and the broadcasting crew starts picking on him with “That is an obvious call on Sheed. He thinks he’s never commited a foul in his life”, you can bet that what he is really complaining about is the same thing not being called a foul on the other end of the court.

And though we I haven’t mastered quantum physics to the point where I can prove it, I think it is pretty much impossible to make the case that Detroit wouldn’t have won game 5 if it had been called the same on both ends of the court.

The Bulls hired Doug Collins? We remember what happened the last time he coached a team that had a #1 pick…

yeah you guys are right, the refs stole that game from you guys

It’s been a solid decade now that every year in the Playoffs the officiating is complete shit. It’s too bad there’s no major sporting news entity that could possibly explore this issue deeper. It’s too bad.

They explore it, Shinons. Nothing is done about it because they don’t run the NBA. David does, and King Stern would tell you he’s done an Awesome Job! even if it was an F. The league represents the leadership, and the leadership is a snake oil salesman.

Kyle, I completely agree re: Van Gundy’s idiocy. I couldn’t believe his ridiculous comments about how the rules somehow are different for the playoffs or the last few minutes. I’ve looked through the rulebook, but I seem to have missed that rule. In all seriousness though, such a reality would create terrible incentives. While seeing a game settled at the line is perhaps less than desirable, it’s also certainly less than desirable for a player taking a game-deciding shot to miss because he suffered contact that would almost certainly result in a foul had the action taken place in the game’s first 47 minutes.

Also, his crusade against the PJ Brown flagrant foul was non-sensical. PJ Brown did not make a clean foul. There was no reasonable attempt to block the shot or make any conceivable basketball play. He made a two hand push into an airborne player’s armpit. His hands were nowhere near the ball and a shot block was absolutely impossible. The only thing he was doing was shoving an airborne player with the certain result that the airborne player would very likely take a hard fall.

The flagrant foul rule reads: “a. If contact committed against a player, with or without the ball, is interpreted to be unnecessary, a flagrant foul—penalty (1) will be assessed.”
http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_12.html?nav=ArticleList

I don’t understand how actions that are all but guaranteed to result in an airborne player crashing painfully to the floor, without any hope of blocking the shot, are anything but “unnecessary” and deserving of a flagrant foul. Indeed, this is why Breen was correct later in arguing that Maxiell or Prince did not deserve a flagrant for their actions in challenging a dunk — they made contact with the ball, I believe, or at least their hands were level with the offensive player’s hands. That was a basketball play and the contact was necessary to it. Brown was not making a basketball play, and his contact was entirely unnecessary & likely to injure.

Of course Sheed is correct. But its Stern basketball and he runs the league.

He has had wet dreams about a renewal of a Celtics-Lakers Finals ever since he approved the KG trade to Boston.

Detroit’s Rasheed Wallace, a player who has 15 technicals this season and has been suspended in the past for being over the limit for technicals, gave his opinion of floppers to ESPN>>

What do Sheed’s history of technicals have to do with his opinion? Nothing

Stein is a long time Pistons protagonist and I am being kind in that description.

He is a lackey for the ESPN – New England pro Boston network.

I knew that Boston was going to get a lot of calls in their home game. Don’t forget this business is about money and ratings, everyone wants to see Boston and the Lakers in the Finals. Ratings through the roof therefore more money in pockets.

If there was some massive conspiracy, why would San Antonio (a small-market team) have had so much success?

Mike: Don’t you mean a Pistons antagonist?

I disagree with the major perception here re: The PJ Brown flagrant. I actually agree w/Van Gundy on it. I thought PJ tried his best to make a basketball play as a guy who has limited ups vis-a-vis Maxiell’s insane ups. I thought the call was bogus. But that’s the point, 99.9% of the time (including last night) one or even five bogus calls does not a victory make.

On that point, while I’ve found the officiating to not be fair toward the Pistons at all lately, it’s absolutely the weakest of excuses one can make. Anyone remember 2005 where in spite of a 2-8 record when either Ron Garretson or Dan Crwaford reffed, we managed to go 12-2 in other games? You rise above the officiating if you’re the better team, plain and simple. Basketball outcomes are affected more by where you stand at a particular moment because of everything (including blown calls) than it is by the act of blown calls themselves (last Spurs-Lakers game and Horrygate v. Suns are notable exceptions). We had chances, we didn’t cash them in. We lost. Now we need to regroup and win Games 6 and 7.

