Just 2 more playoff games (not series) for The Beard and he will be #1 all time leader in playoff games without a championship.

FrioAg 00 said:

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Let's see,

Game 1 - SA +10 FTs, SA wins by 7

Game 2 - OKC +7 FTs, OKC wins by 9

Game 3 - FT even, OKC wins by 15

Game 4 - SA +14 FTs, SA wins by 21

Game 5 - FT currently even, OKC up by 8


It's pretty rich to hear SA fans whining about FTs when they have a +17 advantage in the series, and it's likely the only reason they didn't lose in 5 games

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I beg to differ. OKC fouls every damn play and refs only call a minimal percentage of their fouls. Don't get me wrong, I hate SA, but OkC is treated completely different than every other team in the league by the refs. Just look at tonight, SA getting screwed left and right.

Can anyone answer my question of why the refs would treat OKC preferentially ? Is it that big Oklahoma TV market? Their long-standing tradition of NBA greatness?

FrioAg 00 said:

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Let's see,

Game 1 - SA +10 FTs, SA wins by 7

Game 2 - OKC +7 FTs, OKC wins by 9

Game 3 - FT even, OKC wins by 15

Game 4 - SA +14 FTs, SA wins by 21

Game 5 - FT currently even, OKC up by 8


It's pretty rich to hear SA fans whining about FTs when they have a +17 advantage in the series, and it's likely the only reason they didn't lose in 5 games

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I know you aren't dumb enough to think that FTA is the only way refs influence a game.

I’ve played, coached, reffed & covered basketball for 30+ years. I’m also NOT a Spurs fan. What OKC has done — building half their strategy to manipulate the refs on every possession — is a disgrace to the game and awful to watch. This is Harden on steroids. Fans deserve better. https://t.co/4cNjdtFVWO

— Chris Dell 🧪 (@MaddJournalist) May 27, 2026

OKC plays way more physical on defense and gets away with way more.

But then things like this have been called when Fox goes out of his way to not touch him.

Ruining the game pic.twitter.com/jgXrnDzIHd

— IG: @docqtor (@DocQtorr) May 25, 2026

This flop was called a foul on Barnes, which wiped off a 3pter. No FTs involved.

this is just SHAMELESS 😭 pic.twitter.com/yoQwUVj9ht

— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) May 21, 2026

Actual official explaining why the play above that wont show up should have been an offensive foul on OKC. But n call.

Kurtis, IMO this should have been called an offensive foul on Wallace. He launches at an abnormal angle to seek out contact with Wemby that otherwise would not have occurred, and he causes lower body contact to Wemby that knocks him to the floor, and takes him out of the play. If…

— Chip Clark (@OfficialChipC) May 23, 2026

No foul here at all, but they call it on Castle. Castle had to be pulled from the game due to foul trouble because of phantom fouls like this due to SGA's flopping.

What are we doing here?
Fix this sport. pic.twitter.com/3OBf0Ihkqa

— Justin Wills (@itsjwills) May 27, 2026

Elbow to the throat is Flagrant, innit?

Jared McCain elbowed Dylan Harper in the throat, backed it up on him and fell down 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/P8JsvftRHl

— Hater Report (@HaterReport) May 27, 2026

The refs really claimed they couldn't tell who this was off of and ruled it a jump ball...???

NBA what are we doing?? https://t.co/9BpUPFroX2

— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) May 27, 2026

These aren't Spurs fans complaining:

We cannot overstate how bad this is for the game of basketball. https://t.co/CLigoTVrp0

— Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey) May 27, 2026

From the last Tony Brothers game, Hartenstein was allowed to just yank Castle by the hair WHILE THE REF WAS WATCHING. No call no FTs.

Hartenstein just YANKED Stephon Castle’s dreads 😭😭😭

THIS MAN IS PLAYING DIRTY 💀 pic.twitter.com/gVC14EIcNR

— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) May 21, 2026

I don't expect the refs to get everything right, and I don't think they are calling things the way they are because of some grand conspiracy. But the way they have officiated both teams is not the same, and that is primarily because OKC spends their time gaming the system and going with the "we can hack and be as physical as we want because they wont call a foul every time and even if they did, we have the most depth in the league." And they are right.

The Spurs big problem last night was they were not aggressive, especially Wemby and Fox. When you are aggressive, you tend to get the calls more on your side, and that is what we saw in game 4 vs game 5 if you actually watched it rather than just looking at a box score. When the Spurs attack the basket relentlessly like they did in game 4, they get the benefit on more calls, but in game 5, they were completely passive, especially Victor. Can't play that way and expect to win. But that is never going to show up in the box score.

Almost all of those are awful calls, no doubt.

They are also cherry picked, out of the hundreds of total calls. You're missing the cherry picked ones that favor SA.

