Too much complaining, fellas. Have you not seen the Playoffs before?
Reputation counts, it's earned. A player on the All Defensive team gets the benefit of the doubt, a player in the All NBA team gets the benefit of the doubt, the MVP gets the benefit of the doubt, the top scorer gets the benefit of the doubt, the Reigning Champs get the benefit of the doubt, and so on and so forth.
These are split second calls, they don't use VAR on every play. On 50-50s or 60-40s, you won't always get the call.
As it is, the Lakers are leading in fouks committed in almost all the games.
The Sacramento Kings lost because they choked in the 4th quarter, their Serbian and Co couldn't make an open shot for 8 mins, that's on them, don't leave it on the refs.
Jokic hasn't scored in the 4th quarter in the last 2 games, he's missing his shots. That's on him. He's too tired at the end of games because his defensivr AND offensive responsibilities are far to much for 1 player to carry for 3 straight series, two of which reached 7 games. That's on the coaches to come up with better sequences. They're getting out rebounded by the Lakers, allowing almost double 2nd hand chances, that's on them. They're a young team with lots of space to grow, every upcoming team has faced these obstacles. I watched the Pistons get nothing against the Celtics and then Lakers, till they earned it. Once the Bulls won their first title, they got the benefit of thr calls against any team. Harden travels so much he plays with his passport in his pocket, Giannis takes 2 steps to reach the ring from the 3pt line but only because he gets a bonus free step.
It's been a fantastic playoffs so far, plenty yet to go. Don't diminish it into complaining about some ref conspiracy, or Anti Serbian one
Championships are earned and fought for, especially if you're trying to do it as the unknown unheralded underdog. Welcome to the reality of competitive sports