Obviously it’s been said that we’re in the more uncertain position, but history tells us that we’re far from done. Michael Rosenberg penned an article for the Free Press that does it for me:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/SPORTS03/80529006/&imw=Y

WHEN we win Game 6, all bets are off for Game 7.

And hey, despite being one of (if not) Rip’s most ardent supporters ‘round here, I’m excited about the possibility of how this squad responds to playing without Rip if it comes to it. They can only feel more uncertain and want to play harder. With or without Rip, Game 6 is in the bag.

It’s interesting to see how differently piston’s fans see how the game is officiated than how the Cs fans do.

Bad calls of note: 1. PJ Brown’s flagrant. He went for the ball entirely. You’re blind if you don’t see that. 2. The flagrant that was not called on Pierce when he hit billups. Terrible no call. 3. The moving screen on KG at the end of the game. 4. The Ray allen travel (in no way was that not a foul).

It has been bad throughout the playoffs and on both sides. I of course think the pistons get away with murder when “defending” but I bed i wouldn’t think that way if I were a piston fan.

Sheed is right about one thing, the officiating is a joke. Again, I think the pistons will will (if rip plays), the pistons can’t look at game 6 as a lock.

As a fan of the Pistons I am there to back up Rasheed Wallace. I think he’s spot on with his comments, and I think it’s taken 5 games too long to say something about it.

Sure, Detroit rough housed Boston a little bit in Game 4. But just because you get hit and make a face after Lindsey Hunter picks your pocket doesn’t mean it’s a foul. Just because you yank your head back like you got shot, doesn’t mean it’s a foul Paul Pierce. Just because a 6’3 point guard who weighs 50lbs less than you makes you fall down when you’re 6’11, doesn’t mean it’s a foul KG. Just because Richard Hamilton hits you after passing the ball out to the perimeter, causing you to land flat on your back where your feet were previously (aka flopping) doesn’t mean it’s a charge, Paul Pierce.

I can go on and on for days. This is a game that Detroit wins by 20 if not for the bogus foul calls taking them out of their rotation and game plan. Boston is not that good of a team.

If Rip is not active for Game 6, Stuckey will continue be the man that Ray Allen isn’t. Noone on that team can guard Stuckey, as evidenced by them subbing in James Posey to try and muscle him around when he steps on the court. Noone on that team can guard Billups, and noone on that team can guard our bigs with their backs to the basket. I appreciate Sheed’s 3s last night, but Perkins will foul you every time you make a move in the post. For us not to put the pressure on Perkins to make a defensive stop is our fault. He is NOT a dominating force in the paint and we made him look like fucking Bill Russell.

Detroit in 7.

Tim, I don’t disagree with complaining about the refs, there is always something more the losing team could have done to negate that fact. I think what is disturbing is when one call is made on one end and not the other. There were certainly a few cases of that last night (the Maxiell trap certainly comes to mind and that play seemed to turn everything around. But if we contain KP43, it’s a moot point (like it was in Game 4).

I also agree with the handchecking comment, but that goes both ways. Ray Allen cannot defend any one (especially in the post)or get by any one without committing a foul.

And as much b&m was done by Doc after Game 4 about how physical the DP’s were I didn’t seem them pushing guys who were in the air (and yes it is a flagrant if you don’t make a play on the ball) or putting sleeper holds on guys trying to get to the basket (looking directly at you Straightlines). He can just as easily bemoan the fact that the Pistons get by with only half the fouls they committ called on them, but that is the same strategy Team NBA uses with defensive three seconds. I couldn’t believe they called it twice last night, but quickly swallowed their whistles on that after the 2nd.

And a thought on Sheed. I love you to death, but no matter what the justification is to complain about a call to the ref, doing it after you have collected with you third technical of the postseason becomes a selfish act. I use three, because there are certainly enough refs in the league who have long memories and will ‘T’ up Sheed at the drop of a hat, so shut it after the third and give yourself some leeway for the T’s that are based on history.

And Andrew, I may be wrong but I can only remember one of Sheed’s T’s over the past few years since this ridiculous rule was implemented (reg. season included) being overturned. It’s amazing that pigheaded is one of teh first words that pops in my head whenever I hear the name David Stern. Grow that moustache back along with a pair and correct wrongs when they occur no matter how bad it makes your refs look.

