2022 Playoffs Round 1, Game 6: 76ers @ Raptors, Thur April 28, 7:00pm EST, TSN

[Hotshot]

Nothing wrong with that if you want to stay on the list of most talented NBA players never to win a chip ....

I think he accepted that already. He is a modern day Charles Barkley. Harden already missed his opportunity in his prime to win a ring & now he is slowly deteriorating before our eyes.

[The Great One]

You know what worries me about this game? James Harden. He hasn't really played like James Harden in this series and I think he's due. Embiid called him out the other night. All the American media keeps talking about right now is James Harden. I expect him to come out guns a blazing tomorrow. Raptors have to prepare for that. Embiid is going to put up numbers no matter what. We can't allow other guys like Harden to have big games.

[iblastoff]

meh not worried about james. he hasnt been able to get around anyone defending him at all. if he were to go off, it would have been game 4 or 5 when they had the chance to close it out. not expecting him to do shit. if anything, hes played worse and worse as the series went on.

if you were doc rivers, would you really want to depend on james harden to win a game for you at this point?

im more worried about maxey going off again.

also embiid has only put up 2 big games (30+ points) together in this series. the other 3 he's scored 20'ish or under at less than 50% shooting. thats hardly 'putting numbers up no matter what'. if they can keep him off the line to less than 10 FTs a game that would be gravy.

[Primer]

I used to think Tim donaghy was telling the truth. Then I realized he was a complete scumbag lying crook. And not a single piece of evidence brought forward. No saved emails, no voice-mails, no recordings, nothing that links the nba to rigging games. Just the word of a disgraced ref

If they were instructing the refs on how to call the game, they would 100% not do that via text or email or voice mail. It would be face to face. They would be morons to leave a paper trail when doing something like that. The lack of physical evidence doesn't mean anything to me. It's been proven Donaghy was effecting games, would be shocking if he was the only one.

[LJ2]

Only thing I'm worried about this game is that everyone is now expecting the Raptors to win it. Raps always seem to lay a dud when everyone expects them to win. The underdog mentality suits them better.

[A.I]

You know what worries me about this game? James Harden. He hasn't really played like James Harden in this series and I think he's due. Embiid called him out the other night. All the American media keeps talking about right now is James Harden. I expect him to come out guns a blazing tomorrow. Raptors have to prepare for that. Embiid is going to put up numbers no matter what. We can't allow other guys like Harden to have big games.

He hasn't been "James Harden" this whole season. The old James Harden is long gone. He doesn't have the step or the burst that he used to. If he is aggressive and puts up points, its likely going to be inefficient.

His best asset now is playmaking and Raptors shut that down by playing him single coverage.

[KeonClark]

If they were instructing the refs on how to call the game, they would 100% not do that via text or email or voice mail. It would be face to face. They would be morons to leave a paper trail when doing something like that. The lack of physical evidence doesn't mean anything to me. It's been proven Donaghy was effecting games, would be shocking if he was the only one.

Donaghy was effecting games because he was a degenerate gambler and in debt with the mob. He has been arrested for assault since, and has tried out pro wrestling. He's a clown. Sure there has likely been others but that is a different ballpark then "nba commissioner fixing games"

The accusations towards the nba only game out once he was disgraced and charged, and trying to sell a book. Oh and of course he points to the infamous Kings lakers game 6 in 02 first, because fans had been talking about that game ever since and he knew it would get attention.

[Primer]

Donaghy was effecting games because he was a degenerate gambler and in debt with the mob. He has been arrested for assault since, and has tried out pro wrestling. He's a clown. Sure there has likely been others but that is a different ballpark then "nba commissioner fixing games"

The accusations towards the nba only game out once he was disgraced and charged, and trying to sell a book. Oh and of course he points to the infamous Kings lakers game 6 in 02 first, because fans had been talking about that game ever since and he knew it would get attention.

