League Action Against Kyrie Watch

[Vermont Green]

The league has to do something, right?  A fine seems to be almost a foregone conclusion but I wonder if there is even a possibility for a suspension.

Another thing I wonder, can the league review the tape and assign penalties after the fact like in Hockey?  There was nothing called on the court when Kyrie "saluted" the crowd but can they go back and look at this?  I believe the league should take this very seriously.  They probably won't, it will probably be a fine which for Kyrie is really no penalty at all.

This is also an embarrassment for the Nets as an organization.  I know that back when I played organized basketball, if I had done this in a game, the coach would have immediately pulled me out of the game and I might not have played again for a long time.  I was not a great player so it would have been a lot easier for a coach to bench me but are the Nets really not going to do anything here?  They are just basically going to say it is OK for one of their players to flip off the crowd multiple times?

Again, I don't expect anything to happen but is it really OK for the Nets as an organization to simply look the other way on this?

[Celtics2021]

Kyrie will absolutely get a fine, probably a substantial one.  There is some precedent for a technical foul to be assigned on review, but that would only count towards a post-season tech limit.

My guess is that a private warning is expressed to Irving that similar actions will result in an in-game punishment.  ABC stations will be paying a fine due to his actions yesterday, so they won’t let this go unpunished.

I also expect a Celtics fan to get kicked out of the game on Wednesday as a statement as well.

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

I don't see a suspension coming, and Kyrie Irving makes way too much money (especially on a per game basis) for a fine to deter future antics. How much would that have to be? $10m per finger?

Re: history, I don't think things were much different in the 80's.....

Larry used to talk so much trash that he got into fights on the court (actual punching, not flashing a hand gesture).

Neither Dr J or Larry got suspended. Both got fined, but I don't think it deterred his (or anyone else's behavior).

Laimbeer committed a real dirty tackle of Larry, and Larry threw punches. Ironically, Parish is the only one that got suspended.

I don't think there's a track record of stars getting suspended in the NBA playoffs, and certainly not for hand gestures.

Celtics fans- let's embrace this moment and hope to see the Celtics beat KD and Kyrie while they are on the court. They just did this, and it was incredibly satisfying.

[JohnBoy65]

This is a tough one. I am no fan of Kyrie, but Kyrie's post game press conference was fascinating to me. He said "I'm going to have the same energy towards them as they do towards me." Honestly, why isn't that ok? He's a human, who happens to be a basketball player. If at my job everyday people yelled at me, called me names, harassed me in everything I did I would lash out at some point too.

If fans want to get down and dirty (Which I don't mind) why can't a player do so in return. He's doing nothing different than the fans did.

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

Kyrie will absolutely get a fine, probably a substantial one.  There is some precedent for a technical foul to be assigned on review, but that would only count towards a post-season tech limit.

My guess is that a private warning is expressed to Irving that similar actions will result in an in-game punishment.  ABC stations will be paying a fine due to his actions yesterday, so they won’t let this go unpunished.

I also expect a Celtics fan to get kicked out of the game on Wednesday as a statement as well.

I loved the atmosphere in the Garden (while I was watching from home) yesterday. I do think that they should be giving Kyrie crap. I also think this can go overboard (see Marcus Smart's interaction with the Texas Tech fan).

If a grown man calls another man a P or a B word to his face, green light go. It's Will Smith time.

No, I'm not saying Kyrie should be throwing punches at fans, but let's not protect fans when they are clearly inserting themselves into the game.  Again, I love the atmosphere, but calling another man a P, then hiding behind the cloak of spectator status seems hypocritical. 

[Donoghus]

I think it was Marks who tweeted out last night that the max fine would be 50K. 

Holiday national TV audience, multiple incidents.  Yeah, I'd expect that.

[Vermont Green]

I don't see a suspension coming, and Kyrie Irving makes way too much money (especially on a per game basis) for a fine to deter future antics. How much would that have to be? $10m per finger?

Re: history, I don't think things were much different in the 80's.....

Larry used to talk so much trash that he got into fights on the court (actual punching, not flashing a hand gesture).

Neither Dr J or Larry got suspended. Both got fined, but I don't think it deterred his (or anyone else's behavior).

Laimbeer committed a real dirty tackle of Larry, and Larry threw punches. Ironically, Parish is the only one that got suspended.

I don't think there's a track record of stars getting suspended in the NBA playoffs, and certainly not for hand gestures.

Celtics fans- let's embrace this moment and hope to see the Celtics beat KD and Kyrie while they are on the court. They just did this, and it was incredibly satisfying.

All of this is on court stuff, not something specifically directed at the fans.  I think if a player shoves another player, that is one thing.  But say a player shoved a fan?  Same for flipping the bird.  If a player did that to another player, coach or Ref, he would get a T and maybe disqualified from the game.  So Kyrie flips to the crowd multiple times and that goes unchecked?

The league is going to have to do something here.  And in my opinion, they need to send a pretty strong message to both players and teams.  I wonder if Nash or anyone said to Kyrie don't do that again or we are going to take you out of the game.  This is not how the organization wants it player to act.  Something like that.  Probably not and that is why the team should have some skin in this also.

[Phantom255x]

He'll get fined. There's no way they suspend him though

[jpd985]

He'll get fined. There's no way they suspend him though

I agree, nothing worse than a fine. I don’t expect him to get even that though.

[footey]

I don't mind the fans booing, although it is pretty annoying every time he touches the ball (reminds me of Jazz fan treatment of Gordon Hayward), but cursing him out?  Dude was a free agent. Yeah he was a headcase here, but let's play like we are better off without him, because we are.  Just distracts from the incredible competition between the two teams.