Nobody seems to remember that Antonio McDyess got ejected from last year’s ECF for doing a similar thing to Anderson Varejao.

There’s no consistency, but I’m not letting horrible referees get in the way of this “better team” crap we heard about all year.

Tim has gotten used to getting the calls. The fans around this blog arent used to expecting fouls just because a player falls over and screams.

You can’t rely on the views of Cs fans, since most of them are high-functioning dullards.

Tim — how was PJ going for the ball when his hands were no higher than Maxiell’s armpit? What is your armspan? I just used a piece of paper (8.5 × 11 inches) and my is well over 2 pieces, or more than 2 feet. I’m sure Max’s is much longer. PJ’s hands were thus about 3 feet away from the ball. How is that going for the ball? He was clearly going for Max’s body, a target he hit and caused to crash to the floor. Blatant flagrant.

“Just because you fall on the ground doesn’t make it a foul” – Jeff Van Gundy

The Celtics’ defense from all season grabbed, pulled, poked, prodded their way to being the top rated defense in the league. The use the same techniques as Detroit only they have the stuperstar names across their backs.

I don’t give a shit, I’ll take the names Prince, Billups, Hamilton, Wallace, Stuckey and Dyess over Pierce, KG and Ray Allen anyday… Boston, IF you win this series you better enjoy it. With the new crackdown on flopping going into place next year 9 of your 12 players will need to have their checkbooks ready:

Posey
Pierce
Allen
Rondo
House
Powe
Scalabrine
Pollard
Tony Allen

All floppers, and an embarrassment to Eastern Conference basketball. Take a bump in the chest like a man, don’t be a pussy and fall down just because you can’t/won’t play defense.

SMP, Thanks for the honest and fare reply. I still completely disagree with you about the PJ Brown foul. He made a clear attempt for the ball.

Boney, Stuckey has played unbelievably and if I were a pistons fan I’d be very excited (as we are with Rondo). But come on, he is getting open looks because Rip, Sheed, and pretty much every other piston on the floor demands so much attention. Stuckey can be stopped and cannot replace Rip.

How is PJ going for the ball when he shoves Maxiell out of bounds? Going for the ball means actually getting at least one hand up while pushing the body with the other. He had no hands up, both hands in Maxiell’s side for the push.

Why wasn’t he t’d up on the next possession down when he threw his hands up in the air for another foul call?

I agree Boney — see my 4:29pm

Tim let’s be realistic. Stuckey’s biggest shots this series have been when he’s falling down after driving to the rack and also at the end of games shooting jumpers over Ray Allen.

There is a reason why James Posey is guarding Stuckey and it’s not because Stuckey is a small forward. Posey is the Celtics’ best on the ball defender, he was the best on the ball defender in Miami too. He guarded Hamilton then, he has guarded Stuckey and Hamilton now. Don’t tell me Sheed demands attention when his first good game of the series was last night.

Who is going to stop Stuckey? Pierce? Fine, Prince will back down Ray. Ray? HA! Rondo? Sorry, Rondo has tried. Posey is the only one capable of keeping Stuckey in check, when he’s not getting shots buried in his shit eating grin face.

Besides, if Hamilton is out. I wouldn’t worry about the offense of Stuckey so much as I’d worry about Arron Afflalo shutting down Ray Allen off the bench.

You guys should welcome an opposing fan on your site. It’s great to have another perspective, I think.

Back to the PJ foul, I’ll take a look again. But from what I saw last night I saw him going for the ball. The Pierce play on Billups was no doubt a flagrant.

And the Cs haven’t been getting most of the calls this season. Check out the foul discrepancy (sp) between the Cs and their opponents. It’s not even close, especially in the playoffs.

Debate with Cs fans (or me) as much as you want, but I don’t think the great people that run this site would be impressed of your derogatory replies.

Boney, I agree the Cs have tried a number of players on Stuckey to slow him down but they have set up traps, doubles, and schemes on sheed, rip, and billups. I’m not saying stuckey doesn’t demand attention. I’m just saying, he isn’t an ideal replacement for Rip. Be realistic.

“You guys should welcome an opposing fan on your site. It’s great to have another perspective, I think.”

