A disgraced ref, the FBI, and the Kings-Lakers 2002 Western Conference Finals conspiracy theory

When the Kings lost Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals to the Lakers, Sacramento fans and a lot of the national media immediately thought something was up. But the conspiracy took on a whole new tone when Tim Donaghy, a disgraced former NBA referee, claimed the officials hadn't just been calling things one-sided on accident.
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[@SuperStrik9]

NBA didn't want a Kings/Nets finals.

[@peterbeltran5543]

That why I seen NBA since.

[@jabariburton6109]

Casuals won't watch that

[@mkmllrc]

Harry Engel I’m a GS fans but in the 2016 WCF they came back from 3-1, I think its fixed and also the Finals 3-1 was fixed too! The Warriors got all the fouls.

[@mikemclean5815]

If that were true, then why didn’t the NBA also rig Game 7? Why would they have taken any chances on the possibility that Sacramento might win? Despite the horrible calls of Game 6, all indications are that Game 7 was called fairly. Not even Kings fans are complaining about _that_ game. It sounds to me like all that the league wanted was to extend the series to seven games, because the series was getting incredible ratings, seeing as it was basically the NBA finals that year.

[@kenrickeason]

Casuals won't watch it.. Even though we would..

[@KingNez89]

I dont even know why this is a conversation. I'm a die hard lakers and Kobe bryant fan, but anybody with a brain and eyeballs knows that game was rigged

[@josecarranza7555]

You’re not a Lakers fan lol

[@sammy..3276]

@@josecarranza7555 how do you know lol

[@josecarranza7555]

@@sammy..3276 No real Lakers fan would say that.

[@farisbouzid4646]

@@josecarranza7555 a fact is a fact? what’s wrong with acknowledging it

[@josecarranza7555]

@@farisbouzid4646 Nope, it’s an opinion. You want to talk about a bad officiating game, look at game 5 of this series. Lakers haters don’t talk about it.

[@MrAwesomeMatty]

Imagine how the NBA would have turned out if this never happened. Not only would Kobe and Shaq not have such a huge legacy in Los Angeles, but the Sacramento Kings could have been one of the top Western Conference teams in the early 2000s and possibly beyond.

[@allanhouston6759]

Kobe overrated.

[@stevyluv743]

@@allanhouston6759 Wroong he wasn't all the great things he has done in basket balll

[@DrLuke49]

Kobe might have signed that free agent contract with the Clippers after all for one thing.

[@hellothere-us7iw]

They would have won 2 chips instead of 3 Lakers chips. But won't be a dynasty Webber injury happening and the arrivals of the other HOF spurs members.

[@Honestbballfan]

@@stevyluv743 uh huh sure bud. He shouldn't have won that championship

[@ricardokobe3350]

I’m a die hard Lakers fan since 86’. I was watching that series live and I have to admit....that game alone was too suspicious for me. I was happy for my team but I felt guilty cuz that game was not right. Rigged asf

[@barbarapaparella2282]

Lol game 4 horry hit a game winner then game 7 the kings chocked cuz peja missed a wide open 3 and in ot doug chritie bricked a 3 so the kings should have 1

[@joshuabalondo4454]

It's not the Lakers fault,we know. The referees are doing BS calls for favor that Lakers won the finals. Poor Kings! What is Stern doing in the Western Conference?Even referees?

[@2002films]

Barbara Paparella If game 6 was not league assisted for the Lakers the Lakers would of been eliminated. Facts

[@mixenmash122]

@@barbarapaparella2282 doesnt change the FACT that it was rigged

[@barbarapaparella2282]

@@mixenmash122 how tho game 7 peja missed a wide open 3 at the end of the 4th n the ln doug chritie bricked a 3 in ot so they had plenty of chances

[@rory4814]

27 in a quarter... at that rate you could score all points in a game with free throws.. jesus

[@mmclaurin8035]

Conspiracy theory? I thought this was common knowledge. Especially to anyone who watched the game live.

[@tylerkasuboski3366]

Or to anyone who saw the 7 game Eastern Conference Finals the year before between Philly/Milwaukee which saw calls almost MORE outrageous (in order to make sure the Championship featured Iverson vs. Kobe/Shaq) than the LAL/SAC series in 2002. That era was SO suspicious. Ratings were the king.

[@Falconsfan1020]

M McLaurin80 A few bad calls in 1 game and people say the whole series was rigged, lol.

[@OSRSnChill]

Falconsfan1020 40 free throws vs 25, an entire final 5 minutes of EVERY 50/50 call going to the lakers. Not a Kings fan at all but it’s just like the 06 finals, clearly rigged. People aren’t arguing the whole series was rigged, they’re arguing that when the Kings got to 3 wins the officiating completely changed.

