50?

Do you even know what a foul is? I can only ask since you only watch a handful of NBA games a year. Then again, the Lakers getting 50 more trips to the line wouldn't exactly be fair. Two wrong's don't make a right.

sorry Games 1 & 2 were only 35. and 28 in Game 2 > = Series Fixed!!!!!!!!! cause that isn't fair.

Game 1
Celtics - 35 free throw attempts
Lakers - 28 free throw attempts

Celtics +7

Game 2
Celtics - 38 free throw attempts
Lakers - 10 free throw attempts

Celtics +28

Game 3
Lakers - 34 free throw attempts
Celtics - 22 free throw attempts

Lakers +12

Game 4
Lakers - 29 free throw attempts
Celtics - 28 free throw attempts

Lakers +1

Celtics +22 free throw attempts

Game 2 is the game where I could see someone complaining about the officiating being unfair. The other three? Not so much.

Here's something I found. In the first three series combined, the Lakers had a +60 free throw advantage against the three teams they faced (Spurs actually had the advantage (+3) in their series). See what happens when they play a team that's good on defense and also plays physical and aggressive against them?

Again it is when the calls are being made. In addition to the above, we talked about it before,

Game 3 - The Lakers got 20 -22 of the first fouls - the make up

so after that it went to the Celts as the Lakers didn't get the important calls at the end of the game..

Why did it turn around - we talked about that play were the Laker was going up for a layup and got bare-hugged. and there are lots more.

and yesterday, no Celts fouls in the last 10 minutes even though the Lakers were going inside all that time.

why didn't they get the fouls that were called earlier or that the refs like to give Pierce at the end of the game.

the refs are just not calling all of the fouls againist the Celts that should be called.....

also what would you have said if in Game 2 when the Laker came back from 20 points down and then in the last 2 minutes they started to call every real foul when the Lakers were inside

and then the Lakers won Game 2 in the Garden because of BS foul calls

that is what happened but in happened in Game 4 as Pierce/Boston were given the game with 2 foul calls at 144 and 053 and a 2/3 point lead.

To me, Game 2 & 4 were the same - even with the Celts getting the ref calls at the end of both games!!!

Even though I live in LA, and have been here for ten years, I am sooo excited that the Lakers are not going to win (hopefully), never liked them and never will.

Jmart, the Lakers got a +60 FT advantage in those Spurs games for the same reason why that Fisher foul wasn't called... think about it...

The point is the Lakers should have never let foul calling be an issue (which is isn't). When a team is up 24 points and 20 points two different times the outcome where that team loses isn't bloody likely but the Lakers let it happen and that's that. They just aren't as good, Kobe is sucking in the playoffs and the Celtics are the better team.

You misread it. The Spurs had a +3 free throw advantage in the series. When you add the numbers up in the first two series the Lakers had a +63 advantage at the line. The Spurs went to the line +3 getting the number down to 60. Even though the Lakers won in five, see how the Lakers stopped going to the line once they faced someone who actually challenged them?

And nghtvsn is exactly right. The fouls aren't the reason why the Lakers lost and the Celtics won. Anyone who believes that wasn't closely watching.

well then anyone who doesn't admit that more fouls called for one team than another team at the end of a close game greatly favors that one team and anyone who doesn't admit to that doesn't know bastketball. BIG EDGE TO CELTICS.

I wish I wasn't out watching the games at a bar because it I broke down the foul cals in the last 5/10 minutes of this series - the numbers and the refs would be shown to be a joke. BIG EDGE TO THE CELTICS.

Lastly this just came to me - everyone knows that rogue ref made those statements during the Finals - well maybe the NBA wants to get this series over as fast as possible so that the ref doesn't have a chance to make anymore hurtful statements - you wouldn't think so - but who would have guessed a ref would be caught - and in the finals, the foul shots would be a 28 shot difference. BIG EDGE TO THE CELTICS.

AND LASTLY ALL OF THE GAMES HAVE ENDED UP 6-10 POINTS. SO THAT MEANS 2/3 FOULD CALLS CHANGED THOSE GAMES. AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE CAN'T ADMIT THAT THERE HAS BEEN OVER 5 BAD CALLS IN EVERY GAME.

I actually didn't write what I said with you in mind, but thanks for the shoutout.

I'll try and drive this point through your head one more time.

- THE LAKERS THEMSELVES ARE GIVING THE CELTICS AN EDGE -

THE REASON WHY THE CELTICS ARE GETTING THE CALLS AT THE END OF GAMES IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN THE MORE AGGRESSIVE TEAM - BOTH OFFENSIVELY AND DEFENSIVELY. THAT'S WHY THE LAKERS AREN'T GETTING THE CALLS. IF SOMEONE OTHER THAN KOBE WAS WILLING TO DRIVE TO THE BASKET TOWARDS THE END OF EACH BALL GAME (they are a jump shooting team and jump shooting teams don't matchup well against tough defensive teams - see Spurs series) THEY WOULD GET MORE CALLS! THE LAKERS HAVE A WEAKER DEFENSE, THUS, THE CELTICS HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE HOOP AT THE END OF EACH GAME. THE LAKERS ON THE OTHER HAND HAVE NOT FULLY FIGURED OUT HOW TO BEAT THE CELTICS INSIDE SO THEY RESORT TO JUMP SHOTS. THAT'S WHY THE CELTICS HAVEN'T BEEN GETTING CALLED AS OFTEN.