I follow all the teams, and from my experience, I don’t need some scrappy idiots telling me crap I know is wrong.

“Just because you yank your head back like you got shot, doesn’t mean it’s a foul Paul Pierce.”

Hilarious and true. Every slow motion replay of Pierce looks like the Zapruder film. He runs into someone and then, defying the laws of physics, his body jerks back like there was a second shooter behind the scorer’s table.

Granted Rip does this too.

J: I’m watching it over and over again on NBA TV right now. PJ goes for Maxiell’s hands, can’t reach them initially, has his left hand on Maxiell’s armpit and his right hand on Maxiell’s elbow. As Maxiell comes toward the hoop and Brown “elevates” (gets about 6 inches off the ground), Brown’s right hand is actually in line with the rim (that’s mighty close to being a play on the ball since it goes directly off the rim). That’s a borderline flagrant at its most severe. It’s hardly blatant or automatic. It doesn’t appear in any way to be unnecessary contact (just a bad set of circumstances) and he does appear to be trying for the ball. It’s not his fault that he has no ups.

I’ve tried to be as realistic as you’ve been, as evidenced by your overall view of how fouls have been called this SEASON rather than when we all are actually talking about foul problems, and that’s this series.

Here’s what I’ll say, and you can take it back to Jeff at CelticsBlog who I’ve had a running argument with about the value of Tayshaun Prince over Paul Pierce (ask him):

Rasheed Wallace urinated all over “Lucky” last night. Chauncey Billups abused anyone Doc put on him last night. Hamilton abused Ray. Stuckey has abused anyone guarding him, all series.

It’s just a shame that Kenny Mauer and Eddie F. Rush call one game different from the next. It’s a shame thinking that when the Pistons are playing in the playoffs and as a Piston fan I think “well we’re going to lose this game” when I see Danny Crawford’s name on the screen as an official. It’s a shame that Sean Corbin calls Rasheed Wallace for more technicals than Dick Bavetta and Joey Crawford. and it’s a shame to see calls like KG’s moving pick/hipcheck with an elbow go uncalled. it’s a shame to see Paul Pierce’s flop on a kickout pass called a charge, when it’s not.

It’s ok though. As a Piston fan I don’t have to worry about the new no flopping rule next season. As a Celtics’ fan, I don’t think you can say the same.

If Boston wins the next game, good job. You deserve a pat on the butt. When they don’t win the next game or the series, come back and pat us on the butt.

The ball don’t lie.

The only hand you ever extend a Cs fan . . . is a back-hand.

Well, even unbiased sources have cited the officials as ONE OF the reasons the Pistons lost. From Charley Rosen:

“Plus, the pitiful work by the three blind mice — Kenny “Slick” Mauer, Eddie “Stone Face” Rush and Mike “The Duke of Pottstown” Callahan — mostly favored the Celtics. It’s called the home-court advantage."

Hopefully, the Pistons will get the same advantage in Game 6. It would help if the Pistons fans would indiscriminantly chant “bullshit” after every call that goes against them.

"

"Just because you yank your head back like you got shot, doesn’t mean it’s a foul Paul Pierce."

Hilarious and true. Every slow motion replay of Pierce looks like the Zapruder film. He runs into someone and then, defying the laws of physics, his body jerks back like there was a second shooter behind the scorer’s table.

Granted Rip does this too."

Rip doesn’t do that, Chauncey does though. Not as severe, and not as often though. Pierce looks like he’s in pain when he dribbles. Look at the faces he makes when he’s driving the ball to the rack. It’s ridiculous.

May the court ghosts of Kurt Rambis and Bill Laimbeer hit every one of your scumbag players in the fucking jaw tomorrow night, Boston.

QD, I agree. It’s hilarious. Kobe, Lebron, Pierce also all scream “Hey!”. I hate all the flailing. It’s right in line with flopping. Billups is classic with it too. Earlier this series he actually kicked Eddie house in the balls while shooting a 3 and they called it on House.

Bigs often pretend they get pushed when they get out rebounded. It reminds me of soccer where everyone flops and fakes injuries.

Tim, the foul was called before House got kicked in the balls. He got hit on the wrist on the way up with the shot.

A couple more ways the Pistons players would get more calls:

1. Wear those arm sleeves (the white ones) so the refs can easily see when hands hit their arms. Iverson is the genius behind this trend. If Rip had a white sleeve instead of a black sleeve, perhaps the refs would have called that ridiculous karate chop by Perkins that led to a fast break And-1.