[@Falconsfan1020]

YT is ass Kings had more free throws in the series than the Lakers.

[@OSRSnChill]

Falconsfan1020 read the last sentence I wrote again chief

[@billknoblauch588]

I was there for game six. I was dumbfounded watching that game, couldn't believe what was happening before my eyes. The Kings were totally robbed.

[@KD-wj4gq]

Bill Knoblauch quick question, what was everything like back in 2002?

[@sbrooks904]

Prettyboy Davis Eminem ran the world.

[@MrEOM41]

Yep they were going to win the title that year, they were clearly a better squad in 2002.

[@Mustis91]

@@KD-wj4gq short answer : weird :D

[@hityeihhityeih674]

loc power game 7 would of never happened if game 6 wasn’t rigged

[@m0thaphucka638]

It’s simple. The NBA doesn’t let small markets win championships

[@alexanderadonyae7937]

True

[@dylankellner6841]

That's how it is for every sport. MLB loves the yanks, Cubs, Dodgers. NFL- pats. Every sport is rigged and we all know it

[@LynxStarAuto]

Really? Spurs, Pistons, TrailBlazers, Sonics, Bucks, Cavs, Sixers, Bullets, Bucks, to name a few.

[@pierresoorden5975]

@@LynxStarAuto a lot of those are not small market or won a long time ago. Spurs are the exception.

[@RR-vu3ol]

@@pierresoorden5975 The Spurs are really not that small of a market. That Austin/San Antonio area has really exploded in population.

[@NINERG0AT16]

This was brutal. Wasn't surprised when the news came out about what the refs did

[@karlmonet]

That Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals was the end of my days as an NBA fan. It has been like pro wrestling to me ever since. That game was so obviously a blatant rig job, I just can't take it seriously.

[@jabariburton6109]

This is why bball will never pass football (soccer)

[@arjunabazaz1006]

@@jabariburton6109 huh, soccer is universally agreed upon as the most rigged sport of all time💀

[@menace5802]

@@jabariburton6109 Soccer is not a sport, sadly.

[@samborgensjr6456]

@@jabariburton6109 Look up Chelsea vs Barca in 2009.

[@princemjbp695]

The NBA's doing well without you. Farewell

[@dumisatonyjohnson8145]

2:36 Kobe elbows Bibby Worst no call in nba playoffs history

[@patrickyarnold5815]

Up until the PI no-call on the Rams DB against the Saints. Again, big market vs. Little market (w/ LA getting the benefit)

[@nikkothegreat7839]

Shouldve been a flagrant 2

[@jamesbautista4694]

Hmmmmm Kobe and Shaq should have one less ring and that Kings team deserve a chip

[@PSNBoss224]

@@patrickyarnold5815 we talking NBA her bro not NFL. NFL already has the tuck rule and immaculate reception calls for worst calls.

[@alxfonso4924]

did dummy have his hands on kobe or not? is that a defensive position?

[@wyattcorbin1629]

Everyone knows the Kings would’ve won that game had it been fair.

[@cwg73160]

Wyatt Corbin That was the entire point of the video. Did you watch it?

[@braelonoliver3529]

If you couldn't win a game 7 at home shooting 16-30 FT; and 2-20 behind 3pt line in an overtime game to the point to where your coach even said "With these stats, you can't win ball games"......you don't deserve to win a championship.Good teams play through the bad calls and get it done,there's no such thing as the refs making it impossible to win, that's bullshit

[@kadams6242]

Then why rob them genius?

[@deshaundozier]

Wyatt Corbin yea right.

[@DRIVEN2WIN]

@@braelonoliver3529 in one of my baseball games we were up by 5 runs and it was the 9th and we were throwing strikes and the ref or ump where keep saying ball until the other team won

[@zmr3352]

Shaq was stepping over the free throw line before the shot hit the rim on all of his attempts. This was against the rules, but no one seems to talk about it.

[@SK-uu2fg]

He did that his entire career

[@Revealingstorm.]

The NBA is a joke

[@thomasross4536]

HipHopR&BLover Jon it's not about it affecting his shot. The shooter can't step over the line so they can't go for the ball on a miss

[@AR-jt2ux]

You rig it because the lakers are going to lose the series.