Here's what I'll admit. The Celtics have been the better team in this series. That's why they've won three out of four. Then again, as an "avid" basketball fan you probably know this already.



Still a little hungover?



See above.

If anything the league would want the series to go on longer so people could focus on the series and not on the rogue ref. That's all people are going to be talking about once the series is over (ie Spygate).



It's absolutely amazing. Not even Lakers fans have bitched this much about the officiating, let alone someone who watches a handful of games per year.

Anways, way to figure that out. That's pretty much been the case in every NBA game ever played. This series has been no different.

The fact is, the Lakers have been aggressive for about one full game and two quarters (Game 3 - 4q of Game 2 and 1q of Game 4) this entire series. That's why they're down 3-1.

I only have a big issue with Game 2, there's been small stuff like VladRad gettin hated on, but overall I think the Celtics are winning because they play better as a team and are bringing more intensity.

It's certainly nothing compared to the now under the microscope Game 6 of the Sacramento-LA series in 02.

first of all, I only mentioned Kobe but Gasol goes inside alot and gets banged so the Lakers aren't only an outside shooting team. He could easily get those soft foul calls that Pierce is getting.

EVEN THE ANNOUNCERS HAVE SAID A COUPLE OF TIMES - COME ON, THAT IS NOT A FOUL. ( A couple of times they put the games on the loud-speaker)

and again, if the Celts won a game in a blowout, I would be impressed and saying less but since every game has been between 6-10 points means that these games have been close and the refs calls have been turning the game.

and also as you said with the celts playing at home, when the lakers get home they would get these calls - so again we can all see that isn't happening - so the f'ing refs are giving the games away.

Hopefully the Celts will play great enough to win a good game by enough points so that the refs can't be called into the picture.

I think Odom turning into chokeville is why the Lakers are failing so much right now

The reason the Lakers offense was so unstoppable from the Gasol trade to now is having him and Odom going at the same time in the frontcourt. Odom creates huge mismatches with his size and ability to go off the dribble, which combined with Gasol's nice touch and passing ability, with of course Kobe attracting constant attention and facilitating in the backcourt, and shooters on the outside, makes it just about impossible to stop that system. When Odom is playing like a bitch, they have NO-ONE else but Gasol else who can score or do anything else inside. Cover Gasol (which isn't too hard with the level of Garnett and the Celtics' defense), and the Lakers are forced to run stupid plays like Ariza jacking up 20 footers or Kobe forcing shots. That's why the only two impressive moments for the Lakers offense this series have been a) The near comeback in Game 2 where they miraculously made 7 jacked up 3 pointers in the 4th quarter b) The first quarter of Game 4 where Odom actually shows up and THAT offense beats the Celtics by 20 in the 1st damn quarter. They may have won Game 3, but they only scored 87 points, which wouldn't have been good enough if Pierce or Garnett showed up at all that game and if Rondo didn't get injured halfway through.

In fact, with Odom playing like a bitch they're similar to what the Lakers were without a healthy Bynum or a Gasol, except Gasol is now playing the role of old Odom. Having Odom AND Gasol is absolutely the key to that offense, and with one feeling the lights so much, they're just not the same, it's much much easier to guard them.

Odom = suck.

With Odom playing like a bitch they're basically the Cleveland Cavaliers without defense. Kobe's better than LeBron my ass.

The Celtics may want to actually look like they care if they win this game. But Kobe looking ridiculously hot+Celtics not really looking like they want to put forth a huge effort=not a real good result for them.

The Lakers just look horrible down there right now. Pierce is just tearing the team piece by piece.

It's over.
Celtics will win their 17th championship tonight.

I'm not confident tonight, still. The Lakers found out they could easily exploit Posey down low if Garnett is still in foul trouble. The only reason they're not up 10 is that it took them 8 minutes to find out.

What bothers me is how the Celtics managed to cut the lead to 3 without Garnett for most of the quarter. Sure, Pierce was playing like his pants were on fire, but if Garnett manages to play most of the second half and the Lakers keep this piss poor performance, they're done.

isn't it interesting how the Lakers are getting more 3 point foul opportunities than in the whole series.

wonder why?

anyway about time.....

Lakers + Big leads = Obvious fail

Lakers + Big leads + Bad Ref'ing= Obvious fail

that was a foul by Kobe and not a steal/deflection.