2. All the single players on the Pistons team should start dating actresses from one of ABC’s hit shows, preferably Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, or Desperate Housewives. Being able to plug DH during the Finals is probably the only reason ABC liked having the Spurs in the Finals.

Perhaps we should all wear arm sleeves tomorrow, and finger sweatbands like KG… maybe we can wear our NBA logo headbands upside down and disrespect the league and Jerry West by doing that…

or maybe we can just substitute Amir Johnson in the game and have him knock that black and green mouthpiece out of Posey’s mouth during Game 6.

I vote for the latter… especially considering where Amir is from, I’d take him and Tay in a fight over anyone.

Tim — I have been respectful. I also like different perspectives & a debate (I am, after all, a lawyer). I have simply disagreed with your view of the Brown-Maxiell play, but I defy you to show me being derogatory in any way. I said nothing personal or even vaguely inflammatory. I stated my opinion.

If you don’t retract your entirely baseless comment, I promise you that you will see derogatory comments.

PS — Lawyerboy: thanks for your views. I haven’t seen the PJ-Max play since last night, when JVG insisted on it being shown 462 times, but if it’s as you describe, it is a closer situation. I recall PJ never getting his hands higher than Max’s armpit.

Boney: Don’t forget to remind Tim that if he did his homework he’d know that when the Pistons made the NBA Finals twice before with this “core 4”, they had to win a Game 7 on the road to get it done. Even in 2005-2006 they went down 3-2 to Cleveland and had to win Game 6 on in Cleveland. If it ain’t rough; it ain’t right. Ball don’t lie.

Yeah, the bullshit chants on virtually every call that goes against the Cs is pretty ridiculous. The Cleveland crowd raised a few BS chants in the series against the Cs (and I participated in them), but it seemed to me that the chants occurred less often and only when the jumboscreen play showed the chant was appropriate (it’s also possible that the Cavs crowd just wanted to match the Boston crowd do it in Games 1 and 2, if they did — I honestly don’t recall if they did so or not).

Tim, I agree that Stuckey isn’t an ideal replacement for Rip.

In fact, the local detroit sports talk radio is actually calling to have stuckey inserted in the starting line-up in place of Prince.

Not sure if I agree with that, but given the choice I’d rather see Rip & Stuckey as opposed to Stuckey and Prince.

I added more fuel to the fire for the Boney/LB/Rip Hamilton debate on the thread regarding Rip’s elbow injury.

Yes Chauncey did kick House in the balls (who knew?) on his jump shot but that was after the foul had already occurred.

And with most teams, yes, I do like some outside perspective. With Team NBA, however, if I wanted perspective I would just tune to BSPN and hope that I caught them in an NBA segment as opposed to a Red Sox portion of their programming.

We are killing them every time we have three guards on the floor. While that would be made a tad more difficult without Rip, I think from watching the way Team NBA has handeled that trap, that AA or even Dixon would still yield a lot of positive results sans Rip.

And if Rip can’t go, I would like to see some more trapping and Jarvis Hayes in the game to give a bit of an offensive spark with Rip’s points out. I don’t think the defensive risk of having Jarvis out there is that great when we aren’t guarding man up. Spread the floor, let Stuckey go and open up that free space for shooters like Chauncey and Jarvis.

Oh, here’s a good photo of the PJ/Max incident:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/photo?slug=82202f80d79ff595e33edaff64b4b68d-getty-80391836mh018_detroit_pisto&prov=getty

I think it’s clear that PJ was not near the ball and that his objective was clearly slamming his hands, arms, and body into Maxiell at a maximum height of Max’s armpit. In other words, at a location nowhere near the ball.

J: I’m not trying to be adversarial just for fun, but watch it a few times and tell me what you think. I don’t think a photo does justice.

Quick Darshan your second point is on getting calls was great.

JVG was driving me nuts with his flagrant drivel. I just wish once that they would have given some history of the Phil Jackson, MJ crying during the playoffs against the Bad Boys which drove Stern to impliment the flagrant.

No worries LB — either way, I do find it fun (hope you do too). I’ll try looking at a video. I did some quick googling but didn’t turn anything up (aside from the photo). But back to lawyering and more arguing :).