[@chaosawaits]

I remember that

[@charismatic9904]

How is it a conspiracy theory when its been proven to be true

[@ntopacio74]

Game 1 - Lakers 22 FT's / Sac 17 FT's - Lakers won by 7 Game 2 - Lakers 25 FT's / Sac 38 FT's - Kings won by 6 Game 3 - Lakers 15 FT's / Sac 35 FT's - Kings won by 13 ( Kobe had 2 FTA and Shaq had 6 FTA ) Game 4 - Lakers 27 FT's / Sac 26 FT's - Lakers won by 1 on Horry's game winner Game 5 - Lakers 23 FT's / Sac 33 FT's - Lakers lost by 1 ( Shaq only had 1 FTA) Game 6 - Lakers 40 FT's / Sac 25 FT's - Lakers won by 4 Game 7 - Lakers 33 FT's / Sac 30 FT's - Lakers won by 6 in Overtime. Sac went 16-30 from the FT line.

[@professorgoods1916]

I remember watching this game it was such a disgrace!! It was really sad mean to look at these referees take that game from Sacramento!! Even if you weren’t in a fan of Sacramento we all saw how blatant those calls were and wanted to the day why it took them so long to notice it

[@JK-gu3tl]

The Kings played beautiful ball during those years. I imagined Spurs were inspired by it and chose to go that route in the upcoming years (drafting Parker/Ginobilli, etc.). Kings passed the ball like nobody's business.

[@tartuffethesprywonderdog5883]

Surely an inspiration for Steve Nash's Suns teams, too.

[@drscouting6804]

@Joshua Jung, what caused you to blurt that out? And how is it relevant? Curious minds want to know.

[@Tukahuba25]

Ginobili was already drafted, they were just waiting on him.

[@keiththebigshooter]

Nice insight! They were so fun to watch!

[@MrEOM41]

They definitely were ahead of the time... now every team is playing like them.

[@AP-ik2tl]

Kings got robbed of a championship. C_webb

[@AP-ik2tl]

@@mysteriousman5286 no it wasn't it was the western finals

[@chaosawaits]

It was practically the finals. New Jersey would have lost to the 8th seed in Western Conference. They had no chance.

[@AP-ik2tl]

@@chaosawaits true because they would beat the nets

[@AP-ik2tl]

@Pyroman / the kings were good the nets had Jason kid that was the only superstars what keyon martin kittles van horn the kings would of destroy them they were way better

[@AP-ik2tl]

@Pyroman / if you were old enough to see the playoffs then you would of said the kings would of one trust me the nets would of got whipped

[@drizzle452]

As a midwestern Bulls fan, I absolutely loved that Kings team. How could anyone not love watching that team play basketball? It was clearly fixed

[@joesakic91]

Until the Splash Brother era Golden State Warriors came along.

[@trevorkremenliff4996]

@@joesakic91and that was some really enjoyable basketball to watch. How did the front office reward viewers? By rigging the 2016 Finals to sell seats and preserve Jordan’s legacy.

[@joesakic91]

@@trevorkremenliff4996 Yet, Steve Kerr, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and the Splash Brother era Golden State Warriors bounced back to win back-to-back titles over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017 and 2018 to fully erase 2016.

[@SirCruxful]

@@joesakic91u forgot about 2 time finals mvp KEVIN DURANT

[@joesakic91]

@@SirCruxful Yes, KD as well.

[@joeygula581]

As a Sacramento Kings fan probably this moment was more agonizing than the last 15 years

[@joesakic91]

Chris Webber's knee injury the next year is more agonizing where that Sacramento Kings squad was better and deeper in 2002.

[@ntopacio74]

Game 1 - Lakers 22 FT's / Sac 17 FT's - Lakers won by 7 Game 2 - Lakers 25 FT's / Sac 38 FT's - Kings won by 6 Game 3 - Lakers 15 FT's / Sac 35 FT's - Kings won by 13 ( Kobe had 2 FTA and Shaq had 6 FTA ) Game 4 - Lakers 27 FT's / Sac 26 FT's - Lakers won by 1 on Horry's game winner Game 5 - Lakers 23 FT's / Sac 33 FT's - Lakers lost by 1 ( Shaq only had 1 FTA) Game 6 - Lakers 40 FT's / Sac 25 FT's - Lakers won by 4 Game 7 - Lakers 33 FT's / Sac 30 FT's - Lakers won by 6 in Overtime. Sac went 16-30 from the FT line.

[@jl3447]

This loss was so devastating that to this day 16 years later the Kings are still recovering from it

[@InsidiousSwede]

Sad, but true! lol

[@curtissharpe5775]

That is absolutely true I believe that!

[@MuMu124]

Lmao It made the kings front office dumber than a sack of potatoes

[@gabemarcus9716]

They came back the following year even better. 59-23 (2 less wins) and the #3 seed, but they were THE favorite to win the title going into the playoffs. They lost nobody from their 2002 8-man rotation and added Jim Jackson and Keon Clark. They were going to go on a 2014 Spurs-like run, but Webber tore his meniscus in Game 2 against the Mavs. The Kings were never the same after that.

