Spurs-Knicks Game 3 Rigged in '99

[Galileo]

Spurs-Knicks Game 3 Rigged in '99

"Question: What was the most disturbing subplot of the playoffs?
Answer: The officiating, also the most disturbing subplot of the past four playoffs. If you examine the last four NBA playoff campaigns, during every situation where the league definitively "needed" one of the two teams involved to win -- either to A) change the momentum of a series so it didn't end prematurely, B) keep an attractive, big-market team alive in a series, or C) advance an attractive, big-market team to another round -- the officiating appeared to be slanted towards the team that needed that game. I use the phrase "appeared to be," because reviewing an official's performance is purely subjective. Maybe I'm dead-wrong.

These were just the games that jump out in my mind (again, I could be wrong):

1999, Knicks-Pacers, Game 3 ... LJ sinks a game-winning four-pointer (called a continuation foul by referee Jess Kersey even though LJ was fouled a full second before he released the ball).

1999, Knicks-Pacers, Game 6 ... Knicks last chance to close out Indy before the series shifts back to Indiana for Game 7 ... they get every call.

1999, Spurs-Knicks, Game 3 ... down 2-0, the Knicks get every call in their first home game and win their only game of the series.

2000, Knicks-Heat, Game 7 ... Knicks advance to the conference finals ... falling out of bounds, Latrell Sprewell awarded a timeout by referee Bennett Salvatore with 2.1 seconds left even though none of the Knicks called for one ... Sprewell admits after the game that he hadn't called a timeout ... the Miami players chase the referees off the court after the game, yelling that they had been robbed ... after the game, Jamal Mashburn tells reporters, "They had three officials in their pocket" and Tim Hardaway refers to referee Dick Bavetta as "Knick Bavetta."

2000, Lakers-Blazers, Game 7 ... LA shoots 21 more free throws and rallies back from a 17-point deficit in the final seven minutes ... Shaq plays an illegal defense down the stretch, undaunted ... Rasheed Wallace absolutely gets manhandled down the stretch, yet doesn't get a single call ... up by four with 25 seconds left, Shaq body-blocks Steve Smith out of bounds and the refs don't make the call (the most egregious non-call in recent memory).

2002, Celtics-Nets, Game 4 ... Celts up 2-1 ... the Nets are inexplicably allowed to push and shove Kenny Anderson and Pierce while they dribble the ball ... a number of head-scratchers go against Boston, including three offensive charges down the stretch ... four different "bull-(bleep)" chants during the game.

2002, Lakers-Kings, Game 6 ... LA needs a win to stay alive ... from an officiating standpoint, the most one-sided game of the past decade ... at least six dubious calls against the Kings in the fourth quarter alone ... LA averaged 22 free throws a game during the first five games of the series, then attempted 27 freebies in the fourth quarter alone of Game 6 ... rumors that David Stern wanted to pull a Vince McMahon and declare himself "The special guest referee" for this game prove unfounded.

(By the way, I would feel remiss if I didn't share this information: Dick Bavetta was assigned to every one of the above games. That's an absolute fact. You can look it up. Doesn't mean anything ... I just felt the need to pass that along. It sure looks bad, doesn't it? Maybe the league could do a favor for Bavetta and not assign him to Game 3 of the Finals, especially if the Lakers jump to a 2-0 lead over New Jersey. You wouldn't want to rile up those conspiracy theorists or anything. Ummmm ...)"

Only stupid question is one not
By Bill Simmons
http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/020606

I apologize in advance if this has already been posted.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

We won, anyways.

[Brutalis]

I remember that game, it was pure BS. But even at that time I knew they stood zero chance.

[ChumpDumper]

1999, Spurs-Knicks, Game 3 ... down 2-0, the Knicks get every call in their first home game and win their only game of the series.So the Spurs got no calls at all?

Zero personal fouls on the Knicks?

I find this difficult to believe.

[Galileo]

So the Spurs got no calls at all?

Zero personal fouls on the Knicks?

I find this difficult to believe.

pull the tapes, .... before David Stern does!

[Destro]

The spurs sweep of the the Cavs kills a lot of the conspiracy talk. Stern would have loved to give Lebron a title or at least extend the series to five or six games...

[pjjrfan]

Tim had foul problems in that game, I gotr it on tape, I have to revisit it, but it was typical BS game where to me homecourt ruled as far as the refs were concerned.

