As usual, another example of you using Stern as a scapegoat to explain everything wrong with the NBA. But this time, what you're saying isn't even slightly plausible. There is no reason for Stern to push the Lakers to the finals. And even if he did, the NBA and its officials would have to pull a LOT of strings to get the seventh seeded team in the West to the NBA finals.
I dont know if you have watched too many of the lakers games this season and that too in the second half of the season. The FT disparity for the other team has been alarming, lakers havent been getting any love from the refs so far and in particular kobe hasnt been getting any calls. I think he shot 2 FTs vs the suns all game.
Collectively the lakers have had one of the worst if not the worst injury plagued season this year. But all those players seem to be coming around just in time for the playoffs. So the team you have been seeing in the second half of the season may not be the reality just in terms of talent.
Talent wise I think people will not be surprised if they make some shots or make plays, they have shown all season that they can beat the top teams consistently, its just the botom teams that they have had problems with. Many will not suspect stern if they manage to beat the suns or the spurs. They did take the season series with the spurs and last year they took the suns to 7 games. So getting to WCF will not surprise many by beating the suns and spurs.
Many have explained how it will be a gold mine to have that matchup already so i wont get into details on that side.
Lakers played the suns on a back to back, kobe was shooting awful and had played 48 minutes the night before. Suns were shooting pretty well, Raja bell was shooting 3 pointers like layups. Still the game was close till the end and the lakers had a chance to win with less than a min to go.
Refs did a good job and showed how the series would be played, a real physical game that would play into the lakers. Suns dont have anyone to play physical and will get bullied around. Suns want a finess game with touch fouls called so that they can win with their shooting and FTs where they are superior and dont play defense anyways. If the refs let the teams to decide by allowing contact, suns have no chance against the front line of Kwame, Bynum, Turiaf who are all bigger than Amare, Diaw and Kurt. Playing Kurt more means they will be going away from their run and gun game.
Stern can accomplish things without doing anything that very different, things we have heard in the past that the playoffs are physical and that the refs let the teams decide on the floor.
If Stern and the nba want to run things fair and square they would come out and let the fans know how they make certain decisions, if they screw up they would come out and tell how they are going to improve things and not just keep saying that refs are humans and that in a fast paced game they would make mistakes. First of all they should make it public regarding the way refs are assigned to games and importantly the playoffs. Actual ref names need not be disclosed but the process itself can be disclosed to an independent third party auditing team.
Say three years from now the lakers face the kings in the WCF, it is game 7 what would your reaction be if you see Dick Bevetta in the game. Would the lakers fans feel happy if they see Joe Crafford. But the point is whoever is assigned if it was done in a way where we dont have a doubt about external intentions wouldnt that be better.