[@Big_Zussy]

Very true , at least it looks like we are building something good now.

[@joellopezacevedo4414]

I cried that day .still hurts.

[@ARCI12345]

Same here man.. dont know y im watching the video makes u feel even worse knowing they gotta way with it

[@Serenasummer]

me too

[@blueraven8738]

Aww, I'm so sorry 😦😧☹😟

[@devilstoast2703]

It's not a conspiracy theory at all, nice manipulation. It's literally ADMITTED TO by former NBA refs

[@TheBUGZNTA]

Admitted to by a disgraced ref. It would be quite dumb for SB nation to declare the game as fixed as that would open them up for litigation.

[@kenrickeason]

BUGZNTA is right.. They have to walk that fine line unless it was proven rigged.. But deep down they knew it was rigged too.. The Kings got robbed of a ring..

[@retroactiveimmunity]

@Thomas Sankara vaccinating millions and supporting small market NBA teams. Is there any cause you won't support?

[@nathanrspain]

As a Kings fan I never felt validation. We all knew what happened. Once it was finally confirmed, it was more like salt in an open wound.

[@ntopacio74]

Game 1 - Lakers 22 FT's / Sac 17 FT's - Lakers won by 7 Game 2 - Lakers 25 FT's / Sac 38 FT's - Kings won by 6 Game 3 - Lakers 15 FT's / Sac 35 FT's - Kings won by 13 ( Kobe had 2 FTA and Shaq had 6 FTA ) Game 4 - Lakers 27 FT's / Sac 26 FT's - Lakers won by 1 on Horry's game winner Game 5 - Lakers 23 FT's / Sac 33 FT's - Lakers lost by 1 ( Shaq only had 1 FTA) Game 6 - Lakers 40 FT's / Sac 25 FT's - Lakers won by 4 Game 7 - Lakers 33 FT's / Sac 30 FT's - Lakers won by 6 in Overtime. Sac went 16-30 from the FT line.

[@RevGRue]

2001 Eastern Conference Finals was certainly rigged. Bucks vs Sixers. No way NBA was gonna let little ole Milwaukee into the finals when they could have their Philly and LA finals. The NBA under David Stern was crooked.

[@kriskrossRIP]

Geoffrey Rue agreed I’m still mad about it today.

[@Vastatio]

It's still crooked, but they'll let you guys in now that you have Giannis. They need another Superstar to market once Lebron starts to fade.

[@Charlie77779]

Just like the brewers this year. Im a jays and raps fan and i feel the pain of a small market franchise

[@FHTV19]

I'm still not over that one as an 11 year kid watching the game 7 I knew it was rigged

[@hoodieboy1515]

DANG! I had no idea about Bucks vs Philly!!! I only knew about Lakers vs Kings cuz’ the stuff televised in the Philippines when I was young was mostly Kings.. or what I would catch on TV. Imma research this now. I guess ball don’t life for Ray Allen since he got rings with the Celtics & Miami

[@jmjaplit]

The most rigged NBA game ever!!!

[@brianstryker4536]

"He's trying to get as light a sentence as possible" I always say trust the man with nothing to lose vs the man who has everything

[@chaosawaits]

It makes perfect sense that the 2002 WCF was rigged. The NBA was in ratings trouble. Keep in mind, this is an NBA that was saved by His Airness and saw a precipitous drop in ratings after his retirement in 1998. Plus, the NBA had a history of rigging against Sacramento: see 1985 NBA draft. Did the NBA pressure Michael Jordan to come out of retirement in 2001 to bump ratings back up? The NBA made countless millions more by having LA win that series since. It legitimized the LA dynasty and the legacy of Kobe/Shaq forever, which has allowed the NBA to promote those two players ever since. The NBA was desperate to save its market shares and it's a no-brainer from a business perspective to have LA over Sacramento win. It was obvious.

[@therealjaystone2344]

Since refs saw Nets gone to the finals and it would’ve help the Celtics to go to the finals. The ratings would’ve gone through the roof.

[@HarpoSpoke]

It's true that MJ fans don't actually like the sport. They only like MJ. They never came back after he retired. The only time you hear from them now is when they show up to attack a current player to promote MJ as this fake "GOAT" thing. But Magic and Bird saved the NBA in the 80s. The Finals were on tape delay until they showed up.

[@1survivor566]

Speaking of MJ and 1998, the NBA rigged the 98 Finals too. The Jazz got robbed in game 6. The NBA did not want MJ to retire with a series loss in his last Finals appearance. Very few people nowadays even bring that series up. People love the perfect story that MJ retired on top with a perfect Finals record. It's a happy ending so all of the shady stuff that happened in that game get forgotten. The blinders get put on.