And no way he gets suspended.  He'll get fined 25 or 50 K.

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

I don't see a suspension coming, and Kyrie Irving makes way too much money (especially on a per game basis) for a fine to deter future antics. How much would that have to be? $10m per finger?

Re: history, I don't think things were much different in the 80's.....

Larry used to talk so much trash that he got into fights on the court (actual punching, not flashing a hand gesture).

Neither Dr J or Larry got suspended. Both got fined, but I don't think it deterred his (or anyone else's behavior).

Laimbeer committed a real dirty tackle of Larry, and Larry threw punches. Ironically, Parish is the only one that got suspended.

I don't think there's a track record of stars getting suspended in the NBA playoffs, and certainly not for hand gestures.

Celtics fans- let's embrace this moment and hope to see the Celtics beat KD and Kyrie while they are on the court. They just did this, and it was incredibly satisfying.

All of this is on court stuff, not something specifically directed at the fans.  I think if a player shoves another player, that is one thing.  But say a player shoved a fan?  Same for flipping the bird.  If a player did that to another player, coach or Ref, he would get a T and maybe disqualified from the game.  So Kyrie flips to the crowd multiple times and that goes unchecked?

The league is going to have to do something here.  And in my opinion, they need to send a pretty strong message to both players and teams.  I wonder if Nash or anyone said to Kyrie don't do that again or we are going to take you out of the game.  This is not how the organization wants it player to act.  Something like that.  Probably not and that is why the team should have some skin in this also.

In that instance, I could see a suspension. I don't equate the finger with a push, though some might. I never understand why they bleep out a hand gesture on TV, when the TV watching public sees far more graphic images on a regular basis.

Again, I love the Kyrie hate.... but I don't think the bird was that big of a deal. Especially considering the abuse Kyrie was taking. It would be tough to hear thousands of people call you words not fit for polite society.

[Surferdad]

Kyrie is not stupid.  He didn't throw anything into the crowd and he didn't go into the crowd.  He may be insane but he knows very well what the bright lines are.

The penalty (if there is one) will be directly compared to recent incidents like the Patrick Beverly thing.

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

Kyrie is not stupid.  He didn't throw anything into the crowd and he didn't go into the crowd.  He may be insane but he knows very well what the bright lines are.

The penalty (if there is one) will be directly compared to recent incidents like the Patrick Beverly thing.

Good point on Beverley. I'm also interested in what is going to happen to Bridges in Charlotte.

As Beverley pointed out on Twitter, this sort of thing happens in other sports (he mentioned hockey) with minimal recourse. I don't think we need to create new disciplinary standards because we don't like Kyrie.

I want the Celtics to beat the Nets with Kyrie, KD, AND Ben Simmons (esp with the latter's suspect offensive game). It's going to be a long haul to win a chip (Nets, Bucks, Heat, PHX). No reason for us to think that this could/should be easy.

[perks-a-beast]

This is a tough one. I am no fan of Kyrie, but Kyrie's post game press conference was fascinating to me. He said "I'm going to have the same energy towards them as they do towards me." Honestly, why isn't that ok? He's a human, who happens to be a basketball player. If at my job everyday people yelled at me, called me names, harassed me in everything I did I would lash out at some point too.

If fans want to get down and dirty (Which I don't mind) why can't a player do so in return. He's doing nothing different than the fans did.

Yeah, I pretty much agree with this. And honestly I think it's more fun if he gives it right back. At the end of day, it's sports entertainment, and in good entertainment villains and storylines make the product more compelling.

I'm not going to sit here and hate the man over basketball, but when you quit on your team in the playoffs then come back to their arena and stomp on their logo, you're going to get boos and insults hurled at you. You made your bed, dude.

[tonydelk]

This is a tough one. I am no fan of Kyrie, but Kyrie's post game press conference was fascinating to me. He said "I'm going to have the same energy towards them as they do towards me." Honestly, why isn't that ok? He's a human, who happens to be a basketball player. If at my job everyday people yelled at me, called me names, harassed me in everything I did I would lash out at some point too.

If fans want to get down and dirty (Which I don't mind) why can't a player do so in return. He's doing nothing different than the fans did.

Yeah, I pretty much agree with this. And honestly I think it's more fun if he gives it right back. At the end of day, it's sports entertainment, and in good entertainment villains and storylines make the product more compelling.

I'm not going to sit here and hate the man over basketball, but when you quit on your team in the playoffs then come back to their arena and stomp on their logo, you're going to get boos and insults hurled at you. You made your bed, dude.

While I see your point the thing is that these players make millions.  This is their job.  If someone came in to our place of work and called us names and we retaliated we'd be fired.  They should respond but not in a childish manner.  I will say though. The fans who use that verbal language should be tossed out the arena.  This is entertainment.  No place in the game from either side with this behavior.  Boo all you want. Tell Kyrie your glad he's gone. Just refrain from the verbal abuse that no one deserves to get. 

I'd rather fans just ignore Kyrie.  He feeds off of that and as you can see his performance is raised another level because of it.  He's been gone so long I'm unsure why he's hated on this level.  He did us a favor.  I'm not sure we have JB if he stayed. I'm not sure if Tatum develops his passing like he has if Kyrie stayed. This team was almost unwatchable when Kyrie was here.  I just don't want anyone to give Kyrie any ammo to be even better then he was. I want the Kyrie who's disinterested and can disappear for stretches.  Not the madman who hits everything.