Pedowitz Report

This is Lawrence Pedowitz's full report on NBA refereeing that was recently completed. Although it's an interminably long document, pages 72-81 directly address the Kings-Lakers series in 2002, which might interest some Kings fans here.

over 3 years ago jeremy548 4 comments 0 recs |

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Referee A and Referee G

This “report” looks like more of David Stern’s self-policing. Interesting that Pedowitz relied solely on the NBA’s own employees and experts for analysis of Game 6 officiating. Is there no independent body that could have reviewed it?

I’ve never bought into the speculation that there may have been a spoken conspiracy related to the Lakers-Kings series, because I don’t think it was required. As anyone who has watched the NBA for any period of time knows, there is a strong bias toward superstars in this league. Under Stern, this league has gone out of its way to create them and promote them, and financially the Stern approach has worked in terms of the league’s popularity and viewership. All NBA employees, from the officials on up, know this, and in 2002 it was clear what outcome was in the best financial interest of the NBA regarding the year’s biggest event — the Finals. They were the team with Shaq and Kobe and would also pull in a big media market; the Kings were the no-names from a city most people couldn’t find on a map. And that was that. Not that Referee A and Referee G did anything intentional, but if you go in to offiiciate a game with the knowledge that a Kings-Nets series would risk a financial flop for the League, you might give the rainmakers more benefit of the doubt.

by ttylerbballcamper on Oct 3, 2008 11:43 AM PDT reply actions

Self-policing

I’ll be right back, I’m going to go steal a car, pick up a hooker, and do some blow. Don’t worry, though, I’m sure after I’m done investigating my actions I’ll come to the conclusion that I was innocent on all charges.

by PissedOffGorilla on Oct 3, 2008 5:14 PM PDT reply actions 3 recs

rec'd

Awesome.

Let's go home.-Kevin Martin

by LeaguePassAddict on Oct 4, 2008 8:31 AM PDT up reply actions

c'mon

Reading those 9 pages just made me even more frustrated. They played it as if any notion that the game was not fairly officiated is ludicrous. I’m not saying that there was a direct order from David Stern to Delany, Bernhardt and Bavetta to make sure the Lakers won, but those refs admitted and the national media recognized that the game was officiated really really badly, favoring L.A. So why does the language of this report, which I must reiterate was done BY THE NBA, basically suggest that the Lakers were not the beneficiaries of the bad officiating. Come on!!!

No matter what reports are ever done, and no matter by who, nothing will ever change the fact that if that game had been officiated fairly, and by that i mean to the standard that most are (not perfect, but not as poor as it was), the Kings would have beaten the LA Lakers in game 6. And the Nets would have been the only thing in the way of a Sac-town Championship.

It still hurts.

"I have never seen officiating in a game of consequence as bad as that in Game 6...this officiating took away what would have been a Sacramento series victory in Game 6." -Michael Wilbon, Washington Post

by NeverForget2002 on Oct 5, 2008 4:00 AM PDT reply actions