J.A. Adande: [I hope] the refs don't hand Game 7 to L.A.

[Cry Havoc]

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=26454

Wow, can't believe he had the sack to say this on ESPN.com and still get it published:

William (NY): Am I crazy to want to see DEN-CLE instead of LA-CLE in the finals?

SportsNation J.A. Adande: That would provide more fun matchups. Not just LBJ-Melo, but Birdman and Varejao, 2 of the best energy guys of this era. Denver is a more colorful team than the Lakers.

SportsNation J.A. Adande: But with so much at stake financially, I seriously wonder how the game will be officiated on Sunday. The biggest shame would be if the refs hand Game 7 to the Lakers. What's even worse is that's what everyone expects to happen.

[Spursfan092120]

I now officially have a mancrush on Adande...whether or not it happens, or has happened, the fact that someone as bigtime as Adande came out and said it..that's pretty ing amazing.

[NewJerSpur]

If the Rockets win this game all will break lose....but I just don't see it.

[BlackSwordsMan]

rodney king riots if lakers lose

[NewJerSpur]

rodney king riots if lakers lose

Should've seen that coming. Officiating aside though, I just don't see it.

[BruceBowenFan]

Major to adande. Isn't he from l.a. to?

[Udokafan05]

Adande can now officially enter his own JA Adande lounge.

[Cry Havoc]

Chris (Denver): MVPuppets commercials the most annoying ever? It's commercials like that that spread the idea that the NBA desperately wants a kobe-lebron finals. How are we not supposed to think that the games will be rigged when it's obvious they favor those two guys so much?

SportsNation J.A. Adande: Glad you brought that up. I hate those ads. For one thing, shouldn't they wait until we actually have Kobe vs. LeBron? You're using puppets and actors' voices, so its not like you have to worry bout getting the 2 stars together to shoot the ad. And the "Kobe" puppet looks and talks more like Stephen A. Smith than Kobe Bryant. Those ads don't work for me at all.

SportsNation J.A. Adande: Bring back Lil' Penny


Larry (Cleveland): @ Chris: Those commercials are done by Nike NOT the NBA

SportsNation J.A. Adande: important point. But it's not like the NBA would mind seeing Kobe vs. LeBron

[NewJerSpur]

The Adande Lounge was cool when he use to where the French hat....now it's just a name.

[jag]

He sees what everyone else sees. And no real fan wants to see their team win by having it handed to them by the officiating.

That being said...dude's got some big nuts. I wonder if they'll have this as a topic on ATH and get him to comment on his own quote haha.

[Cheese]

SportsNation J.A. Adande: Glad you brought that up. I hate those ads. For one thing, shouldn't they wait until we actually have Kobe vs. LeBron? You're using puppets and actors' voices, so its not like you have to worry bout getting the 2 stars together to shoot the ad. And the "Kobe" puppet looks and talks more like Stephen A. Smith than Kobe Bryant. Those ads don't work for me at all.

SportsNation J.A. Adande: Bring back Lil' Penny

[pawe]

Sad but true. They cant just let the Lakers flame out just like that. It's just really bothering me that the NBA has become a profit first league rather than providing fairness and good sportsmanship values to the fans. That's probably why they have the NBA Cares...to take away some of the guilt.

[dav4463]

Of course LA will win. ESPN is running a KOBE special with no commercial interruptions. I don't think they are showing a Shane Battier special.

[TheMACHINE]

of course NBA is gonna hand it to LA...they are just dumb for not letting the Lakers sweep every series and get it over with.

[GuerillaBlack]

I now officially have a mancrush on Adande...whether or not it happens, or has happened, the fact that someone as bigtime as Adande came out and said it..that's pretty ing amazing.

And he's a Laker homer. Just watch Around the Horn when he's on there. That, and he picked the Lakers in five.

I'm glad he said it.

[Spur-Addict]

And he's a Laker homer

+1.

This guy is a huge Laker Homer. Adande just doesn't want to defend the flak that'll come to the Lakers if it even so much as looks slightly iffy.

[Spursfan092120]

And he's a Laker homer. Just watch Around the Horn when he's on there. That, and he picked the Lakers in five.

I'm glad he said it.

Yeah..I know...he is a monster Laker homer...that's why it's so cool he had the balls to say that..

[Cry Havoc]

+1.

This guy is a huge Laker Homer. Adande just doesn't want to defend the flak that'll come to the Lakers if it even so much as looks slightly iffy.

I haven't noticed Adande being as much of a Laker homer as Mr. Simmons, who makes me retch at times.

[DeadlyDynasty]

I haven't noticed Adande being as much of a Laker homer as Mr. Simmons, who makes me retch at times.

yeah, his Boston wankfest is sickening

[Spursfan092120]

yeah, his Boston wankfest is sickening

very

[balli]

I haven't noticed Adande being as much of a Laker homer as Mr. Simmons, who makes me retch at times.

Yeah, Adande happens to be from LA and LA happens to be the team he covered a beat for, but damn if I haven't seen him bust their balls on a few occasions before this. He might have a bit of homerism to him, but considering the arrogance that most people connected to the Lakers put on display, it could be a whole of a lot worse.

+1 on Simmons, he walks a fine line between being smart, entertaining and necessary to read/listen to and being a complete tool bag; a lot of the time when he's not even talking about Boston.

+1 on the puppet commercial- effing lame.