I'm not discounting what he said just because he took it too far and got caught. The NBA has a massive money interest in gently helping star players advance in the playoffs. We know star players get calls differently than non stars, I don't think anyone would argue with that. So refs are already putting their finger on the scale even if it's not dictated to them by the top brass. But if it isn't dictated by the top brass, why do the refs call the game differently for the star players? Is it some weird psychological condition?

[GOLDBLUM]

Yeah, they do. The number of 100% phantom fouls is pretty much zero. The common bad whistles are the ones where there's minimal contact that doesn't impact the play, but gets called anyways.

Again, we didn’t get jobbed by refs calling 100% phantom fouls. We got jobbed by them calling fouls that barely existed and then turning a blind eye to any of those same instances occurring on the other end. It’s so easy to subtly sway a basketball game if you’re a ref.

And I’m not saying games 1 and 2 were a deliberate conspiracy — but I’m sure glad our guy won ROTY since then to do whatever that does towards leveling the playing field.

And re Donaghy… I liken the assumption the that there are no other refs who have effed with games to the assumption that our little earth is the only life-sustaining planet in the known universe.

[slaw]

Donaghy was effecting games because he was a degenerate gambler and in debt with the mob. He has been arrested for assault since, and has tried out pro wrestling. He's a clown. Sure there has likely been others but that is a different ballpark then "nba commissioner fixing games"

The accusations towards the nba only game out once he was disgraced and charged, and trying to sell a book. Oh and of course he points to the infamous Kings lakers game 6 in 02 first, because fans had been talking about that game ever since and he knew it would get attention.

The only Donaghy side issue that was really concerning and was skated around was Scott Foster. And Foster's record with Paul and Harden is pretty damning.

[slaw]

I'm not discounting what he said just because he took it too far and got caught. The NBA has a massive money interest in gently helping star players advance in the playoffs. We know star players get calls differently than non stars, I don't think anyone would argue with that. So refs are already putting their finger on the scale even if it's not dictated to them by the top brass. But if it isn't dictated by the top brass, why do the refs call the game differently for the star players? Is it some weird psychological condition?

Star players get officiated differently at every level of every sport without exception. Generally, officials don't want to take star players out of the game cause it hurts their team and has a disproportionate impact on the game.

[Kagemusha]

meh not worried about james. he hasnt been able to get around anyone defending him at all. if he were to go off, it would have been game 4 or 5 when they had the chance to close it out. not expecting him to do shit. if anything, hes played worse and worse as the series went on.

if you were doc rivers, would you really want to depend on james harden to win a game for you at this point?

im more worried about maxey going off again.

also embiid has only put up 2 big games (30+ points) together in this series. the other 3 he's scored 20'ish or under at less than 50% shooting. thats hardly 'putting numbers up no matter what'. if they can keep him off the line to less than 10 FTs a game that would be gravy.

Maxey and Harris.

Nurse should remind the boys to treat this game as THE game 7

[JimiCliff]

Again, we didn’t get jobbed by refs calling 100% phantom fouls. We got jobbed by them calling fouls that barely existed and then turning a blind eye to any of those same instances occurring on the other end. It’s so easy to subtly sway a basketball game if you’re a ref.

This is exactly my point. I think Nurse told them explicitly: do not touch them, because if you do they'll call it.

[Primer]

Star players get officiated differently at every level of every sport without exception. Generally, officials don't want to take star players out of the game cause it hurts their team and has a disproportionate impact on the game.

I disagree with this. It's really only noticeable in the NBA. Your reasoning is patently unfair as well. This guy is popular so we should call the game differently for him to give his team an advantage. The refs can't cause a disproportionate impact by calling the game the same for all players on both teams. They only make a disproportionate impact by calling the game differently for certain players than others.

[JimiCliff]

Maxey and Harris.

Nurse should remind the boys to treat this game as THE game 7

It's long past due for Harris (and Niang's) shooting to cool down. Those guys have been on fire the whole series.