Rondo suspended for possible Game 7? (UPDATE: Rondo will play in Game 7)

[PosImpos]

won't be surprised one bit if they suspend him

If Superman got suspended for a Game 6 then no one is untouchable.

Except the Magic won Game 5 and that was a very obvious elbow to the head that the refs should have caught in the game.

This was very different, the Celtics lost.

[Change]

I definitely think Rondo will be suspended. If howard gets suspended why wouldn't rondo. Like or not that was a dirty play tossing a guy.

[CeltiCpRide79]

No way. Hinrich was trying to back him away, Rondo took exception and separated himself. That kind of force is a flagrant foul, but without the kind of impact of a punch or elbow. If Rajon catches a suspension it will be effectively for a push, and Kirk will have to go too. Send Mikki and Tyrus to the suit store for shoving after the play. That kind of thing happens under the rim on a lot of plays, and one guy eventually has to use force to get free. Ray took a shot at Verajao's nuts, and Anderson suffered no penalty for throwing Allen down the same way Rondo just put Hinrich into the socrer's table.

[drza44]

This worries me.  True, initially Hinrich was backing him out.  And if Rondo accidentally throws him down in trying to escape that, I don't think it goes any further.

But by my count, Rondo took at least FOUR full steps after gaining clear control of Hinrich's arm, then stopped and consciously slung him into the scorer's table while almost hitting the guy sitting in the seat next to the table.  It just really doesn't look good upon review, especially if they put it into slow motion.

When you add in the furor over the game 5 incident, as well as what some could take as Rondo attempting to elbow Hinrich after the push...I could really see him sitting next game.  The silver lining is that if the NBA suspends one they might suspend both, but at this point Rondo means more to us than Hinrich does to them. 

[CeltiCpRide79]

Very quality video loop. I think they give tommy points for that kind of thing. The elbow after the shove I'm not really seeing as anything but a push back, and steps or not, an entanglement resolved by pushing is just a flagrant one at worst, when the officials even catch them. So rarely in the open court does this come up ...

No clear punching or blows equates to no suspenison. Forget about the whole winning and losing angle versus the Howard play. It just comes down to results (which the NBA ruled on our side over last time), and though there are heightened circumstances, and Rondo is getting jeered whenever he touches the ball in the game to affect motive, I can't see shoving and pushing leading to a triple-double averaging point guard for a series being voided from a home Game 7. No way. It's like getting a foul called in the last fifteen seconds, to play on Bill Simmons' column concerning Game 5. You can't unbalance a series like that over some weak shoving and a commonplace play. I can't believe the mainstream media (except Tim Legler) forgot to mention how many times guys take hits to the face during NBA games without calls, like Pierce did tonight, or that the big channels seem to have missed that Miller crashed hard into Pierce's elbow and the floor with his face after Rondo fish-hooked him. Not a conspiracy guy, just feeling the flow of the analysts pumping up the underdog ... like ESPNchicago.com is not a reason for producers to book certain guests and promote certain viewpoints. Please.

As an edit instead of another reply, I still don't see this elbow at the head thing. I see a guy pushing a guy back. My contact lenses may be getting a little green after a four hour basketball game, but that was not an attempted blow.

[Change]

This worries me.  True, initially Hinrich was backing him out.  And if Rondo accidentally throws him down in trying to escape that, I don't think it goes any further.

But by my count, Rondo took at least FOUR full steps after gaining clear control of Hinrich's arm, then stopped and consciously slung him into the scorer's table while almost hitting the guy sitting in the seat next to the table.  It just really doesn't look good upon review, especially if they put it into slow motion.

When you add in the furor over the game 5 incident, as well as what some could take as Rondo attempting to elbow Hinrich after the push...I could really see him sitting next game.  The silver lining is that if the NBA suspends one they might suspend both, but at this point Rondo means more to us than Hinrich does to them. 

Nice vid. Did you miss the part where he swung at kirk. Just a stupid play by rondo. He is def gone 4 game7

[pengaloo]

Nice vid. Did you miss the part where he swung at kirk. Just a stupid play by rondo. He is def gone 4 game7

lets pray that the league interprets that elbow as trying to untangle himself from Hinrich... but yeah, stupid, stupid play. Despite all the composure Rajon usually has on the court, he definitely has an unpredictable side. It's unfortunate that his phenomenal play in games 1-5 is getting overshadowed by all this stuff on the side.

[Kiorrik]

Well, better luck next season

[Big Ticket]

I really can't imagine him not getting suspended.... he threw an elbow at Hinrich's head, which has been considered the same as a punch for quite a while.

[CoachBo]

I don't see the elbow, frankly. All I see is someone shaking loose.

But with that said, Rondo wasn't very good mentally last night, and this is the most glaring example. You CANNOT allow yourself to get involved in a play like this.

If he gets suspended, the fault is 100 percent his, not the league's.

[Roy Hobbs]

From my understanding, a suspension isn't *mandatory*, because the "elbow strike" didn't connect above Hinrich's head.  However, it's very possible that the league interprets that as a thrown punch, and suspends him.

If they do...  I can't blame them.  If the situation was in reverse, I'd want the guy tossed or suspended.  It's a punk move, frankly.

[celticinorlando]

i fully expect rondo to be suspended for game 7. this is a chance for the league to send a clear message before a huge game 7 that this will not be tolerated.

[MrTripleDouble10]

I'm sorry, I've watched this play about 100 times now and I don't see Rondo 'throwing a punch, elbow, forearm' or anything else at his head.

Seems to me he's just breaking free from the grapple with Hinrich.  I'd be surprised if he were suspended.  Besides, the refs watched this on replay DURING the game and ruled it a flagarant 1 foul.  That in of itself should be indicative enough that he's not getting suspended.

[Roy Hobbs]

Besides, the refs watched this on replay DURING the game and ruled it a flagarant 1 foul.  That in of itself should be indicative enough that he's not getting suspended.

Well, not necessarily.  The refs also reviewed the Dwight Howard elbow in-game, and determined that he didn't deserve to be ejected.  That didn't stop the NBA from suspending him.

The distinction, of course, is that unlike the Howard case, Rondo didn't make contact.  That may save him for Game 7.  However, I absolutely do think that it was an intentional and/or reckless elbow strike at Hinrich, and if the league suspends him, I can't complain.  There's no place for that in today's game.

[nba is the worst]

Unless the video they have is a lot clearer, I don't see how they can interpret the reaction to the Hinrich lunge as a punch or thrown elbow.

The NBA will have a tough time with how to handle this, in part because so many analysts said Tuesday's play was a flagrant.

Too bad, it will be next to impossible to win Saturday if they go ahead and suspend him...