This is a common lament among Celtics fans on this blog an other message boards. "Stern hates the Celtics, always has!" And the proof is in every decision that goes against our team or games that are somehow negatively impacted by the refs.
I'm sorry, but I don't buy it.
Why would he "hate" the most successful franchise in his sport? Why would he be against one of the larges markets in the U.S.? Why would he have anything but fondness for one of the two teams that saved the NBA in the 80's and essentially made his tenure a success regardless of anything else he's done since then? Why would he look at the last two Lakers/Celtics Finals appearances, after seeing the spike in league interest because of it, and have anything but appreciation for this city and team?
If anything, aren't there some reasons to believe he was more than happy to see Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen land in Boston? If you were the fan of another team, wouldn't you perhaps be a bit cynical and accuse Stern of favoritism towards Boston?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Stern is a saint. I don't think he's as bad as some make him out to be, but I think he's got a lot that he could and should do better. But I just don't buy that he has some sort of secret dislike for our beloved boys in green.
But hey, it is the lockout offseason and I'm willing to entertain even the most outlandish tinfoil hat conspiracy theories. So tell me, why should I believe? What has Stern done to this team in particular that has turned Celtics fans against him?