The Shame of the NBA.....

The Finals of the NBA are the showcase for the entire sport of basketball. The series is watched with interest worldwide. The stars of the league are known and followed worldwide. This year, for the forth straight season, the Golden State Warriors are taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Four years ago, the Cavaliers might have won, except for injuries to key players. The second year, the Cavaliers did win in dramatic fashion. It was the stuff of fairytales. The third time Golden State won easily. Golden State is favored heavily to win again. But that's why we play the game.

The Cavaliers have survived a tumultuous season. They are led by possibly the greatest player of all time - Lebron James. The Warriors are the greatest shooters in the game, and include the ugliest and most disgusting player in the league, Draymond Green.

Last Thursday, game 1 was looking like a classic. Both teams were jockeying back and forth, with neither team gaining a significant advantage. Lebron James was giving a performance for the ages. But then, things started to go wrong in the 4th quarter. There were a number of questionable calls by the officials. "Questionable" would be one way to put it. "Wrong" would be another way. It took the focus off the players, and onto the officials. It took a game that should have gone down as a classic Finals game, and made it remembered as nothing more than controversial.

Maybe the most controversial call was a charge call against Kevin Durant. It would have given the ball back to the Cavs, with the lead, near the end of the game. But then the officials called a timeout so they could review the call on video replay. After a long period of time, killing any momentum the Cavaliers had, the call was reversed.The charge was taken away. It was replaced by a blocking foul on Lebron James. The Cavs protested the unusual circumstances vehemently. but Durant hit the ensuing free throws ro give the Warriors the lead.

That's a lane violation.

Next, Cavs George Hill was fouled and awarded free throws. He hit the first one to tie the game. He missed thee second, although there was a lane violation on Draymond Green, and should have been given another. But the officials didn't catch that one. JR Smith got the rebound, but apparently didn't realize the score was still tied and didn't get up a shot. People are blaming JR for the blunder, and I can understand that. However, I also think it was the job of Coach Lue to communicate what to do in all situations. If he did, JR didn't get that message.

In the overtime, the Warriors dominated. With 2.7 seconds to play a foul was called on Tristan Thompson. Green taunted him into getting technical foul. But no foul against the instigator.

When it was over, the game left me angry, confused, and frustrated. Just pick any adjective. It took what should have been a classic game and turned it into a sham.

Yesterday, I heard an interview with a former official explaining the charge/blocking reversal. He spoke uninterrupted for a full 5 minutes, using words like trigger and foot identity in his explanation. That's one reason I hate video replay for officiating. This is basketball - not physics. See the call - make the call. I can take a mistake every now and then as long as it's made by a well trained and honest official.

This gives conspiracy theorist a call that the games are "fixed" Before you say that's ridiculous, remember that in 2007 NBA referee Tim Donaghy become a convicted felon for gambling on NBA games. So never say never.

We can only hope that the rest of the series is played hard by two championship caliber team. There's plenty of star players in these games. We don't need to remember the officials too.