Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki has been the beneficiary of a few whistles in the playoffs that have raised eyebrows from players and fans alike.

Again, nobody is saying Detroit won't get a deal done. It just might not be the slam dunk many think. Especially if the Pistons bow out early in these playoffs.

Zebras under fire again

It happens every year. Some team gets the short end of the stick from the refs in a playoff game, and everybody starts talking conspiracy theory. At the very least they talk about the substandard quality of officiating.

This year's playoffs have provided plenty of grist for the mill. Just consider some of the controversial calls seen so far:

• Nenad Krstic's touch fall on Pacers guard Anthony Johnson as the latter dribbled around him at the end of Game 1 of the New Jersey-Indiana series. Johnson hit both free throws, the difference in the game.

• LeBron James' game-winning layup against the Wizards with five seconds left in Game 3. The Cavs' forward appeared to take an extra step as he made his move into the lane, and then maybe another as he landed. No call.

• Anderson Varejao's apparent goaltending of a potential go-ahead layup late by Gilbert Arenas in Game 6. Varejao stuck his hand in the net as the ball was in the air, but the refs didn't call it. The Wizards wound up losing in OT.

• Bruce Bowen's questionable foul on Dirk Nowitzki as he defended the 7-foot Mavs forward on a final potential game-tying effort at the end of Game 4. Nowitzki wound up hitting both foul shots to tie the game and send it into OT, where the Mavs won.

• Shaun Livingston's drive to the baseline against the Suns late in the second OT of Game 5. He was called for stepping on the baseline (no visual evidence on the replay), basically icing the game for the Suns.

There are plenty more examples from this year's postseason, including the situation with Shaq, who seems to be facing a completely new set of rules all of a sudden.