Conspiracy theorists often point to the 2006 NBA finals as the most rigged finals in history. The Miami Heat won the series 4-2 after trailing 0-2, but it didn’t come without any controversy.
Dwyane Wade broke the record for most free throw attempts in the finals with 97 and the series didn’t even go to distance. The officiating was so questionable that it forced Mavs owner Mark Cuban to hire a FBI agent.
During the 2006 NBA Finals, Cuban was frustrated after a Game 5 loss to the Heat, and went on the floor to vent to official Joe DeRosa, glaring, too, at Stern in the stands. Earlier that same playoffs Cuban also criticized how the officials are selected for the playoffs. He was fined $450,000 for those two incidents….
Retired FBI agent Warren Flagg, a 20-year veteran of the bureau, said he consulted with Cuban after that playoff debacle. Flagg now runs his own New York-based investigation and security firm. He looked deep into officiating, as Flagg said, Cuban was considering a lawsuit.
“Cuban asked me what he should do,” Flagg said of the 2006 Finals. “I told him, ‘Sue and you’ll win your case,’ but he knew he’d be killing the Golden Goose.”
When asked about his discussions with Flagg, Cuban said: “I don’t remember.”
At least Cuban was able to avenge 2006 by beating Miami for the title in 2012.