The report we'll never see

The Spurs' win in fourth game of the Western Conference Finals was tainted.

I'll say it: The referees brutally hosed he Jazz. They were atrocious. All night.

Normally it's bad form to blame the zebras for a crucial loss. It sounds like whining and excuse-making. It never sounds good.

But the Game 4 officiating was too much to let pass.

Since the NBA grades referees in every game, I would challenge the league to publish its report for this game. It would have to be ugly. It would have to show repeated blown calls and no-calls.

Was the job turned in by DeRosa, Mauer and Javie bad enough to rank with Dick Bavetta's swallowed whistle on a 24-second violation in the 1998 Finals? Probably not. But only because the stakes Monday were much lower than they were when Bavetta hosed the Jazz. The trophy was on the line then, these are "only" the conference finals.

Hopefully the Jazz will be able to overcome the Game 4 debacle, end their long losing streak in the Alamo-town, and come back to Salt Lake City for Game 6. But if Monday's Game 4was the last Jazz home game of the season, the referees will be far more responsible than usual.