Who are the refs tonight?

[LakerLanny]

You guys might take solace in the infamous Lakers-Queens series of a few years back that featured horrific fixes in favor of the Queens in Games 2 and 5 followed by the infamous "FT attempt differential" Game 6 win for the Lakers (of course Queen fan conveniently ignores the Hack A Shaq and late game intentional fouls that pushed that FT attempt differential to where it was) that led to a deciding Game 7.

After an entire series of absolutely rigged officiating, the officials in Game 7 actually let the players on the floor decide the game (I know, a novel concept) and the result of course was justice in the form of a Laker Game 7 road win.

So maybe we get an honestly officiated game tonight with consistent calls on both ends. But I wouldn't bet on it.

It takes a special kind of team to win on the road in Game 7. I am not sure your team has what it takes inside, but we shall see.

[FromWayDowntown]

To complete the prior thought, the road team is 2-6 in games that Foster officiates this postseason (Foster called Detroit's road win at Philadelphia in Game 6 of that series and the Lakers' road win at Utah last Friday) and 2-7 with Bavetta on the whistle (Bavetta called Orlando's Game 4 win in Toronto and the Lakers' Game 4 win in Denver).

By the way, the Hornets are 2-0 at home in these playoffs with Bavetta in the game (Game 1 of their series against Dallas and Game 2 of the current series). They are 1-0 at home with Foster (Game 5 of their series with Dallas). They are 1-1 in these playoffs with Javie on the floor (won Game 4 of their series against Dallas and lost Game 3 of their series against SA).

From the Spurs' perspective, they are 1-1 with Bavetta calling the game (won Game 2 against Phoenix, lost Game 2 against NO), 0-1 with Foster on the floor (lost Game 4 at Phoenix), and 2-0 with Javie on the floor (won Game 3 at Phoenix, won Game 3 against the Hornets in San Antonio).

[curtismedellin]

with Javie in at least we'll get a fair shake at winning this thing.

[FromWayDowntown]

It takes a special kind of team to win on the road in Game 7. I am not sure your team has what it takes inside, but we shall see.

I agree that we shall see. The 2006 Mavericks weren't exactly the most mentally stable bunch to ever lace up sneakers and play NBA games and those es won a Game 7 on the road.

[FromWayDowntown]

For the record, here are all of the 19 teams that have won a Game 7 on the road:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slu...v=st&type=lgns

YEAR TEAM ROUND
==== ==== =====

2007 Utah (at Houston) Western Conference first round

2006 Dallas (at San Antonio) Western Conference semifinals

2005 Detroit (at Miami) Eastern Conference finals

2005 Indiana (at Boston) Eastern Conference first round

2002 LA Lakers (at Sacramento) Western Conference finals

2000 New York (at Miami) Eastern Conference semifinals

1995 Indiana (at New York) Eastern Conference semifinals

1995 Houston (at Phoenix) Western Conference semifinals

1982 Philadelphia (at Boston) Eastern Conference finals

1981 Kansas City (at Phoenix) Western Conference semifinals

1981 Houston (at San Antonio) Western Conference semifinals

1978 Washington (at Seattle) NBA Finals

1976 Phoenix (at Golden State) Western Conference finals

1974 Boston (at Milwaukee) NBA Finals

1973 New York (at Boston) Eastern Conference finals

1971 Baltimore (at New York) Eastern Conference finals

1969 Boston (at Los Angeles) NBA Finals

1968 Boston (at Philadelphia) Eastern Division finals

1948 Philadelphia (at St Louis) Semifinals

[LakerLanny]

I agree that we shall see. The 2006 Mavericks weren't exactly the most mentally stable bunch to ever lace up sneakers and play NBA games and those es won a Game 7 on the road.

Geez, I forgot about that. Good point, the Mavs are not the first team you think of when you think "mentally tough" are they?

One thing that has been alarming for the Spurs is the lack of fight after the Bugs make their runs at home. You know there will be times in the game when NO gets on a roll, the crowd gets into it, the refs start to become fans instead of impartial arbitrators, etc.

So far in the series, the Spurs have caved in at those moments. Maybe they find their nuts tonight in the pressure cooker and instead fight back when those things happen because you know they will indeed happen.

Playing a decent 3rd quarter would also be a Popovich priority I would imagine and I am sure he has carped on that endlessly leading up to this one.

Good luck, Laker nation will be watching!

[FromWayDowntown]

Geez, I forgot about that. Good point, the Mavs are not the first team you think of when you think "mentally tough" are they?

It's the thing that's giving me the most solace at this point. That Mavs team had gone up 3-1, lost the next two, and still rallied to win Game 7 on the road before undertaking one of the greatest implosions in professional sports history. If they could do it under those cir stances, these Spurs have it in them to get this thing done.

One thing that has been alarming for the Spurs is the lack of fight after the Bugs make their runs at home.

* * * *

So far in the series, the Spurs have caved in at those moments. Maybe they find their nuts tonight in the pressure cooker and instead fight back when those things happen because you know they will indeed happen.

Completely agree with this. I've had flashbacks to 2001.

[SpursWoman]

Improbable....not impossible......still, it would be cool.

Yeah, it would. Then maybe they wouldn't have much left for the second half.

[FromWayDowntown]

You're not going to keep them from scoring for the first 6 minutes. It's impossible.

Actually, I'd settle for keeping them from scoring for a 6 minute stretch of the 3rd Quarter.

[Jimcs50]

Actually, I'd settle for keeping them from scoring for a 6 minute stretch of the 3rd Quarter.

I'd settle for them not scoring for a 6 min stretch from the 6 min mark of the 4th Q to the end of the game.