If you're making an argument about the total NBA product evolving to this soccer style game where whistle baiting is WAY to prevalent, I couldn't agree more.

So let's go back and pull back a few rings from folks like Tony Parker and Ginobili who played big roles in this evolution of flopping.

Neither one did anything remotely close to what we have seen in this series and that also isn't why the Spurs won those titles and you know that. But nice Strawman. Care to have an honest conversation now?

Your FTA stats are also cherry picked and do not actually show the reality of the series. And I did a very brief overview with a major swinging series of calls/no calls in game 5. It is relevant.

I'm not making an argument about the NBA evolving, but rather I am pointing out how FTA does not tell the story of the series and that is obvious if you actually watched it all.

The majority of calls the refs do get correct. But the refs can also drastically swing momentum with huge point changes with things like we saw when they miss a goal tend (2pt), then make the wrong call (turnover, potentially 2-3 points) then give a technical to a coach that was calling for a review (1 point), then give SGA two FTs on a possession that OKC shouldn't have had (2 points for OKC, but a Spurs make would have been potentially 2-3 point for the Spurs). That is a definite 5 point swing and potentially an 8-11 point swing in a 10-point game. That's a massive swing because the refs screwed up multiple things that all went against the Spurs when the Spurs were making a push. And the refs unquestionably screwed all of that up. You don't even question that. All of that happened within 40 seconds to close out the quarter. As you know, basketball is a game of runs and the Spurs had just made two threes (one +1) and were on a run. But that type of referee takeover is deflating.

You were the one that brought up the refs, so if you want to have an honest conversation of how they have impacted games, here it is.

Guitarsoup said:

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Neither one did anything remotely close to what we have seen in this series and that also isn't why the Spurs won those titles and you know that. But nice Strawman. Care to have an honest conversation now?

Your FTA stats are also cherry picked and do not actually show the reality of the series. And I did a very brief overview with a major swinging series of calls/no calls in game 5. It is relevant.

I'm not making an argument about the NBA evolving, but rather I am pointing out how FTA does not tell the story of the series and that is obvious if you actually watched it all.

The majority of calls the refs do get correct. But the refs can also drastically swing momentum with huge point changes with things like we saw when they miss a goal tend (2pt), then make the wrong call (turnover, potentially 2-3 points) then give a technical to a coach that was calling for a review (1 point), then give SGA two FTs on a possession that OKC shouldn't have had (2 points for OKC, but a Spurs make would have been potentially 2-3 point for the Spurs). That is a definite 5 point swing and potentially an 8-11 point swing in a 10-point game. That's a massive swing because the refs screwed up multiple things that all went against the Spurs when the Spurs were making a push. And the refs unquestionably screwed all of that up. You don't even question that. All of that happened within 40 seconds to close out the quarter. As you know, basketball is a game of runs and the Spurs had just made two threes (one +1) and were on a run. But that type of referee takeover is deflating.

You were the one that brought up the refs, so if you want to have an honest conversation of how they have impacted games, here it is.

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I hate the Spurs with a passion and almost next to never agree with Guitarsoup, but he is 100% spot on here.

That's how bad the officiating and OKC flopping is…has me openly rooting for the Spurs. F U OKC for making me do that.

I have been saying for years that the officiating in the NBA is the worst of any major sport and it is not even close. The sad part is Silver and his cronies don't even attempt to fix it. I wish we could pinpoint what happened and when to get to this because it wasn't always this way. The basketball I grew up on wasn't some glorified WWE production

The way the game is played now makes it hard to watch. I can't even dig in for a whole game when two juggernauts are going at it in the playoffs. It's a shame.

If only there was a Spurs thread on TexAgs to talk about the Spurs on.

Is it OK if I go on the Spurs thread and talk about who I want the Rockets to take in the draft this year?

CharleyKerfeld said:

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If only there was a Spurs thread on TexAgs to talk about the Spurs on.

Is it OK if I go on the Spurs thread and talk about who I want the Rockets to take in the draft this year?

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That's rich considering:

1. you often bring up the Spurs when it is irrelevant to the Rockets in this thread
2. This discussion was brought up by a Rockets fan
3. Rockets don't have a 1st round pick

It's a Rockets' thread where Rockets fans talk about our team and the league at large. Typically, that includes ****-talking the team's rivals .

A post disparaging San Antonio does not require Captain Spur swinging down on his rope from the balcony in his George Gervin throwback to save the day by giving us all your 9-Tweet, 500-word, woe-is-me diatribe about those mean old pro-OKC refs.

I'll ask again - what possible reason would the league or the refs have for being so pro-OKC. They are 29th out of 30 in TV markets. Their finals with Indiana last year drew the worst ratings since 2007 and their best player is from Canada. Are they trying to score those big advertising dollars coming out of Norman Oklahoma and Hamilton Ontario?

GS, you are showing a ridiculous level of bias in your arguments and then accusing others (me) of being disingenuous.