To be fair guys it goes both ways. To think the Pistons didn’t get some friendly calls is ludacris. PJ Brown got a flagrant called against him and it just shouldn’t have been. He then got a clean block and a foul was called. As Pistons fans you’re going to focus on the blown calls that went against you, it’s human nature. But, the officiating in the NBA is so poor and there were plenty of blown calls for each team. It evens out. Sheed needs to shut his mouth he just sounds like a whining baby who can’t handle a loss.

If I were Joe Dumar I would gathers his former teammates for one last inspiration talk to the current roster from now to game 6 begins. Sheed is speaking his mind and the rest should fall in line. I mean the fine is like pocket change for these guys. If the league screwed up then it should be brought up. I mean every single game in this series has been way to much in Boston’s favor. To me personally I think tomorrow night’s game is a win win situation for us fans because if the Pistons win it then there will be a game 7. If not we will 100% be getting a new coach. So I am looking forward to the game for that reasoning alone. I would rather have the Pistons win the Championship but if we don’t then there is some good that will become of it from the loss. So cheer up Pistons fans. The situation is not as bad as it appears to be.

Rasheed got fined $25,000, or .002 of his year’s salary.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/news/story?id=3417868

http://hoopshype.com/salaries/detroit.htm

The equivalent fine for someone making $50,000 a year . . . $100. Keep that in mind if they EVER fine someone for ‘flopping.’

This league is more interested in collecting kangaroo court fines than actually solving any problems.

how much would it cost the nba a year to add an extra ref on the floor for each game? they should have an official on each end of the court under the basket. and then one on each sideline on opposite sides. it they were ever going to do it, now would be the time in the wake of monumental complaints about the playoff officiating and the donaghy mess dragging on. how much can joey crawford make a year?

The NBA is only interested in your money, JackDutch. Start making babies and dress them in LeBron Shanghai Cavaliers jerseys.

I can’t wait for the 2014 Shanghai Cavaliers vs. London Jazz Finals. The NBA . . . where siphoning chump change out of peoples’ pockets happens.

“or .002 of his year’s salary.” man that is a joke. The NBA is a joke now. No real solution but fines. Stern is the biggest joker. I hope Sheed ranting will inspire the team to kick Boston’s collective asses in game 6 and 7.

I can see the future.

HB, the NBA wants you to love it when the NBA ball is changed to a green color and looks like those two-tone Molten balls they use in FIBA.

http://www.need4sheed.com/images/melowitched.jpg

Because it’ll be made of a special polymer plastic that was discovered by accident while making cages to study the humping of lab rats in zero gravity on some space shuttle mission. Very vegan-friendly.

By that time, Stu Jackson will be running the league like WWE. There will be PPV events, too, like Summer Slam! 2017, where the 2nd-best Ancohorage Pistons will lose to the 5th-best North Korea Bulls in a 2nd Finals series of also-rans. Side competitions are lottery balls to determine order and fixed amount that teams can pay officials to make calls their way. The whole series will be yours for an inflated dollar low low price of $1,479.99, also known as “the flopper’s special.”

Stern will have enough NBA blood money socked away to invest in enough plastic surgery to grow himself a proper 50s-style pompadour to comb while riding out his twilight years at the hospice sock-hop.

The reason everybody flops is because the refs fall for it. If the refs didn’t react when a guy whiplashes his neck back after a mild bump coming off a screen, people wouldn’t bother doing it. That’s the real problem — whatever they do in Ref School ain’t working. They need to update the curriculum and stop calling such ticky-tack fouls. The league wanted to get rid of the pushing and the almost-fights by calling more fouls, but they just gave the players a reason to act it up and try to draw them. Fines for “flopping” won’t work; they need an overhaul of the entire referee squad. Out with the old guard and in with the new.

They want your money, Garrett, and parents won’t take their kids to a welterweight boxing event posing as an NBA game.

the greed of the nba aside, can’t adding a ref help? it certainly couldn’t hurt.

J- I was referring to what Sauce1977 said. I apologize for the miscommunication. I appreciate your responses.

