Bay Area vs. Los Angeles Rivalry: Ranking the Top 10 Moments of All-Time
By Eric He
(Photo: Getty Images)
4. The “Rigged” Game: Kings vs. Lakers, Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, 2002
When David Stern saw that the Sacramento Kings were one win away from defeating the Los Angeles Lakers and advancing to the NBA Finals, he must have nearly soiled himself with anxiety.
So, he made sure that it wouldn’t happen.
Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals in 2002 was perhaps the most controversial playoff game in history, with many claiming that the game was “rigged,” as the referees’ calls clearly favored the Lakers.
The Lakers attempted 40 (forty!) free throws to the Kings’ 25, and there were a few blatant calls that were crucial to the game’s outcome.
Here are some of the lowlights, appropriately set to the tune of Coldplay’s “Fix You”:
It was so bad that disgraced former NBA official Tim Donaghy sued the league for allegedly fixing the game, claiming that “it was in the best interest of the league to add another game to the series.”
You know the rest of the story: the Lakers went on to win the championship that year, while the Kings would never see the promised land for the next decade.