"Did Donaghy fix Game 3 of Suns-Spurs?"

[F-Dog]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7045572

Did Donaghy fix Game 3 of Suns-Spurs?
Kevin Hench

...

...Just when Phoenix Suns fans were moving through the acceptance phase of their grief over last year's unjust playoff exit comes another knee to the groin.

As if the playoff suspensions of Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw (in exchange for instigator Robery Horry) hadn't been a big enough miscarriage of justice, now comes news that NBA referee Tim Donaghy is under FBI investigation for betting on basketball. There are even allegations of mob ties.

While those charges have yet to be proven, there is very little debate among the basketball cognoscenti as to what was the most dubiously officiated game in this spring's playoffs. It was Game 3 of the Suns-Spurs Western Conference semifinals on May 12.

It was a bewildering carnival of bad calls, bad non-calls and egregiously late calls.

Who did that game? Eddie F. Rush, Greg Willard and Tim Donaghy.

...

The Spurs were favored by four in Game 3 and won by seven, 108-101. They shot nine more free throws than the Suns, a perfectly reasonable gap between an interior-scoring team and a jump-shooting team. While the risk of fixing a playoff game is increased by the closer scrutiny of the game, it is easier to place large bets without setting off red flags because there's much more money being wagered on a playoff game than a regular season game.

If Donaghy is convicted of fixing any games over the last two seasons — during which the FBI was monitoring his games — how will Stern, who must have precious little credibility in Phoenix, ever convince Suns fans that they weren't the victims of a fix? I mean, besides the one he himself sanctioned after Game 4. (And if it turns out Donaghy did conspire to fix Game 3, how happy will Suns fans be with the FBI for allowing their team to be an unwitting victim in a two-year-old sting operation?)

...

Stern could conceivably return that fine money if it turns out Donaghy was in the bag. But what if evidence emerges that Donaghy had money on the Spurs in Game 3?

If that's the case, Stern's refusal to adjudicate the Horry-Stoudemire-Diaw non-fight fairly will have compounded a criminal act. How could he ever make things right in Phoenix?

I was amused to see this coming from a professional sports site, even if it is Fox.

 

[azsouthendzone]

It isn't just coincidence that this is happenning in this league.

 

[elindholm]

Is this the "my buddy Hench" that Bill Simmons is always referring to?

 

[F-Dog]

Is this the "my buddy Hench" that Bill Simmons is always referring to?

Looks like he might be.

http://adamcarolla.15.forumer.com/a/sports-guy-espn-chat_post1354.html

Nice catch!

 

[Gaddabout]

This off-season has worn me out more than that series. I'm tired of thinking about it.

 

[CaptainInsano]

I could be wrong, but I believe both one game in the lakers series and game 3 in the spurs series are games he was a ref. We lost both those games.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Stern was aware there was an fbi investigation the last two seasons right? That hurts a lot too.

 

[SASpursfan]

Someone on Spurstalk brought up the same question. People need to move on. A team has to lose four games to lose a series. This is making Suns fans seem more whiny.

Lets look forward to next year and the games between the Suns and Spurs. However, you guys do need to sign a power forward. What was Kerr thinkng when he let Kurt go

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Someone on Spurstalk brought up the same question. People need to move on. A team has to lose four games to lose a series. This is making Suns fans seem more whiny.

Lets look forward to next year and the games between the Suns and Spurs. However, you guys do need to sign a power forward. What was Kerr thinkng when he let Kurt go

Turning the tides on a fixed game 3 puts the series at *gasp* 3-3. People who are robbed usually whine and complain while demanding justice. Its such a bad trait isnt it?!

Try not to look like a homer on an opponent's local message board, thanks.

 

[SASpursfan]

Turning the tides on a fixed game 3 puts the series at *gasp* 3-3. People who are robbed usually whine and complain while demanding justice. Its such a bad trait isnt it?!

Try not to look like a homer on an opponent's local message board, thanks.

Wow you have already ruled the game was fixed. Hmmm and you are calling me homer.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

My statement can be seen as hypothetical just as easily as a ruling. Nice try though.

 

[Bufalay]

Wow you have already ruled the game was fixed. Hmmm and you are calling me homer.