[@JohnThaDreamer]

I agree with your perception of the 2002 WCF. As a long time Sacramento Kings fan, I remember that series like it was yesterday. The NBA is a business above all else and their priority is money above all else. I find the Michael Jordan piece of your comment very interesting. I have had this conversation over the years with many people from all walks of life. In my opinion, Michael Jordan "retired" the first time due to heavy debts incurred that were heavily associated with his gambling problem that was at the time becoming public. Since he was the financial nucleus of the NBA in the 90's, it was vital that his image not be deterred in any way that could effect the conglomerate that is the NBA. Michael Jordan was the cash cow of the NBA. The ascension and prominence of the Jordan was happening around this time. Jordan and the Bulls had just completed a 3-Peat before his "retirement". In my opinion, I think that his dad was murdered due to Jordan thinking he was too powerful to pay a debt (most likely to the mob).

[@rowdycmoore]

@@1survivor566 it makes no sense to claim 1998 was rigged. Why would they have actively prevented a Game Seven that would have been the biggest ratings cash cow in history? The fact that Jordan never played in a Finals Game Seven is just further proof that the NBA can't be rigged.

[@Peter-hx3im]

I am a King's fan. 2002 was my first heartbreak. I still get legitimately mad when I think about this game.

[@rrickydanby]

Peter Tripp Pelicans fan here. I can honestly say it’s better to have never loved than to have loved and lost.

[@dominiquejones3805]

True that

[@itsdsworld209]

I was 10 years olds. I cried. And not even a year before the Raiders was screwed with the tuck rule. 2001 & 2002 years were tough !

[@bigtuna4984]

I remember watching the game live, between my own eyes, the reactions of the players and Addelman, and the commentary by Walton the fix was in and that was without the backlash after the game. This game stunk, and being a huge Cwebb and Kings fan back then it was crushing. I stopped watching the NBA for years after that, up until LeBron went to Miami.

[@rrickydanby]

Gary Currier I’m honestly glad I wasn’t a huge fan then. It would have soured me for sure.

[@make-outseries831]

How u feel bout nba rn

[@buckfuttler2877]

EASILY the biggest fixed series in sports HISTORY, and im a Sonics fan....

[@idgaf9333]

you mean okc fan 😂 you dont have a team in seattle so shush puppy 🤣

[@sleepyguy6201]

@@idgaf9333 he's still recovering from the move so don't bully him bro..

[@ilfusarrista1943]

agree

[@Christlockhart1]

Yup, this was the series that ended my NBA fandom. I can count on one hand how many games I’ve watched since.

[@dasfowler]

My 17 year old self is REEELLIINGGG from this video. Ugh, that moment was the dagger in the heart of basketball in Sacramento. It was never the same again, and every moment since has been a desperate clutching at that memory and what a championship would have meant to a one-sport town.

[@Serenasummer]

十幾年了，心還在痛

[@Random-zy7pl]

I really do feel bad for you guys. A Championship for Sanremo would have been great and you deserved it

[@joshuamolina7158]

0:54 THE SIGN SAYS “KOBY” IM SO DONE

[@johnmendoza7103]

"Super-offensive trash talk" lmao you know this is a 2018 video

[@NoName-es5dt]

but we in 2019

[@AirKangLocker]

hahaha it was offensive back then but now its SUPA OFFENSIVE

[@forstianideal4459]

He called them the Sacramento Kangz, how horrible.

[@jpkclutch7780]

Refs gave the Lakers an nba championship the Kings were going to win the nba championship if not for the corrupt refs

[@Kdar088]

No one gonna talk about Kwame Brown under "Rookies to watch" at 7:42 ?

[@KOCChristian]

Kdar088 bruh read what it say 😬

[@cd6xc]

And the reason was espetacular in itself.

[@BIG_TOE]

Small hands: can't ball or hold onto money.

[@seansanchez9769]

You beat me to it

[@AtlantaWoman]

The biggest bust ever after Andrew Bynum!

[@sphere5282]

David Stern's a crook.

[@riseofthebon3951]

Should be in prison!

[@dumisatonyjohnson8145]

LA shoots 27 FT attempts Sacramento 9 FT attempts 🤔

[@klsounds]

This hurts my heart. I was there during that series. They need to give the kings something

[@Leftylobber]

Thank you for doing this! People dont know the real pains of Sacramento Basketball. Go Kings!

[@mattbrown5921]

Everyone knows this story.. nothing new

[@xyzxyz6406]

True. Even radio announcers can't talk about it because they get inundated with calls from fans to stop mentioning it. The pain is palatable even after 21 years.

[@Big_Zussy]

As a Kings fan this one still burns 16 years later...

