David Price is not afraid to voice his opinions, much to the delight of those who follow him on Twitter or get to ask him questions for a living. Or those who want to see pictures of his dog. Naturally, the Red Sox starter did not hold back his thoughts on the NBA Finals.
The NBA Finals appeared to be over. The Golden State Warriors had taken a 3-1 lead in the best of seven series, soundly defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland. With the series heading back home, it seemed that only a miracle could save LeBron James for yet another abject failure of a postseason.
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That miracle appears to have come in several ways for the Cavaliers. Draymond Green was suspended for Game Five, due to the number of points he accumulated from flagrant fouls in the postseason. Then Andrew Bogut was lost for the remainder of the Finals with a knee injury when J.R. Smith managed to “somehow” hit him in the knee with his shoulder as he “fell” forward. Now, the Cavaliers are tied heading into Game Seven, a game that is highly anticipated by those who enjoy the NBA.
This outcome has also spurred the conversation that the Finals are rigged. Given the dubious history of the NBA when it comes to officiating and the David Stern Era, it is understandable why one would think that. Amongst those conspiracy theorists, we find Red Sox pitcher David Price, who put his thoughts into one succinct tweet:
I believe the #nba is fixed now....pretty bad
— David Price (@DAVIDprice24) June 17, 2016
Let’s face it – this is the league that wanted everyone to think that Tim Donaghy acted on his own accord when it came to influencing the outcome of games with his calls, despite a mountain of evidence that other officials were involved. This is also the league that seemingly went out of their way to avoid handing Mark Cuban the championship in 2006, with the Miami Heat coming back from a 2-0 deficit, and a nine point deficit in Game Three heading into the fourth quarter, to win the series 4-2.
In that series, the Heat had a dramatic 156-101 advantage in free throws over the final four games, including a 49-25 edge in Game Five. Three of those games were decided by three points or less. And, just like in 2016, a dubious suspension for Game Five led to a victory that may have changed the series.
Yes, David Stern and his shady dealings may be gone, so the days of “rogue officials,” forced retirements, and rigging the draft lottery for the New York Knicks may well be over. Yet, that does not change the preception that the league is essentially the WWE with a ball. This is a league where maybe four or five teams have a legitimate chance at winning the title each year, few teams attract the top free agents in the game, and “tanking” is a legitimate strategy, leading to thoroughly unwatchable games.
In fact, even Donaghy himself thinks that the fix was in, at least in Game Five. Considering his experience when it comes to throwing games based on his calls, he may be the best authority to make that statement.
This perception is so strong, that even professionals in other sports question the validity of the results in the NBA. Price may have been the one to air his opinions, but he is likely not the only person that feels as though the NBA may be better served being called National Basketball Entertainment, in a nod to the WWE.
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Red Sox pitcher David Price feels as though the NBA is fixed. Given the history of the league over the past few decades, he may well be correct.