The Deviousness of David Stern

John Hollinger:

Maybe the NBA conspiracy theorists' take on this year's playoffs is that the league is trying to prove there's no conspiracy. With every incentive to set up a Cavs-Suns final, the two biggest officiating situations in the postseason thus far went against those very two teams. Not to mention a lottery that sent two hugely marketable rookies to the far corner of the country -- as opposed to, say, Boston and Chicago.

Indeed. On the other hand, from the perspective of the more serious fan, Pistons-Spurs has a kind of drama and resonance that a Cavs-Suns matchup would lack. Similarly, arguably the Celtics are going to have fans whether or not they suck, whereas the Pacific Northwest teams are actually in need of improvement to retain the loyalty of their audience.

Comments

Why does one have to believe the NBA had a conscious conspiracy in order to think David Stern is a stupid bastard who screwed the playoffs?

Posted by Antid Oto | May 25, 2007 9:34 PM

Cavs in the finals would get my conspiracy juices flowing.

Suns-Pistons would have been far more fun, in some ways, than Spurs-Pistons. Suns-Pistons would have the contrast in styles, while Spurs-Pistons will be kind of like WW1 -- less aesthetically pleasing but nonetheless awesome (grozny, perhaps).

Posted by ostap | May 25, 2007 9:51 PM

Why does one have to believe the NBA had a conscious conspiracy in order to think Danny Ainge is a stupid bastard who screwed the Celtics?

Posted by michesmith | May 25, 2007 9:52 PM

OK, sure, but the Sebastian Telfair deal -- tell me that wasn't a conspiracy.

Posted by Alan in SF | May 25, 2007 10:15 PM

Yeah, but the Sonics probably aren't going to stay in Seattle. The State Legislature won't give the owners the new-arena-subsidy they want, and the team will go elsewhere.

Posted by Alex | May 25, 2007 10:22 PM

Pistons-Spurs has a kind of drama and resonance that a Cavs-Suns matchup would lack.

I feel like this is the sort of thing that just gets said over and over and people start to believe it. What, exactly, is so resonant about this matchup?

Posted by Freddie | May 25, 2007 10:30 PM

Maybe Stern is rigging a Spurs-Pistons final to punish us.

Posted by too many steves | May 25, 2007 10:39 PM

I think David "Mr." Stern feels the need to lay low after that foul bias study was published.

Posted by ed | May 25, 2007 10:55 PM

"I feel like this is the sort of thing that just gets said over and over and people start to believe it. What, exactly, is so resonant about this matchup?"

two big powers with lots of championships between them, I think. even though i'd much rather watch suns-cavs.

Posted by Alan in SF | May 25, 2007 11:03 PM

Your discerning conspiracy theorist might think that the no-call was a makeup no-call to be matched against the decision (or absence of a decision) not to suspend LeBron for his unnatural basketball movement in the previous game.

Posted by SomeCallMeTim | May 25, 2007 11:23 PM

To extend that logic, if Oden had landed in Seattle, he may have been able to save the franchise for the city. So need alone was insufficient to create the most propitious outcome.

Posted by Rich | May 26, 2007 12:03 AM

Speaking of the NBA, one of Matt's least favorite columnists (the hammer) used an NBA analogy today.

Posted by Fred | May 26, 2007 1:04 AM

As Alex has pointed out, the Sonics are out of here. And no, Rich, I don't think Oden would have made a difference. The locals are fed up with sports owners' demands here, after subsidizing fancy playgrounds for the Mariners (who have been terrible the last few years) and the Seahawks (who are owned by Paul Allen, who could have paid for a stadium and never missed the money, but stuck us instead). I think the prevailing attitude is "don't let the door hit you on the way out."

Posted by beckya57 | May 26, 2007 2:47 AM

...arguably the Celtics are going to have fans whether or not they suck, whereas the Pacific Northwest teams are actually in need of improvement to retain the loyalty of their audience.

The Celtics aren't in need of the same? That's news to this member of the rapidly diminishing ranks of Celtics Nation. AFAIK ratings and general interest in the team (and in the NBA in general) are way down in these parts.

Posted by Jasper | May 26, 2007 11:26 AM

Pistons-Spurs has a "kind of drama."
Yes, the godawful kind. I, for one, am anxiously awaiting a seven-game series in which every conrtest is 77-75.

Posted by charles pierce | May 26, 2007 2:02 PM

"I feel like this is the sort of thing that just gets said over and over and people start to believe it. What, exactly, is so resonant about this matchup?"

Well, for one thing, the '05 Pistons/Spurs series was the best Finals of the current millennium.

For another thing, both teams play compelling basketball.

If you want the type of individual drama that LeBron or Nash could provide, then I understand the disappointment of Pistons/Spurs. But if you like watching teams, then it's probably the best matchup possible this year.

Posted by Petey | May 26, 2007 4:00 PM

What I reject is the notion that, if you don't like clutching, grabbing, low-scoring, flopping and fouling basketball, you aren't a purist, or a serious basketball fan. I hate the notion that if you want a game with lots of fluid movement and, yes, offense, you're just a member of the hoi poloi; but if you like Popovich ball, you're a connoisseur. It's false snobbery.

Also I'm a bit at a loss re: your contention that liking the Suns means you don't like team ball.

Posted by Freddie | May 26, 2007 4:35 PM

"I hate the notion that if you want a game with lots of fluid movement and, yes, offense, you're just a member of the hoi poloi"

There's plenty of fluid movement in both the Spurs and Pistons offense. They run two of the prettier offenses in the association, as a matter of fact. It's the lack of recognition of that fact that marks a fan as nescient.

What some seem to object to is the lack of fast break offense and the relative paucity of baskets scored. And that's a completely different issue.

If you find a 132-126 game inherently more interesting than a 94-88 game, then you're out of luck for the Finals. But if so, I'd say you're missing out on some of the finer points of the game.

Posted by Petey | May 26, 2007 6:11 PM

They run two of the prettier offenses in the association, as a matter of fact. It's the lack of recognition of that fact that marks a fan as nescient.

This is, of course, a matter of pure subjectivity. I'm not surprised, however, that you take your own taste as a matter of fact.

Posted by Freddieq | May 26, 2007 6:30 PM

Petey, the Suns are only good for "individual drama"? Now you've gone too far. They play the prettiest team basketball I've seen in 20 years.

Posted by too many steves | May 27, 2007 12:13 AM

"Petey, the Suns are only good for "individual drama"?"

Not quite what I wrote...

Posted by Petey | May 27, 2007 2:23 AM

The Blazers were never seriously going anywhere, and the fans were already coming back now that the old 'Jail Blazers' have been pushed out for guys like Brandon Roy.

Can't speak for Seattle.

Posted by matthew c | May 27, 2007 10:29 AM

Forget about the Celtics fanbase decaying or the Sonics possibly moving, the draft lottery killed NBA basketball in Memphis. The Griz get swept three straight years in the 1st round, then tank an entire season (Tony Barone as head coach?), only to see two franchise players head to two OTHER teams in the West? How on Earth can they possibly sell that team in that city again?

Mike

Posted by MBunge | May 27, 2007 11:13 AM