[@BlackFlash7]

That non call for the Kobe elbow was egregious

[@johnbeardshall2898]

anyone who watched the game would say it was fixed by crooked refs

[@Davivd2]

This was a great video. You should do a follow up on the even more blatant and obvious rigging of the 2008 NBA finals between the Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers. Where Leon Powe suddenly came off the bench, and as a role player who was not even in the normal rotation, was fed the ball on offense and told to shoot. Every time that Powe shot the ball the refs would wait to see if the ball would go in. If the shot went in the game played on, if the shot missed there was a late foul called against the Lakers. Then to top it all off there was the half time piece that coincidentally was about Leon Powe, the poor little crack baby who overcame adversity, and it was just this magical coincidence that this role player, who wasn't playing at all, was put into the game in the finals, fed the ball on offense, and happened to get fouled on almost every shot attempt. What a heart warming story....

[@mickeyd2625]

As a warriors fan who does not like sac, this is BS. If you watch the game it is absolutely clear it was fixed

[@corkydelarge4440]

Anyone who watched that game knew they made it impossible for the Kings to win. It was PAINFULLY apparent. Not beyond a reasonable doubt, beyond any shadow of a doubt.

[@natesemler7022]

2006 nba finals, mark cuban even thought it was rigged

[@kevinmurtagh4996]

Nate Semler “Mark Cuban even..”? If anyone was going to say that series was rigged, it would be Mark Cuban- the owner of the team it was rigged against.

[@rowdycmoore]

2011 should have put that to rest. NBA and ESPN so wanted Lebon's superteam to win that title, so that series should have been more rigged against Dallas... and yet the Mavs won???

[@blixmas]

Miami vs OKC was worse and im not a thunder fan either

[@jerry85g7]

Well his team lost

[@Statalyzer]

Maybe Miami wins anyway, but the officiating in that series was dubious as hell and the vast majority of it favored the Heat. Especially the one where Wade tripped over his own teammate and either Bavetta or Salvatore called a foul on the Mavs from 30 feet away even though the ref who was right there let it go.

[@gregorybertrand645]

Scot Pollard looks like a bass player from a mid-90s post-grunge band. Like Hoobastank or one of those terrible bands.

[@pakkmann]

he really does. good role player though. makes me wonder what he's been up to since retiring...

[@noahmckee9905]

he was on survivor a few years back

[@Nigerian_Papi]

Noah McKee He did pretty good for himself think he finished like 7th or 8th

[@0531jos]

dude, you could've given him at least "early-90s grunge band"...don't say he doesn't remind you of krist.

[@razkable]

at least he got a ring sorta by being on a roster that won it all first 6 years after this incident ironically in the finals beating la just like peja did in 2011 ....@@pakkmann

[@shinewherethouwillandthouh7455]

I told my mother about this video and she on a 20 minute rant about this game. She has been a Kings fan since the 80s and this has been a particularly sore point in her memory. I was old enough to remember this game happening, but not enough to know why my parents were so angry at the TV lol.

[@melev23]

If you watched this series and this game, it became evident pretty early on that the Kings were being cheated. It didn’t go unnoticed by the players, coaches, commentators or viewers. A confession years later would not offer any sort of vindication. The team meant to be the NBA champs was altered and history was altered.

[@davidsimmons3391]

Let's not forget the series against the blazers and the championship against the Sixers when the Lakers lived at the free throw line. So the fix been in & David Stern signed off on it while he's playing stupid. You can always tell who's guilty because they will always try to sell their innocence.

[@zoominnboomin]

I remember this series and no matter if it was rigged or not, the Kings got screwed.

[@ChrisJProductionz]

Everyone knew the Kings were the real 2002 Champions cause they were a better team than the Lakers which at the time had off-court tension between Kobe, Shaq, and Phil Jackson

[@fitofito1001]

This is one of the most exciting series in nba history. They were the games NBA desperately needed after MJ retired. The main motivation for David Stern to manipulate game 6 was that he wanted the series go to game 7 to maximize rating.

[@grunt117]

fitofito1001 u can’t rig a jumpshot 🤡

[@jungshin87]

This just imagine trying to rebound from Michael friggin jordan

[@jasoncampbell1756]

This should be a rewinder because Robert Horry

[@razkable]

oh yeah your right..he saved a championship otherwise la goes down in 5...the fact even with the refs help it took a game winner and a ot game 7 for them to threepeat shows why their reign is overrated..the kings had a better team..

[@randomname1251]

I remember this series, and jeez, more than 15 years later, it *still* hurts

[@Bendwow]

'Super offensive trash talk from Shaq' 'I'm not worried about the Sacramento Queens' 😂😂😂😂

[@John.Asante]

Pause at around 6:50 and you can see how many times they misspelled "commissioner"

[@jojomarso]

John Asante why tho 😂

[@trentosh1562]

At 1:15, that's a nice travel from Shaq

[@bokkebokke7]

Just like how the Bucks got robbed the year prior for the Iverson vs Kobe and Shaq Finals. The old adage is true: bull crap walks and money walks.