You guys are really obsessed with conspiracy theories. Come on people, you can’t be serious and you can’t seriously believe what you are posting. There aren’t conspiracies. If there were conspiracies, then why the Spurs won 4 titles in 9 years? If maybe the Pistons scored one more 3-pointer last night and didn’t let frickin Perkins (I mean, Perkins? ARE YOU KIDDING ME??)killing them and outrebounding them, they would’ve won and NO ONE today would be talking about conspiracies. Everyone would be talking about what a great game celtics/pistons was and about the pistons’ huge comeback. Honestly, the officiating was bad on both ends of the court. There were lots of bad calls against the Celtics as well. So let’s drop those crappy conspiracy theories, please. And let’s realize that basketball is one of the hardest games to officiate. Do you know how many judgment calls refs make during a game? Lots of them. So, it’s obvious that there will always be someone disagreeing with them. People will ALWAYS complain about officiating, no matter how good or bad officials are.And yes, last night refs were bad, but this was a tight and very physical playoffs game. It’s impossible officiating this kind of games. I think every real basketball fan would realize that.

On every play, NFL has 22 players on the field, and the NFL has far fewer problems, for comparison. NBA, hardest sport to officiate?

Oh my goodness.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=92FKx0PobDQ

Another thing. I checked out a few Celtics message boards since I wanted to see what Celtics fans were saying. Well, most of them are bashing the refs and many of them are saying that refs are pro-Pistons and are trying their best to make the Pistons win this series. Some of them even said that the NBA hates the Celtics and wants the Pistons to win it all. Kind of like what Magic fans said during the 2nd round series (they thought there was a conspiracy against the Magic because of the clock-gate thing and the no-call at the end of game 4). See what I’m trying to say? I’m trying to say that fans are biased and tend to see what they want to see. They always think there’s a conspiracy against their team, which is BS. Heck, believe it or not, even some Lakers fans think the NBA hates the Lakers. This just goes to show that people see what they want to see.

Pistons fans (not everyone, of course) are screaming “CONSPIRACY!” about last night’s game, Celtics fans did the same thing after losing game 2 and 4 (and they keep complaining even after last night’s loss), so which is which? If you listened to every single fan base in the NBA, you would think the NBA hates every team in the league and there’s a conspiracy against every team. Crazy, isn’t it?

Anyways, I would NEVER want to be an official. It’s a thankless job and you will always have people accusing you to be a criminal, crooked ref, no matter how good or bad you are. Why? Because fans are biased and tend to see what they want to see.

Anyways, I just hope that we all can enjoy game 6 (and game 7) and I hope there won’t controversies or stuff like that.

Pistons in 7.

And so what? Just because football teams have more players on the field than basketball teams this doesn’t make football harder to officiate.

Besides, if you think that officiating a basketball game is easy than you don’t know much about basketball. Everyone (well, almost everyone)knows it. The game is so fast that it’s impossible to see everything, especially if you consider that many refs are 70 years old or something like that. It’s hard keeping up with some of the best and fastest athetes in the world. So it’s obvious that there are no calls, blown calls etc. all the times. bball is not easy to officiate. And the number of players on the court (only 10 in hoops) has nothing to do with a sport being easy or hard to officiate, sauce1977.

(and they keep complaining even after last night’s loss)

^ I meant to say that they keep complaining even after last night’s win*

“And so what? Just because football teams have more players on the field than basketball teams this doesn’t make football harder to officiate.”

Hilarious.

what’s so hilarious? Please explain (if you have a valid explanation). Seriously, if you think officiating a basketball game is easy then you don’t know much about basketball.

great finish between Lakers and Spurs btw.

You’re hilarious, you dumbass.

yeah, if that’s all you have to say (calling someone dumbass for just stating the obvious..calling someone names on the internet make you feel a tough guy, uh?) then this should say more about you than me.

You’re the first person I have ever seen who thinks officiating a basketball game is easy.

I never said that, oh rejector of logic.

Please entertain the crowd, oh knower of all things hard and easy!

Andrew: I think the argument, though, is that if something is as hard as you say it is, shouldn’t steps be implemented to make it easier? Like adding another ref? Wouldn’t that make the other 3 refs’ jobs a bit easier? I complained about the reffing all night long as a biased Pistons fan, but I think plenty of fans would like to see overall better officiating.

So, the Lakers are in the finals.

Exactly, Garrett. The NBA (but also every other basketball league for that matter..I have seen lots of bad officiated games even in college hoops) should add another ref to make things easier. This would be a great thing and I’m sure we would hear less and less whining about officiating.

