Alston Suspended (merged threads, suspension on page 9)

[kozlodoev]

So what would that leave for Orlando at PG?

I believe that leaves them with Anthony Johnson

Anthony Johnson and Tyron Lue, unless they decide to play Reddick or Lee at PG.

[cordobes]

So what would that leave for Orlando at PG?

I believe that leaves them with Anthony Johnson

Anthony Johnson and Tyron Lue, unless they decide to play Reddick or Lee at PG.

Lee's return would minor the effect of Alston's absence. In fact, he'd be their best defender on Rondo. Still, they're going to need a PG out there, and Johnson is a huge liability. I'm surprised how Lue hasn't earned the backup spot.

[Drucci]

It was clearly stupid from Alston to slap Eddie House. Still, I think he won’t get suspended and I must say he doesn’t really deserve a suspension because technically, following the NBA rules, a slap isn’t an elbow, and also because it was a frustration move but certainly not intended to hurt House. So the league should view this play as it is (a stupid move from a frustrated player but nothing dangerous), give Alston a fine and move on.

I think that's what the NBA is going to do, especially when there is a lot of more dangerous plays going on in the Lakers Rockets series.

[Cman]

it was a frustration move but certainly not intended to hurt House. So the league should view this play as it is (a stupid move from a frustrated player but nothing dangerous), give Alston a fine and move on.

It was not intended to hurt House, but it was intended to instigate.  And it was premeditated (didn't come during a play for the ball, as in the Kobe/Artest thing).

Anyway, if Alston isn't suspended then we know it is okay to slap other team's players on the head when not making a play on the ball.  I look forward to Paul Pierce doing that to LeBron on every play after the Cs make it past these Orlando jokers.

[Drucci]

it was a frustration move but certainly not intended to hurt House. So the league should view this play as it is (a stupid move from a frustrated player but nothing dangerous), give Alston a fine and move on.

It was not intended to hurt House, but it was intended to instigate.  And it was premeditated (didn't come during a play for the ball, as in the Kobe/Artest thing).

Anyway, if Alston isn't suspended then we know it is okay to slap other team's players on the head when not making a play on the ball.  I look forward to Paul Pierce doing that to LeBron on every play after the Cs make it past these Orlando jokers.

Yeah, I know he should be suspended because otherwise it would mean that you can slap a player after each play. It was stupid from Alston to slap House, but there was no intention to harm or hurt.

In fact I think that he shouldn't be suspended because if the NBA suspends him the talk about Rondo's "dirty plays" will never end and everybody will be saying that this is unfair and that the Celtics are protected by the NBA because Rondo can throw Hinrich in a table whithout any sanction while Alston's slap automatically suspends him.

I don't know if I'm being very clear, saying that he shouldn't be suspended but at the same time that he should be, following the rules, but I hope you get the point of my post.

[indeedproceed]

I think the fact that it was a double tech was the part where it was wrong. If it was a simple tech on Alston or a toss, I'd almost not even care.

[RAcker]

If Alston dosen't get suspended and Courtney Lee is back, does that mean that Ray can just slap Lee up side his new mask?  

[Redz]

When will word come down from the Powers That Be if their is indeed a word coming down.

[Roy Hobbs]

When will word come down from the Powers That Be if their is indeed a word coming down.

Based on the last couple of these, sometime between 4:00pm and 6:00pm.  Who knows, though?

[pengaloo]

I wouldn't mind if nothing happened to Alston... the better the PG, the better Rondo plays.

[goz421]

I think it's clear a lot of people posting on this topic never played basketball.  Rondo's foul on Heinrich was a player shucking someone who was riding them.  Kobe's foul was a player creating space when another player was riding him with an elbow close to the head.  Neither deserves a suspension as they are things that often happen within the flow of the game and go unnoticed.  Fischer was a player making a statement that they were not going to set any hard picks on him.  His problem was in doing this he went for the head.  He will be gone.  I hate the Lakers as much as the next but Kobe was the one who kept his cool, Artest lost it.  Watch Phil Jackson and how he plays these things out.  He is the master at getting his players to react in the right manner at the right time.  Last year I lost some respect for him seeing how he can result easily to these tactics.

