Refs in the Tank for Lebron

Columnists and talking heads alike are trying to stir up some discussion as to who will actually be the NBA's MVP. Nice seasons from D-Wade, Howard and Kobe, among others, but this MVP rightfully belongs to Lebron. But we need to take a step back to look at the numbers and to analyze what happens when the refs turn into the equivalent of screaming Jonas Brothers groupies.

Lebron's season has been building to a crescendo all season. Clearly going to end with the best record and overall 1 seed for home court advantage through out the playoffs, all deserved kudos to Lebron. Is he a little irritating? Yeah. Did he steal his whole baby powder in the air before tip-off thing from Garnett, whose was doing when Lebron was just starting to get pubies? Sure, but he's Lebron: adore, admire and adulate. No thinking involved.

Just look at the way the groupy refs have called the games once we reached the latter stages of March. From March 22, 2009 forward, Lebron has played in 11 games. Lebron, a physical player, is involved in multiple plays per game that could be called either way. Whether it is a fight for a rebound, a collision over a loose ball, or a charge/block toss up, he is in a number of plays that could garner him a foul in each game.

Don't tell the groupies though, they are too busy screaming and peeing themselves like 60's Beatles fans. In these last 11 games, when Lebron has locked up the MVP, home court through out the playoffs and is about to tie for the best home record ever, how many fouls do you think have been called on him? 9. That's right, Mrs. Bueller, 9 times. 9 times has the whistle been blown and Lebron been at fault. Not that it has stopped him from crying about every call against him.

9 times, including a 5 game stretch without a foul. 1.7 fouls per game is what Lebron is averaging this year. This number is beyond comprehension for a massive, physical player, who is active on both boards, as well as frequent driver and blocker of shots. 9 fouls in 11 games. That's less than one per game. How many foul shots do you think Lebron took during this period? 96. No joke. 9 fouls called on him. 96 foul shots taken.

With Lebron clearly being the best player in the league, do we really need to give him this much help? This is not some NBA or ABC conspiracy theory. This is just what happens when short little men with the same cognitive processes seen in New Kids on the Block fans, see their hero. They are too busy squealing to blow the whistle. Unless, they are calling fouls on others fouling Lebron.

11 games, 9 fouls called against him and 96 foul shots taken. This is the most absurd result and will tarnish this year's playoffs irreparably if the refs don't stop pissing themselves with jubilation everytime Lebron hacks, runs over or pushes someone out of the way for a rebound. For comparison's sake, Kobe, averaging an entire foul more per game than Lebron, had 25 fouls called on him in his last 11 games. How bout a few more for comparison:

Fouls per game (season): Fouls last 11 games:

Lebron 1.7 9
Kobe 2.7 25
Pierce 2.7 25
Chris Paul 2.7 36
Dwight Howard 3.4 45
D-Wade 2.25 28


Even Jordan in his prime never had a season like this. 1.7 fouls per game. 9 fouls called since March 22, 2009. That's almost a month!?!

Let's not make this whole thing down right silly. The refs either need to stop shrieking like teenage girls at the sight of Lebron, or he will have one severely tainted NBA title in 2009.