You Make The Call: Are Refs Ruining NBA Playoffs?

In the wake of the many, many questionable flagrant foul calls, technicals and ejections in the NBA Playoffs, and now with the ominous "no call" in the Denver Nuggets-Dallas Mavericks series, I can't help but wonder what NBA Commissioner David Stern is feeling.

For years, people have wondered if the NBA fixes games to promote made-for-TV matchups. I fear that these playoffs have done nothing to quell these thoughts.

Stern and the league has done a great job of sweeping the Tim Donaghy scandal under the rug and moving on. Unfortunately, questions will undoubtedly start to swirl again due to the rash of ridiculously harsh calls.  

Questions like: Is the league trying to force a Kobe vs. LeBron NBA Finals? Do the refs give stars preferential treatment? Are there more officials than Donaghy involved with gambling on and fixing games?

Maybe the one accurate ejection and subsequent suspension was for Derek Fisher on the shoulder blow he gave Luis Scola. Some people thought even that should have just been a technical foul, citing that back in the day things like that happened all of the time during physical playoff series.

I understand Stern is trying to expand the NBA's reputation across the world. I believe the commissioner has done a great job marketing the game I love so much worldwide, and I am almost positive his mission is to make the game more appealing to the casual fan.

Stern has brought the game to 215 countries in 43 languages via the television and radio. He's marketed such stars as Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and arguably the world's overall biggest draw, Yao Ming.

But why does it seem like the refs are making so many questionable and outright bad calls in these playoffs? Some conspiracy theorists will say Stern had a private meeting with the officials and said that however you can, protect our stars! Namely Kobe and LeBron, so that they play against each other in the Finals. That Hall-of-Fame matchup will help the game grow and make the league more money.

Some will say the refs are power-hungry and want to be more a part of the game than they need to be. Like officials that have notoriously quick whistles and give technicals if a player questions a call. Like the ones that ejected Ron Artest for, in my eyes, not enough good reason in both games. And most recently, like the one that didn't call the foul on Carmelo Anthony in the closing seconds of Game Three of the Denver-Dallas series.

Is there another gambling scandal on the horizon like Donaghy's? Are today's referees craving more power and notoriety? Is there a standing order by the commissioner to "guide" a series to influence the outcome?

All of these questions will cross fans' minds as they watch the remainder of the playoffs, whether warranted or not.

There are still people who believe the league fixed the lottery, allowing the Knicks to get Patrick Ewing in the 1985 draft. Not so far-fetched is the allowance of such lopsided deals like Shaquille O'Neal to Miami, which led to a Heat championship, like Kevin Garnett to Boston, which led to a Celtics championship, like Pau Gasol to Los Angeles...

Ahhhhh, we've come back full circle to Gasol, fouled by Artest, which resulted in his Artest's ejection. By the way, did you notice Gasol was also pushed and fouled by two other people?

The explanation for the Artest ejection was because Gasol fell hard. My question is, how else do you not fall when you are in the air and get knocked off balance?

The reason Gasol fell "hard" wasn't even because of Artest, it was because of the push in the back by Kyle Lowry and the bump by Shane Battier. Of course, some might wonder if Artest was ejected because he was the most likely person to have a chance to hit a big shot to beat the Lakers.

That is, if you believe that there is a referee scandal.