“Would you rather watch the Celtics or the Sixers play the Heat” - Evan Turner reveals how the NBA prioritizes matchups between star players
There has been a growing perception over the years that the NBA prioritizes rigging games in favor of big-market teams because it is ultimately profitable financially and even promotes the entertaining brand of basketball. Recently, Evan Turner doubled down on those assertions while recalling a tale from his early days in the league with the Philadelphia 76ers.
During his appearance on ‘Gil's Arena’ podcast, the former No. 2 pick said that his old colleague Elton Brand warned him that the NBA wanted to see a star-studded Boston Celtics squad face a LeBron James-led Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Turner further asserted that Brand told him the Sixers needed to win by at least 15 points to overcome the biased officials.
“I remember, we were about to play Game 7, 2012. So, we were about to play the Celtics. I’m like, ‘Yeah, bro, we got a Game 7. This is going to be lit!’ Elton was like, ‘You know, we’re going to have to win by 15 just to win by 1,’” Turned continued. “So, I’m like, ‘What do you mean?’ He’s like, ‘Bro, this is the NBA, it’s entertainment. Like, LeBron and the Heat are waiting. Would you rather watch the Celtics or the Sixers play the Heat?’”
What happened to the Sixers in Game 7 against Celtics?
Turner is alluding to an incident that occurred in Game 7 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Sixers and Celtics, in which the Boston team ultimately won with a score of 85-75.
As Turner finished the game with just 6 points, 8 rebounds, and a steal on 37.5% shooting from the floor in 31 minutes of play, it seemed that Brand had put Evan under pressure way before the contest started. Moreover, 'The Kid' not only struggled offensively, but he also had a game-worst plus-minus rating of -23.
On the other hand, when examining the particular game from the officiating perspective - Boston didn't appear to have a clear advantage. Just one team foul separated the 76ers from the Celtics in the end (23-22). Furthermore, the Celtics also received just two more opportunities at the free throw line than the Sixers did, 22 to 20.
Overall, most people would probably agree that looking at this particular game as evidence, it is hard to determine if the NBA compelled the officials to alter the outcome in favor of Boston.
Is it possible for the NBA to rig games?
There’s no doubt that the NBA's coronated stars are given preferential treatment by the referees, especially during the postseason. It goes without saying that the league wants to keep its most profitable players on the floor for as long as possible in order to appease fans and television viewers.
Despite instances when the NBA dealt with Tim Donaghy, a referee who was accused of placing bets on games he officiated and making decisions that changed the point spread, it is impossible to rig games today because of the continual oversight from the media. The most frequent allegations of a rigged conclusion in the NBA are that ‘the referees are missing evident calls’ or that the ‘NBA lottery is allegedly fixed to favor big-market teams.’
That being said, there will always be speculations that the NBA manipulates results to benefit its star players and powerhouse teams to push movie-like storylines and narratives in every season but despite several investigations, there hasn't been any proof that an individual has helped in fixing games.