Now Alston's foul was totally uncalled for and has nothing to do with basketball.  They should consider themselves lucky if he is only gone one game.  As a fan I'm not sure this impacts the game a whole lot.  Alston is a backup at best filling in for an injured Nelson.  Johnson probably will be close to if not as good.

What I loved most in the Chicago series was how chippy the Bulls got and instead of being p---ed at Mmiller for missing the foul shots they blamed Rondo.

I knew the series was over then.  Let's hope the same happens with Orlando.  Let them make excuses before they even lose.

[kheeko]

Can you imagine if from now on players just start slapping each others on their heads, like Alston did, and never get suspended for it? It'd be hilarious.

Kobe should be suspended for an elbow above the shoulders, per league standards, but he won't be, because he's Kobe.

Fisher might be suspended, and Alston might be suspended.  Both are question marks.

I'm not sure Kobe's elbow was above the shoulders. Check by yourself:



It's not completely clear, but to me it looks the contact is made under the neck.

I think Fisher must be suspended.

LOL  also Artest reacts almost a second later

[crownsy]

Can you imagine if from now on players just start slapping each others on their heads, like Alston did, and never get suspended for it? It'd be hilarious.

Kobe should be suspended for an elbow above the shoulders, per league standards, but he won't be, because he's Kobe.

Fisher might be suspended, and Alston might be suspended.  Both are question marks.

I'm not sure Kobe's elbow was above the shoulders. Check by yourself:



It's not completely clear, but to me it looks the contact is made under the neck.

I think Fisher must be suspended.

LOL  also Artest reacts almost a second later

umm yea. in super slow mo the body doesn't react instantaneously to any stimulus. a second in slow motion is tenth's of a second in real time.

your brain does have to process pain before reaction you know.

[Dissent]

it was a frustration move but certainly not intended to hurt House. So the league should view this play as it is (a stupid move from a frustrated player but nothing dangerous), give Alston a fine and move on.

It was not intended to hurt House, but it was intended to instigate.  And it was premeditated (didn't come during a play for the ball, as in the Kobe/Artest thing).

Anyway, if Alston isn't suspended then we know it is okay to slap other team's players on the head when not making a play on the ball.  I look forward to Paul Pierce doing that to LeBron on every play after the Cs make it past these Orlando jokers.

We already knew that after the league let Rondo's dirty play slide in the Celtics-Bulls series.

[Jon Niednagel]

I think it's clear a lot of people posting on this topic never played basketball.  Rondo's foul on Heinrich was a player shucking someone who was riding them.  Kobe's foul was a player creating space when another player was riding him with an elbow close to the head.  Neither deserves a suspension as they are things that often happen within the flow of the game and go unnoticed.  Fischer was a player making a statement that they were not going to set any hard picks on him.  His problem was in doing this he went for the head.  He will be gone.  I hate the Lakers as much as the next but Kobe was the one who kept his cool, Artest lost it.  Watch Phil Jackson and how he plays these things out.  He is the master at getting his players to react in the right manner at the right time.  Last year I lost some respect for him seeing how he can result easily to these tactics.


Now Alston's foul was totally uncalled for and has nothing to do with basketball.  They should consider themselves lucky if he is only gone one game.  As a fan I'm not sure this impacts the game a whole lot.  Alston is a backup at best filling in for an injured Nelson.  Johnson probably will be close to if not as good.

What I loved most in the Chicago series was how chippy the Bulls got and instead of being ****ed at Mmiller for missing the foul shots they blamed Rondo.

I knew the series was over then.  Let's hope the same happens with Orlando.  Let them make excuses before they even lose.

My thoughts exactly. TP!