[T Park]

Theres a reason they call him "Dick the Knick"



So the Spurs got no calls at all?

Zero personal fouls on the Knicks?

I find this difficult to believe.



Oh come on, you know what they mean....

[Pero]

Knick Bavetta

:lol

[Galileo]

The spurs sweep of the the Cavs kills a lot of the conspiracy talk. Stern would have loved to give Lebron a title or at least extend the series to five or six games...

"Towards the end of Donaghy's last season I guess the information was getting passed around quite a bit."
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-32-308/A-Professional-Gambler-s-Take-on-the-Tim-Donaghy-Scandal.html

Too chancy at the time.

Also, you can't fix every big game, sooner or later someone will talk.

[ChumpDumper]

Oh come on, you know what they mean....Specifics are needed to substantiate. I won't expect specifics in this thread.

[Trainwreck2100]

Specifics are needed to substantiate. I won't expect specifics in this thread.

Mario Elie picking up 2 fouls in the first minute of play

[ChumpDumper]

Mario Elie picking up 2 fouls in the first minute of playThat's it?

I'll wait for the spooky synth music accompanied videos from spurfans wanting a retroactive sweep.

[Kindergarten Cop]

Personal Fouls committed in that game:

San Antonio - 27
New York - 23

Free Throws in that game:

San Antonio - 18/22
New York - 23/30

Officials:

DICK BAVETTA
HUE HOLLINS
RONNIE NUNN



I can't say that I recall being too upset about the officiating in that game and looking at the box scores, I still can't seem to remember it being remotely close to Lakers/Kings '02.

[Trainwreck2100]

That's it?

I'll wait for the spooky synth music accompanied videos from spurfans wanting a retroactive sweep.

and the masks from v for vendetta accompanied by a weirdo voice

[Galileo]

That's it?



That's huge evidence dude! Nothing to sneeze at.

[timvp]

Not that I'm condoning the tin foil hat talk but I remember after that game, the Spurs were basically saying "alright, we got the Bavetta game out of the way, now time for some real basketball".

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

:lol

Tin foil hat wearers have been vindicated this summer!

"and remember that one game, when"

[kobyz]

i remember that game, the refs was hurt the Spurs especially Tim Duncan, one time Tim Duncan was in the lane for one second and he was calld for 3 second violation

[J.T.]

Not as bad as that one time the Spurs were playing the Lakers and you realized that you forgot to buy beer, made a quickie beer run, and when you got home, David Robinson had fouled out.

[ChumpDumper]

That's huge evidence dude! Nothing to sneeze at.One sentence from a Celtics fan is huge evidence?

Ah-choo.

[dg7md]

I move a seat over and the Spurs lost. What gives?

[temujin]

I distinctly remember watching that game with friends and we were all in disbelief in what was going on.

In addition to the two famous fouls on Elie in the first minute of play, I
specifically remember a three seconds violation called on a young and fast Duncan cutting the lane on a fastbreak.

That, I had NEVER seen before. Or after. On Duncan or anybody else.

I haven't watched the NBA the same way after that game.

It was actually excellent for my paycheck.

[temujin]

i remember that game, the refs was hurt the Spurs especially Tim Duncan, one time Tim Duncan was in the lane for one second and he was calld for 3 second violation

I didn't read your post.
I am happy I am not the only one to remember that "call".

That was VERY creative officiating indeed.

[FromWayDowntown]

What about Game 3 of the Spurs/Timberwolves series in 2001?

Bavetta worked that one, too, and the Spurs lost that game as well -- on the road!

Believe it or not.




As to the topic at hand, I vividly remember Game 3 of the 1999 Finals and the fact that the Spurs had foul trouble in that game, but it seemed to me at the time to just be a matter of the Knicks playing an inspired, aggressive game at home. I haven't ever thought that there was some sort of fix in the fact that the Spurs experienced foul trouble -- it seemed to be a product of the Knicks playing better than they had in Games 1 and 2 of that series.

The fact that Bavetta was on the floor for that game has never struck me as being anything more than coincidence. In fact, nobody ever seems to bitch about the officiating in Game 3 of the Blazers series that year -- a game in which the Spurs faced much more significant foul trouble (from si.com: "Robinson, Duncan and Sean Elliott -- San Antonio's starting front line -- all were on the bench with two fouls apiece with 3:37 left in the first quarter.") but still won the game.