[@crazykayz3]

I thought it was: "money talks and bullshit walks." Am I wrong??

@@crazykayz3 lol, no you're not wrong, dude is too embarrassed to come back and answer you.

[@eyebelieve3]

@@crazykayz3 I wonder what he thinks his version means?

[@mikeyvp]

I would LOVE a rewinder about John Stockton's shot to send the Utah Jazz to the NBA finals. That series was bonkers and the history between those teams in the playoffs was crazy for 3-4 years leading up to it. I think that series alone had 3 buzzer beating finishes, 5 HOFers 2 hof coaches. It would be perfect for this series.

[@bobbyscarfo2544]

Anyone that followed NBA Basketball and actually watched that series knows, without question, that series (especially game 6 because it was most obvious) was fixed. It was after that Series I literally stopped following NBA Basketball of 40 years.

[@gbone302]

Watching this in 2019 is kind of funny with James Harden getting some of calls he’s getting

[@yasithruberu140]

2006 Mavericks Heat Series !

[@pokesmot3174]

Yasith Ruberu That series was such a disgrace

[@alexjones3511]

1988 NBA Finals between the Pistons and Lakers was even worse.

[@therealjaystone2344]

Alex Jones Nothing as so close than 2002.

[@yrnmxni8530]

Not fixed both teams had the ref on there side Dallas could not hit a Free throw

[@HarpoSpoke]

Yeah the 2006 Finals was pretty obvious. Mark Cuban was a loudmouth and always going after the refs with claims of bias. No way the league was going to hand Cuban a trophy. The best proof was in 2011 when Cuban went silent the entire season. Suddenly the Mavs got fair calls in the playoffs. Phil Jackson actually referenced the 2006 Finals when asked why Cuban wasn't talking that year. Phil accidentally let the truth slip out. After the Finals, Cuban went right back to talking again. What a coincidence.

[@RicDollars]

Kings coming for their redemption this year. No 🧢, Lakers vs Kings 2023 WCF’ Book It 💪🏼

[@vchengsportstv4666]

hahaha Warriors beat yo arse in game 7

[@RicDollars]

@@vchengsportstv4666 what can I say. Their the GOLDEN STATE 🩸

[@elliseinhorn7440]

This is a great video, good job SB Nation

[@ayanochikuza9617]

7:42 Kwame Brown LMAO

[@clarenceparkeriii6249]

NBA hasn’t been the same since then...

[@juniorcrimebreakers2807]

I'm here because of the Saints/Rams. Is Tim Donoughy reffing NFL games now?

[@kenrickeason]

David Stern must of been the commissioner for that day only..

[@peterbeltran5543]

The saints are also in this robbed. Trump also

[@414beastmode]

Why they do Chris Webber face like that???? @1:45😂😂😭😂😂😭😭

[@sajanphilip8538]

Glad this was made!! I never forgot that game!!

[@sakif7]

Damn I’m a hard laker fan but this makes me feel absolutely terrible for the kings. They were robbed. Smh

[@landonkalie7761]

I’m a lakers fan and I believe it was righed

[@hoodieboy1515]

The first laker fan I see commenting this. Ty

[@donsullivan7736]

@@hoodieboy1515 Here's the second Lakers fan who knows this was a dirty win. At the time it appears all the LA press knew it too.

[@Midnightmjtoker]

Conspiracy?? LMAO 😂😂 not even a kings fan, but I'll never forget watching this game, and knowing the Kings were straight up cheated! Was so obvious the Lakers need stripped of the 2002 title.

[@adamfitzgerald911]

The conspiracy theory lies in the notion that Tim Donaghy acted alone. He didn't.

[@beattheovenludwigvan]

This just makes me sick. I can't even finish watching this.

[@reignman40boozer5]

Bick Bavetta also screwed the jazz in game 6 of the '98 finals. 3:11 Horry even looks back to make sure he doesn't flop into the knee/leg of a teammate.

[@fred7769]

Don't forget SHAQ stepping over the FT line during his FTs. That's a violation why we saw a 76% statistical anomaly from SHAQ

[@wearethe9947]

I watched it was FIXED. KINGS DESERVED THAT TITLE!

[@Brhoward31]

I Was soooo PISSED! IF they only waved off Samaki Walkers half court shot

[@matthewfalch1383]

The idea that the NBA was telling officials to make playoff series last longer actually goes back a lot further than that. It was suggested on television before Game 5 of the 1976 Finals.

