The Sports Informant

Why is everyone surprised with referee-turned-felon Tim Donaghy’s claims that NBA refs rigged the 2002 Kings-Lakers Game 6 in the Western Conference Finals? He got caught committing a crime, and like any two-bit criminal, he’s turned rat to save his own tail. The problem isn’t his squealing, though, it’s that we don’t want to believe what he had to say was true.

The NBA, like any other multi-million dollar empire, is a business. And any time the mighty green is waved around like candy, there’s bound to be corruption. We’d be naive to believe there wasn’t. I’m not surprised one bit that the fateful Game 6 that ended Sacramento’s hopes of ever getting a championship was possibly rigged. I’m surprised it was so obvious.

For weeks after that game, Sacramento fans cried foul. Shoot, for an entire year, and still now, years later, Kings fans blame the cheating Lakers for stealing that series. The current allegations only confirm what we’ve already feared was true, and unfortunately, there’s not a dang thing any of us can do about it.

Sports writers across the nation criticized the officiating after that game six years ago. Twenty-seven fourth quarter free throws for the Lakers? Really? Highlights of several bogus foul calls now flash over the airwaves of ESPN nightly, with NBA Commissioner David Stern consistently trying to discredit the allegations as a desperate lie. Intentionally cheating or accidentally horrible, Mr. Stern, your refs sucked that night. We all knew it, and now the world agrees.

It’s too bad it took a caged rat to confirm what we’ve been saying for years. The Kings were the better team, they played a better series and they deserved to be NBA champs. Instead, they dropped into oblivion, and since, their once great team has been dismantled completely.

The Kings were labeled the “Queens” for their views about the officiating. Come on. I argue when I’m called for traveling in a recreation game when we’ve got a 20-point lead. The Kings’ best possible chance at an NBA title in the team’s history was robbed on national television, and now we have a key witness claiming why. Somewhere, even cowbells are crying.

Here’s the rub. That 2002 season fielded the best Kings’ team ever. Sacramento hasn’t been the same since and won’t be battling for a title for many years. The Lakers undeservedly not only were handed that series, but basically an NBA Championship. Now, just six years later, they’re in the Finals again, while our sorry Kings watch from home after a sub-.500 season. Whether Donaghy’s claim is legit or a lie, one fact remains: The NBA will never be the same, at least not for Kings fans. And it shouldn’t be, because no matter how the allegations play out, we’ll never get that game back.

A few days ago I wrote a blog about the tough decision to root for either the Lakers or the Celtics. Thanks to the terrible (or perfect) timing of these allegations, I’m a Celtics fan for the next week. Thank you, Tim Donaghy, you’ve renewed my hatred for our rival. Like the refs of that 2002 game, for a moment, I was almost tricked into thinking the Lakers should win.