3 and 5 were fixed

 

[SASpursfan]

3 and 5 were fixed

Sure. Then you may borrow one of our 4 trophies.

 

[SASpursfan]

My statement can be seen as hypothetical just as easily as a ruling. Nice try though.

Seem. You've already labeled it fixed.

 

[Bufalay]

Sure. Then you may borrow one of our 4 trophies.

thanks

 

[CaptainInsano]

I don't want to borrow one since you will give us the tainted one. I would rather win a real legitimate one.

So no thanks.

I can see why you want to pawn that last trophy off though.

 

[CardShark]

Seem. You've already labeled it fixed.

I'll go out on a limb and say it was fixed. I think that limb is probably big enough to hold whoever wants to join me.

 

[CardShark]

Someone on Spurstalk brought up the same question. People need to move on. A team has to lose four games to lose a series. This is making Suns fans seem more whiny.

Lets look forward to next year and the games between the Suns and Spurs. However, you guys do need to sign a power forward. What was Kerr thinkng when he let Kurt go

There's a difference between whiney and angry. I think Suns fans have a right to be angry over being robbed.

 

[CaptainInsano]

Don't mind the spurs idiot #21721241234234

I mean, it is not like spurs fans were whining and crying earlier on in the exact same season they won the trophy about firing popovich and making serious changes to the roster because of their lackluster start right?

No, but the suns fans are definatley the whiners since 2 of their core members were suspended for doing absolutely nothing that was a detriment to the game WHATSOEVER.

Yeah, us suns fans are definately the whiners. That is if you look at it through idiot colored glasses.

*edit: And now apparently we have to wonder if in a game where amare got 5 fouls in 21 minutes and duncan barely even skirted foul trouble (4 fouls in 41 minutes) if it was fixed. Yeah, times are great.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Ive have always wondered what the color idiot look like

 

[CaptainInsano]

Ive have always wondered what the color idiot look like

I did too until the spurs fans invented it after they won the series.

 

[SASpursfan]

Don't mind the spurs idiot #21721241234234

I mean, it is not like spurs fans were whining and crying earlier on in the exact same season they won the trophy about firing popovich and making serious changes to the roster because of their lackluster start right?

No, but the suns fans are definatley the whiners since 2 of their core members were suspended for doing absolutely nothing that was a detriment to the game WHATSOEVER.

Yeah, us suns fans are definately the whiners. That is if you look at it through idiot colored glasses.

*edit: And now apparently we have to wonder if in a game where amare got 5 fouls in 21 minutes and duncan barely even skirted foul trouble (4 fouls in 41 minutes) if it was fixed. Yeah, times are great.

Sure you can wonder about that. But you might want to look at the Suns versus the Spurs record over the Steve Nash era. The those idiot colored glasses you mentioned, just may have you wearing them.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

To be honest, if everyone in the world collectively agreed to put an asterisk next to our title I would be bitter and troll around other message boards too.

 

[CaptainInsano]

Sure you can wonder about that. But you might want to look at the Suns versus the Spurs record over the Steve Nash era. The those idiot colored glasses you mentioned, just may have you wearing them.

Once again proving my point, yeah use my own insult against me combined with horrible logic. Nice one.

I look at 2 playoff series. In the first we had a surprise team that no one thought would even make the playoffs at the beginning of the season, then the media said we wouldn't win in the playoffs, then wouldn't go deep in the playoffs, then it was onto the spurs right after Joe Johnson busted his face (literally). We probably still would have lost, but we overachieved beyond everyones expectations. We had basically no bench back then also FYI.

And of course we have this next playoff series where it was neck and neck and stern along with the possibility of donagy, gave the spurs enough help to throw it.

2 playoff series (one completley botched) is indictive of the spurs vs suns nash era? No, those glasses are firmly bolted onto your own face. Sorry to tell ya.

I wonder why you saw the need to run over to these forums and cause a commotion after this announcement of the fbi investigation? Scared that your title is even more tainted?

Coming over here and acting like the typical spurs idiot isn't going to convince anyone of your POV (nor convince any non-spurs nba fan to watch your team) so you should just give up and go back to spurstalk.

 

[JS22]

Sure. Then you may borrow one of our 4 trophies.