[Jimcs50]

actually I'd settle for the Spurs to not score for 6 mins at the start of game 1 on the WCFs THIS year.

[SpursWoman]

I agree that we shall see. The 2006 Mavericks weren't exactly the most mentally stable bunch to ever lace up sneakers and play NBA games and those es won a Game 7 on the road.

This makes me feel a million times better about tonight. Thanks!

[SpursChampsIII]

Why does it matter? Just play the game.

It matters for teams who are still playing, but in the Suns' case it was win or go home...they went home. Class dismissed.

[xtremesteven33]

i would just love a spurs blowout. blowout the CORNNUTZ by 20 points on thier home floor.

leave NO DOUBT we are the better team

[FromWayDowntown]

actually I'd settle for the Spurs to not score for 6 mins at the start of game 1 on the WCFs THIS year.

That would be an acceptable bargain for me, too.

[Princess Pimp]

Just to be a wet blanket of sorts, in these playoffs, Javie has called 10 games and the home team has won 7 of the 10:

BOS/ATL - Gm. 1 (@BOS) -- BOS win
DET/PHIL -- Gm. 2 (@ DET) -- DET win
SA/PNX -- Gm. 3 (@ PNX) -- SA win [road win]
NO/DAL -- Gm. 4 (@ DAL) -- NO win [road win]
HOU/UTH -- Gm. 5 (@ HOU) -- HOU win
CLE/WAS -- Gm. 6 (@ WAS) -- CLE win [road win]
DET/ORL -- Gm. 2 (@ DET) -- DET win
NO/SA -- Gm. 3 (@ SA) -- SA win
BOS/CLE -- Gm. 4 (@ CLE ) -- CLE win
LAL/UTH -- Gm. 5 (@ LAL) -- LAL win

So make up your mind idiot!

Is Javie a good official for the Spurs or not?

ing whiners.

[Jimcs50]

So make up your mind idiot!

Is Javie a good official for the Spurs or not?

ing whiners.

Lick TPark's balls!!!

[FromWayDowntown]

So make up your mind idiot!

Is Javie a good official for the Spurs or not?

ing whiners.

If the Spurs don't play well, Javie won't matter.

If the Spurs play well, Javie won't matter.

[GhostofAlfrederickHughes]

Hate to burst anyone's bubble, especially the conspiracy theorists and ref/stat crunchers, but the game will be decided by whether the entire Spurs team shows up for 48 minutes, NOT by the officiating crew.

[TampaDude]

Just to be a wet blanket of sorts, in these playoffs, Javie has called 10 games and the home team has won 7 of the 10:

BOS/ATL - Gm. 1 (@BOS) -- BOS win
DET/PHIL -- Gm. 2 (@ DET) -- DET win
SA/PNX -- Gm. 3 (@ PNX) -- SA win [road win]
NO/DAL -- Gm. 4 (@ DAL) -- NO win [road win]
HOU/UTH -- Gm. 5 (@ HOU) -- HOU win
CLE/WAS -- Gm. 6 (@ WAS) -- CLE win [road win]
DET/ORL -- Gm. 2 (@ DET) -- DET win
NO/SA -- Gm. 3 (@ SA) -- SA win
BOS/CLE -- Gm. 4 (@ CLE ) -- CLE win
LAL/UTH -- Gm. 5 (@ LAL) -- LAL win

The Spurs are 2-0 in these playoffs with Javie...one at home and one on the road. I don't think the refs will be an issue tonight for the Spurs. Just get out there and kick some ass!!!

[Jimcs50]

Hate to burst anyone's bubble, especially the conspiracy theorists and ref/stat crunchers, but the game will be decided by whether the entire Spurs team shows up for 48 minutes, NOT by the officiating crew.

*bubble busting*

[TampaDude]

Hate to burst anyone's bubble, especially the conspiracy theorists and ref/stat crunchers, but the game will be decided by whether the entire Spurs team shows up for 48 minutes, NOT by the officiating crew.

Right...but at least with this crew, the Spurs won't be playing 5 on 8 tonight...

[DarrinS]

Steve Javie
Bavetta
Scott Foster

http://www.nba.com/news/referee.html

Having both Javie and Bavetta is a wash. These two will cancel each other out.


Javie goes out of his way to tune out the home crowd, while Bavetta is a bit of a suck up to the team with HCA.

[ElNono]

If the Spurs don't play well, Javie won't matter.

If the Spurs play well, Javie won't matter.

If the FTA differential is over +10, then refs do matter. You can't defend those points and you can't get them back. Hence Pop ing about that 3rd quarter in Game 5. It's unfortunate, but the home cooking in these playoffs have been over the top. I recall 2 plays from the Boston vs Cavs series that stand out about this. Game 6, waning moments, Pierce drives and Lebron draws a charge when he: a) did not have position. b) was still moving and basically bumped sideways into Pierce. The other one was the last quarter of Game 7, where anytime Pierce was double teamed, they basically started calling ticky tacky fouls, and sent the Celts to the line over and over again.

Here's hoping we'll have a sharp shooting night tonight, and we won't need to get too physical, otherwise I can already see Bavetta making the ticky tacky calls.

[LakerLanny]

It is hysterical to hear people say the refs don't matter or factor into the outcome.

The painful reality is other than injuries, that is the single biggest factor in the outcome of any NBA game. I wish it weren't so, but it is.

Let's just hope they rise to the occassion and we see an impartially officiated Game 7....as bad and biased as they are, often Game 7's are surprisingly well officiated as the NBA has already got what they want (max revenue and ratings) by getting it to a Game 7 in the first place.