Your argument essentially boils down to "no, I am certain the ref'ing is biased towards OKC and any disagreement is wrong".

Yes, I do think it is relevant that SA has shot more FTs in this series, and a LOT more on their 2 wins. It's not a perfect measure, and I didn't present it as such, but it's relevant. Mostly, to believe that the reffing is significantly biased against SA and yet they have more FTs, you'd have to believe that the OKc defense is fouling at a much much higher rate than SA is.


Having watched the games, I definitely do not see that. I see the total physicality and aggressiveness of the defenses to be about even, and the FTs to be close to even (slightly favoring SA). So when you combine those - it's really difficult to take the SA fan narrative seriously that they are being screwed by the refs.

And that's not just you whining and cherry picking clips, your entire stadium cannot stop chanting flopper, flopper under this umbrella. Social media is flooded with SA tears convincing themselves they are being cheated.



And yes - it's also relevant that this is just the new extreme of where the league has been evolving for the past 3 decades, and getting less and less enjoyable to watch. Yes, two SA star players (top 5 in franchise history) from their golden era were critical steps along the progression as the league flopping took on new heights year after year.

If you want to post and debate with a group who are going to blindly share your super biased view of SA I would suggest the SA thread. I objectively don't really care for either OKC or SA, pretty much equally. So yeah, I think it's relevant that I see the SA narrative as a load of crap.

Quote:

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GS, you are showing a ridiculous level of bias in your arguments and then accusing others (me) of being disingenuous.

Your argument essentially boils down to "no, I am certain the ref'ing is biased towards OKC and any disagreement is wrong".

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You are being disingenuous. You are making another strawman here. I didn't say or insinuate those things. And you aren't examining your own bias. It isn't just Spurs fans that are upset by the officiating in game five, but as I said above, I don't think that was why the Spurs lost. A lot of calls unquestionably disadvantaged the Spurs as I clearly showed, but the Spurs could have done a lot more to overcome those calls and win the game had they been aggressive in attacking the rim from opening tip off and made some of their open looks. That was the biggest difference in the game.

Then you go on to bring up red herrings. Who cares what fans in the stands say or do? It is irrelevant to the game. Especially when fans of both teams have done it all series.

Propping yourself up to be an unbiased neutral observer is hilarious. Come on. You and I are both biased. It's ok to admit it. No one believes otherwise.

If these guys are biased one way or the other, I don't know it:

76ers commentator:

Maybe the single most egregiously officiated game I’ve ever seen…

Made this little compilation from last nights Thunder/Spurs game of all the calls that went OKC’s way courtesy of @Rate_the_Refs.

I’m still baffled. Each one is worse than the previous. What is the @NBA doing? pic.twitter.com/v1IIDITAq6

— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) May 27, 2026

Former Raptors, Magic, Suns player from LA:

The refs are cheating. Point blank period

— Terrence Ross (@TerrenceRoss) May 27, 2026

ESPN guy from Pennsylvania:

I’ve played, coached, reffed & covered basketball for 30+ years. I’m also NOT a Spurs fan. What OKC has done — building half their strategy to manipulate the refs on every possession — is a disgrace to the game and awful to watch. This is Harden on steroids. Fans deserve better. https://t.co/4cNjdtFVWO

— Chris Dell 🧪 (@MaddJournalist) May 27, 2026

Shannon Sharpe

Shannon Sharpe GOES OFF on the refs in OKC vs Spurs game 5 😳

“I thought the officials had a bad stretch. That was a goaltending. How did they miss that? THE BALL WENT OFF CHET FOOT. HOW DO YOU MISS THAT? AND THE REF TRYING TO GET A CHALLENGE AND Y’ALL LIKE WHAT? NO, COME ON.… pic.twitter.com/B3HyKmSoQ1

— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) May 27, 2026

Dan Patrick

"Some of the calls last night against San Antonio were really questionable in my opinion."

– DP recaps Thunder-Spurs Game 5 pic.twitter.com/OENqYNMA52

— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) May 27, 2026

Max Kellerman

Max Kellerman believes the Spurs are being officiated UNFAIRLY in the series against OKC

He says SGA flops on every possession while Wemby gets fouled a lot and the refs don’t call it

(Via Game Over) pic.twitter.com/Cw7y6Zh26x

— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) May 22, 2026

So yeah, maybe the refs did do a bad job in the game. Spurs still should have overcome it by playing with some fire.

Spurs can't complain after game 4 where they were fouling every trip down the floor. It was Rugby.

Charley, I will admit that I came here looking for some Rockets updates based on the number of new posts.

Instead it's the Spurs waambulance that we have been hearing at every turn for days now.

At least that long thread with pictures was shown more than once in the event that anyone missed it the first time.

So thank you for pointing out what most of us on this Rockets thread are thinking.