Here's the top three reasons the Kings lost game 7:

1) 53% free throw shooting
2) Adelman had Christie in the game even though he was 0 for June
3) their players didn't have enough vowels in their names

Here's the top three reasons game 7 will go down in history:

1) Shaq got called for 3 seconds offensively - twice!!!
2) Steve Jones and Bill Walton both admitted they were wrong!!! It was on whether or not a shot hit the rim and should have reset the shot clock.
3) Vlade Divac received a special Emmy for best imitation of a soccer player flopping in excruciating pain when not even touched by another player.

My prediction for the finals is the Lakers in 3. Yeah, I know it's best of 7, but the first 3 games will be such blowouts that David Stern will invoke a mercy rule and call it off.

In order to not lose their television revenue, they will show Celebrity Boxing featuring Vlade Divac vs. a boxing kangaroo. My money's on the kangaroo because the first time he throws a punch, Vlade will flop, even if it misses. The guy's on his back more than Heide Fleiss. :p

I agree with you. I really wanted the Kings to win but it wasn't to be. I also wanted the Celtics to win on Friday. See Chuck & Mark D., I do root for a Boston team, but not the Bosox. :D

Good calls, Mark
 

Mark,
I saw the same game game you saw. ;)
mick

Reason #4: Peja However-you-spell-his-last-name in on the court during the overtime "crunch-time" and Bobby Jackson was sitting on the bench...

Don't forget #5
 

It did not help that Valda Divic (I hope I spelled that right) with 4 fouls made two of the dumbest fouls of the series after complaining on the 4 he already had. What a dumbass.

Peace

I thought the officiating was good, especially when the game was down to the last 30 seconds.

Good call on Kobe holding Bibby on the inbounds. Tough call to make with less than 20 seconds left.

Two words: Kobe Bryant. Our perception was that Shaq did not do enough (I know, his line was great). But in the 4th quarter his body language did not say "You will not win!". We kept thinking that if he would just sprint down the court every so often, the message would be: "I will not let you win!"

I agree that L.A. should clobber the Nets but I would not be surprised to see them come to Staples and steal game #1 (like Philly did last year) Yesterday's game had to take a lot out of L.A.

Danny Crawford.
 

I wish that everyone would put to rest this "star call" idea. There was several times that Kobe Bryant went to the cup and got blocked with a lot of contact and nothing was called. It seemed like everytime someone made an ill-advised shot, they were complaining. Sounds like to me like the officials did a great job if everyone is complaining.

Also I would like to praise Danny Crawford that was doing the game. For those that watched a great deal of the game, Danny Crawford was the official that they had a "live mic" segment when Divic was complaining about a call or no call that he wanted when he flopped in front of Shaq during a dead ball. Divic kept complaining and Crawford said to him, "I did not expect you to agree." I just about fell out of my seat. Not that much different than something I would say to a player or coach.

Danny Crawford is from Naperville, IL. Basically in my back yard and is an exceptional official in my mind. I see him on many of the big games and hope to see him in the NBA Finals. Great job Danny and the rest of the crew.

Peace

Not tough at all. If it's a foul with 21 seconds left, why wouldn't it be with 19? On the replay, where you see Kobe riding him from the baseline to the top of the key, it's even more obvious.

I watched the game with about 20 people--1 Lakers' fan, 1 Kings' fan, and everybody else on the Kings' bandwagon. A good reminder of why I love the NBA. It doesn't have much resemblance to the game I coach, but it's still very entertaining.

JRut,

You can rest assure that Danny Crawford will work the NBA Finals this year. I have agree with your assessment of the officiating from last night's game. I thought all three officials did a very good job. Way to go guys

NBA Finals
 

I know he will too. I just hope I am around to see it. I always enjoy watching him work a game. He handles himself very professional and does not seem to get phased by anything at least by looking at his demeanor. That is how I would love to look when things are falling around me. Nothing seems to phase him at all, that is what I stive for. But then again I do not get phased, but I do not know if it looks that way on the court.

BTW, Crawford was officiating during the Shaq/Brad Miller fight in Chicago several months ago. He tried to grab Shaq and get in between both to stop the fight. He keep the same demeanor the entire time. Great stuff.

Peace

[Edited by JRutledge on Jun 3rd, 2002 at 01:45 PM]

Re: Good calls, Mark
 

mick, what's a game game? :D

I admire Danny Crawford for hitting Webber with the T in the 4th. It's good to see that he was willing to put him in his place. Evidently, Bernie Fryer's call in the Charlotte - Orlando series did not hurt hius standing with Ed T. Rush. I was a little surprised to see Eddie F. Rush working a game 7. I guess his stock has gone up some.

Anyone can pick any game apart, no matter who's calling it. The Kobe Bryant airball retrieval was kind of amusing to me, an obvious travel but Bernie didn't have a good angle on it. A good no-call on the dunk Shaq missed, He's gotta make that. I just don't understand what these fans are looking for.

[Edited by BktBallRef on Jun 3rd, 2002 at 09:15 PM]

Re: Re: Good calls, Mark
 

I think the Bryant airball was really not a shot. On the replay it looked more like he was going up and just lost control of the ball. But my first impressions were just like yours. I thought it was a travel. Interesting Walton did not go crazy on that play. They sure did on the airball or implied airball that Walton that the brass went crazy on.

Peace

Re: Re: Good calls, Mark
 

Tony,
It's either <li>really cold U.P. here and I was shivering<li>I'm old and don't type good<li>I used three fingers instead of two <li> I lost track of where I was, what was I doing, who am I

That foul call was less than a minute after I told my wife that Chris Webber isn't a quite a Superstar yet, because he is not mature enough, yet, to act like one. Talk about reinforcement selling. ;)

mick

I think one of the biggest complainers in this series has been Rick Fox (or is it Foxx??). I did not watch a lot of the games, but every time I saw him, he was complaining. If I was married to Vanessa Williams (I heard he is), I would never complain. :D