[@jaydenjohnson8771]

C weeb was the Sacramento kings in the early 2000’s. 0:08 c weeb was flashy

[@walterlv01]

I am a fan of the Lakers - old enough to remember them drafting Magic when I was a little kid. I have no doubt whatsoever this game was rigged in their favor. In fact I hardly watched any of the Finals against the Nets that season because I couldn't get excited about it. Kings were without a doubt the better team in that series and were robbed of what was theirs.

[@joesakic91]

I'm a Lakers fan and the Kings choked.

[@MadAnthonyToronado]

There's another video that shows Shaq step over the free throw line all night which helped his percentage.

[@iLuvGaming]

Remember watching this as a kid, me and my brother were yelling at the tv and mad af lol

[@TartarianTopG]

She’s beautiful

[@hawthornedouglas]

Do the 2009 champions league Chelsea vs Barcelona. That was one of the most blatantly rigged soccer games ever.

[@ethanjobson3879]

Just worth noting, Shaq had been shooting way better from the FT line in those playoffs (and to a lesser extent the regular season). His overall playoff average was 66% from the line that year, not that far off from the 76% he shot in Game 6.

[@DrexelRivers]

i remember that series and that game 6 and it is not a conspiracy theory that the game was rigged...its fact. they didnt want the Kings to win period.

[@robertcolbert4785]

Can’t tell me Warriors vs Rockets Game 7 of 2018 wasn’t rigged.

[@RecklessRusty]

Man I hate the warriors as much as the next guy but you cant rig 27 missed 3s in a row

[@robertcolbert4785]

@Sho Tohara what about the 3 Harden 3 pointers that were called off (That he made and was fouled btw)? and the illegal screen by Jordan bell that led to the Curry 3???

[@charleswade9669]

But you can rig some of the fouls not being called on some of those 27 missed 3 pointers. 🤷🏿‍♂️

[@cngbuddah]

cant rig chris paul getting injured tho. wars just got lucky.

[@leperaffinity21]

@@cngbuddah Chris Paul is older, and has a history of injuries, and the Rockets took that risk when they were playing him 40 minutes a game. No one was surprised when he got hurt. The Rockets gambled and lost on Chris Paul staying healthy, they should have let him rest a bit more. So, I wouldn't say it was the Warriors luck, but maybe a lapse in the judgement of the Rockets. But I guess hindsight is 20/20.

[@PunkSkaful]

2006 MAvs got robbed too! Good thing Dirk was too good for the NBA and got his revenge in 2011. Dirk could have got 2 rings by now

[@lavarbigballer9604]

Yeah and then the nba started to do this with the warriors

[@Kevsgirl925]

Lavarr shut ur g$y a$$ up

[@KelvinMartinez]

Us Lakers Fan watching game 6: 😬😬😬😬 we won 🏃🏾🏃🏾🏃🏾

[@TheCuriousBat]

Haha her first sign of bad foul calls is an actual foul

[@alexfahey3181]

We all know by now it was rigged for the lakers to win they got all calls and horrifying sacramento deserved to win

[@eddyshluger9332]

I remember that epic series. Kings definitely deserved to win, but refs didn't let that happen.

[@alienzordfalcon5162]

My whole family was having a bbq in LA during that game 6 and we all kind of looked at each other like “oooh, uhhh, we’ll take it, uhh”. We did that about 9 times that game. Once Kobe UFC elbowed Bibby, my Uncle burst out laughing and we all just laughed. All respect to Sac. Who knows how it would have ended up, but I just wish it was a truly fair battle. This made me lose faith in pro sports. We won game 6, but I felt like I lost something more than just a game. All love to Sac. I will be rooting for y’all when you get there someday. Bless up. Meanwhile, I’ll be watching Bron change his son’s diapers for a couple damn years.

[@britishcig5462]

The real story is that somebody actually named their child "Bimbo Coles"

[@kylein9869]

Lol

[@k-lawn]

I know everyone hates the Warriors but that 2016 Finals was rigged. Suspending Draymond was a clear move by the league to help the Cavs. Draymond should have been suspended for his kick on Adams in the Thunder series, but the league wanted to help the Warriors come back in that series. The league often tries to extend playoff series. Game 6 of the 2016 Finals was incredibly rigged, with the refs going out of their way to foul out Curry while ignore LeBron bulldozing defenders. Game 7 was reffed fairly and the Cavs deserved it but there shouldn't have been a Game 7 to begin with. Of course the media ignores this controversy because it was LeBron's career defining moment and you know they have a hard on for him.

[@angelolivo2040]

Sure

[@malevolentgaming1990]

They shouldve rigged the 2018 finals too shame to watch a finals sweep lmao