NBA referees faced “rigged” accusations after a contentious Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.
One sequence in particular, involving Duncan Robinson of the Heat and Marcus Smart of the Celtics, really drew the ire of social media.
It had people suggesting that the NBA refs were blatantly messing with the proceedings with no regard for the integrity of the game.
The video speaks for itself.
They called this a defensive foul on Duncan Robinson… LMAO WHAT THE HELL pic.twitter.com/UcKYwTqClb
— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) May 28, 2023
Fans immediately rushed to social media in the aftermath to weigh in.
Understandably, folks had some strong reactions.
This year’s @nba playoffs May make me stop watching the game. Adam Silver is destroying basketball
— Truth Serum (@theBrokeLab) May 28, 2023
Yea this was the most egregious of the night. Was watching and just turned tv off in anger for a few minutes.
— LinusCaldwell.eth (@LinusCaldwell5) May 28, 2023
Refs and @NBA trying to insure that Boston makes it to the finals for their ratings
— HarveyISinger (@UVharvey) May 28, 2023
Heat took the lead and the refs have called 4 straight fouls against them so Boston could get the lead right back.
— Shawn K (@ShawnMKeenan1) May 28, 2023
To make this even worse, it’s Marcus Smart one of the biggest flippers in the game. It insane that the refs would give any offensive player this call but especially Smart
— 90sKnicksFan (@90sKnicksFan) May 28, 2023
This has been a wild playoff series. On the court you obviously have the Celtics going down 0-3, seemingly dead in the water, only to come back and win the next three. Off it, you have the cheerleader whose provocative photos went viral. It has been nuts all around.
The video speaks for itself. https://t.co/OCRuSHjbc8
— Game 7 (@game7__) May 27, 2023
And with Game 7 looming, things promise to get even crazier.
No team has ever come back from down 0-3 in an NBA series – but the Celtics are coming into the outing as the favorites.
Will the NBA’s refs be able to call a clean enough affair in Game 7 to avoid the “rigged” accusations that mired them in Game 6? Time will tell.
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