This has been the best stretch of playoff games I’ve seen in awhile. The games are competitive. Carmelo Anthony is turning into the superstar we thought he would. Even watching two teams (Orlando and Denver) that no one gave a shot at the beginning of the playoffs compete and win these games is great. One thing isn’t. Watching the officials completely debacle these already great playoff games.

Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals has been the best and most recent example of this. There were 86 free throws. LeBron James shot 24 free throws. Dwight Howard shot 19. The last time I watched a game that had 86 free throws shot in a game was, well never. It has gotten out of hand with the superstars, mainly named Kobe and LeBron. As Stan Van Gundy put it in his in-game interview at the end of the 3^rd quarter: “If he (LeBron James) dribbles, it’s a foul.” I couldn’t agree more Stan.

Lets put that into perspective. LeBron shot 24 free throws. None of which the Magic were “trying” to foul him. Dwight Howard shot 19 free throws, 15 of which were probably meant to put him on the line. So simple math tells us that LeBron James only shot 5 more free throws than Howard. But an avid follower of the NBA sees it as LeBron getting a lot more calls. He gets a call any time he drives to the basket. No wonder he shoots 72% from inside the paint.

I like LeBron James, I really do. I think he is going to be the best NBA player since MJ. And if he is smart enough to notice how they are calling fouls, more props to him. I just don’t agree with the way the NBA goes about its business. When I watched the greatest 1^st round series ever in the history of the NBA (possibly one of the greatest ever), I figured it was just because they were the defending champions. I was wrong. Completely wrong.

The thing I don’t understand is how a group of 60-year-old men can keep up with the fast pace of the NBA and make most of the correct calls. Why haven’t they gotten younger people out there? Do they really think Joe Crawford, Dick BaVetta, and company will live forever? I respect these guys for their service but their career should have been over about the time Jordan retired the 2^nd time.

They must believe they are getting paid per foul called. Or the NBA is in their ear about their mission. Their mission isn’t to allow the teams playing the best basketball to win the championship. In this economy its all about making money.

The NBA is on an obvious mission: Kobe v. LeBron, or bust. With the way things are going, it looks like it will get worse before it gets better.

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