Magic's "Home Cooking" Continues on Day Off

While the Lakers basked in the joy of a 3-1 series lead, the Orlando Magic continued to enjoy an inexplicable officiating bias. This time it was Stu Jackson's (pictured) turn to cut the underdogs a break. 

Jackson, the Executive VP of Basketball Operations for the NBA, did not upgrade the late game double-fisted shove from Orlando Guard Michael Pietrus to the back of Pau Gasol.   Pietrus coiled both fists and in a violent shove nearly upended a defenseless Gasol with a quasi-punching motion to the small of the L.A. forward's back. In short, Jackson refused to suspend Pietrus for Game Five, citing that it was not warranted since Gasol did not get hurt.

Wait...has he forgotten Derek Fisher's one-game suspension of his "harmless" shove of Luis Scola of Houston?

The decision continues a 24-hour blitz by the NBA to attempt to extend this series. It began during the first quarter of Game Three, when the Lakers' front court of Andrew Bynum, Gasol, and Lamar Odom were assessed two fouls apiece within 10 minutes of tip-off. The Magic quickly took advantage, as Phil Jackson was forced to play the seldom-used Josh Powell and D.J. Mbenga. 

But it didn't stop there. From the beginning of the fourth quarter and through overtime, the Magic shot an astounding 20 free throws to the Lakers' one. And when did that lone L.A. free throw come?

You got it, during the flagrant-one on Pietrus in the final seconds of overtime, when the game was more or less already decided. 

The statistical probability of an L.A. team that dominated the paint play not shooting a single free throw in nearly 18 minutes of play is beyond comprehension. 

So while the Magic whine and gripe about a play here or there, perhaps they should thank their lucky stars for the charity of the officiating crew. Not only did they give them every opportunity to win in Game Four, but the League is now implicit in protecting Orlando's best bench player from suspension.