Game 3 of the 99 WCF demonstrates that if you just play your game, officiating doesn't make a bit of difference.

[wildbill2u]

You gotta remember that some of the old guard refs like Brevetta and Pal Joey still have a hangover from the old NBA/ABA feud days.

[jag]

These threads are getting old

[FromWayDowntown]

The other part about this that strikes me as Lanny-level hypocrisy is the refusal to admit that if Bavetta was "fixing" or "rigging" games against the Spurs, how many games did he "fix" or "rig" for the Spurs?

Game 6 of the 2007 series against Phoenix? (the Spurs did shoot more FTA).

Game 5 of the 2005 series against Seattle?

Game 2 of the 2003 series against Dallas?

I could go on, but really -- where does it end?

[callo1]

OK, I have to chime in on this one:)

Game 3 of the 1999 Finals was fixed, fixed, fixed. Spurs players knew before game 3 that it was going to take a miracle to win the game...hell, the rumor was everwhere that the NBA needed to extend the series since the previous games had been in SA and the ratings were low.

I'll never forget Camby's 4 step travel around D'Rob right out in the open. You can't just look at the bottom line (amount of freethrows taken) to really understand how a game was called. You have to look at the calls themselves.

I remember Mario Ellie laughing after game 3 when he walked off the court...it was blatantly clear that the Spur players knew the fix was in that game. If you want to know why the Spurs have won 4 championships over the last 10 years, it is because they learned how to get jobbed and not complain about it. How often do you EVER hear Pop or any Spur player talk about a call? The Spurs as an organization realized long ago that if they complain, it only hurts their chances of winning more...they conduct themselves like good little soldiers as a result.

Case in point, Barry gets fould by Fisher, Pop and all the players say they agreeed with the no call, but then the league reviews it and says it was a missed call. Pop knows damn well not to get in Stern's doghouse.

I can remember one time in recent memory when Pop openly in public complained about a call...and for good reason. In '05 the Spurs were playing the Grizz in Memphis and Mike Miller hit a 3 to "win" the game...problem is, the clock never started when the Grizz inbounded the ball...no problem, the refs got together and said that after review, if the clock had been started, the Grizz would have made the shot in time (which was correct). Pop was furious, and he sent the tape to the league. Why: Pop's contention was "if Miller doesn't make the shot, do the Grizz get another chance as a result of the clock not starting in the first place?"

You must remember, this was after the infamous .4 Fisher shot a year before. Pop made a perfectly valid point, but the league brushed off Pops appeal.

If you don't think that the league greatly influences the outcome of games your blind and ignorant. Were talking millions of dollars on the line here. Here a question to ponder: When has there EVER been 2 small market teams matched against one another in the Finals? Answer: NEVER. What are the odds of that?

The problem is, nobody with any real influence connected with the league has the balls to come out and challenge the dubious intergity of the league. Look at all the responses to Tim Donaghy's credibility. Van Gundy "he lacks credibility", Bill Walton "he lacks credibility", Marc Jackson "he lacks credibility".

All these sheep know that they would be committing professional suicide if they gave their real honest opinion. In a way I can't blame them. Stern would have their asses so far away from the game they probably wouldn't be permitted to coach a summer YMCA league.

Something that people need to be reminded of here is that when a call is blatantly blown, it almost always favors the larger market teams. So what if there are 500,000 pissed off fans in Indiana, there are millions in New York happy as hell about the call or lack of call.

Hell, the L.J. 4 pt play against the Pacers in '99 was a laugher. The Knicks didn't even deserve to be in the Finals in '99.

I used to be around the Bodybuilding scene back in the '90's and can't help but be reminded of the monopoly that the Weider's had, and to some extent still have on the sport. Everytime I think of the NBA I am reminded of the same unprofessionalism. Remember Bob Thorn being assistant commissioner and owner of the Nets for almost a full year before enough GM's complained and he had to leave his post as asst. commish. due to a "conflict of interest." :lol

Shit, I could type 40 pages on this and some people would still be oblivious to the fact. Do I think all games are fixed?...no. Do I think some games are heavily influenced?...you bet your ass I do. I'm glad all this crap is happening, Stern and the league are getting their just deserts, I only hope it gets bigger.