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Come Fan with UsTuesday, August 4, 2026

Fixing The NBA Playoffs: Heat Vs. Celtics Or Bust

No offense to the Pacers and Sixers, but exactly nobody outside of your respective fan bases cares to see you in the NBA’s version of the Final Four. You don’t have to like the Heat and Celtics to want them in the conference finals. So make it happen, Stern.

At times like these, people get a bit suspicious of the NBA. The Lakers are almost out of the playoffs. The Heat and Celtics have struggled more than anyone expected. That means there's a possibility the conference finals of the NBA Playoffs could feature the Spurs, Thunder, Sixers and Pacers. You think that's what the league had in mind when it negotiated its TV deal?

The more cynical among us will start scrutinizing every call the officials make, just as they did when the whistles looked imbalanced during Game 3 of Thunder-Lakers. Me? I’m not encouraging dishonesty, per se. But if David Stern has to do some things to give us the playoff matchups I want to see, let’s just say I won’t write any angry columns about it.

That’s right, I said it. No one’s encouraging the fix. No one’s even saying the league would do such a thing. I’m just saying...well, check out the latest “Bomani & Jones,” and it’ll all make sense.

Watch Previous Episodes Of “Bomani & Jones”

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