Andrew: Although maybe my whining would change to, “The 3rd ref couldn’t see the play because the stupid new 4th ref was in the way!!!!” :)

Looks like the Pistons will be facing the Lakers in the Finals…again.

Garrett, that’s hilarious. Well, how about adding a 5th ref at this point? No wait, this would make things even worse.

Pistons over Lakers in 6 btw.

both sides are going to complain about the refs. you can say it’s just cause we’re full of sour-grapes, or it could be the fact that both sides are right. officiating an nba game has become an amalgam of guess-work, make-ups, game managing, superstar soothing and flat out ineptitude. saying that the refs screwed both teams equally is not a consolation, it’s a damnation. there is something wrong with the system. we all know it. stern probably knows it, but doesn’t care as long as he can make sure his players and his announcers don’t make a big deal out of it.

Kyle, you’re being an American again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDBSYBW40I0

You know, here’s why the Pistons have to win this series. Only then will I be able to watch the finals without rooting against both teams.

On the one hand you have the Celtics, who I wouldn’t mind rooting for because they would be representing the Eastern conference, except for the way they have conducted themselves on the court all year long. I certainly respect them as ball players and this series hasn’t really had any of that KG / Pierce jersey popping stuff that we saw in the first two rounds (except for that slob Perkins talking smack like he’s been an all star for years,) but it’s the Celtics sense of entitlement / arrogance coming one year after they were horrible and had been horrible for years. Now they have one great season and they act like they are Jordan’s Bulls reincarnate. Also, growing up in New England where you hear nothing else but Boston this, Boston that, made me never want to root for any Boston area sports team, which is only further intensified since the Patriots, Red Sox, and Celtics are back on top.

On the other hand, you have Kobe Bryant, personally my most hated player maybe in the history of the NBA, and after he got his way and broke up the Lakers, I never thought he would get back to this point, but here he is with the demise of the Mavs, the Suns giving up, and the Spurs getting too old. Plus you got ol’ Phil Jackson commanding the ship who never really gave Detroit credit for beating them in 2004. The fact that the Lakers are the Yankees of the NBA, the stars are out watching them for the first time since 04, and Laker fans the biggest bunch of bandwagon ass cats out there.

Ultimately, I’d probably have to go with the Celtics, even though it would pain me to see them hoisting the trophy. This is why the Pistons must come through.

Andrew, I think you have to understand that the conspiracy theories aren’t entirely unfounded in ONE respect:

It’s hard not to be annoyed as a Pistons fan when you are watching the Pistons play in the ECF and then they show a commercial promoting the NBA Finals and they show the Lakers, Celtics, Spurs and… Bulls? (the shorter version of the commercial cuts out the Bulls).

Now I don’t think there’s this grand scheme to screw over the city of Detroit but you have to admit that that’s a bit shady.

Of course, the NBA has the right to market their product any way they want and if they feel that excluding the Pistons in favor a lottery team better sells the game, that’s their right. But, at the same time, it’s not entirely unfounded to say that the NBA is rooting for a Laker-Celtic Finals for financial reasons. They’ve already got the Bird/Magic highlights out of the vault.

I’ve said it before (six times to be precise) but the Pistons need to begin treating Boobie and Buckeye like professional basketball players. Let the big 2.4 get what they want. They are not good enough to do it alone. There is not a Lebron James among that crew.

But yeah, when the NBDL’s finest drop double digit assist and rebound totals on you, you are likely to lose.

You know, Sheed is 100% bleeping right. And this being entertainment, we’re a lock tonight. Even if Rip doesn’t play. This being entertainment, it must go seven, because this series is really a classic. Let the media feeding frenzy begin!

And yeah, the Lakers fans are the worst, biggest front runners of any pro sports team anywhere.

Actually, I know tons of diehard Laker fans here in LA. It’s just that the franchise prices the tickets so that their true fans can’t actually go to the games (especially the playoffs).

Tim — thanks man.

One thing I do know:

Someone (KG and Pierce) will likely have a beer thrown at them if they pop their jerseys on the Palace floor tonight.

Malice At The Palace Part Deux: Superstar Edition

As another LA transplant, I totally echo QD’s sentiments. The Lakers have TONS of diehard fans that you wouldn’t know from just the inside of Staples Center.