Alston Suspended (merged threads, suspension on page 9)

[gkiteisscal]

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.

I got to agree with this too.  Rondo's contact was unnecessary and it got him a flagrant, but it happened within the flow of the game.  Same thing with Kobe's.  Alston's was not a basketball play, nor was it within the flow of the game.  It was done solely out of poor sportsmanship and with the intent to provoke.  It can be argued that Kobe & Rondo's fouls had similar intent but it was not the sole intent of the action.

[jimmehx]

Just saw an interview of Alston (http://www.nba.com/video/channels/tnt_overtime/2009/05/06/nba_20090506_top5inside_4.nba/). Alston thinks that if the NBA looks at it "in it's entirety" they'll see that Eddie through the elbow into his stomach first...

When did this happen ? Sounds like a really weak plan to get off.

[paintitgreen]

Alston's slap was a stupid overreaction, but it was never in risk of injuring a player, which is what should be a requirement (not the only one) for a flagrant-two and a suspension. To me, it should be assessed a flagrant one in hindsight and counted toward his total, but I don't think he should be suspended.

And I don't think House was elbowing him, I think House was throwing his arms up, both to celebrate and to get Alston off him, after hitting that shot. Alston just overreacted to a perceived slight, or out of frustration.

[celticinorlando]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/

[BigAlTheFuture]

Good. Not much of a difference, though. But I'm glad the punk got a suspension.

[celticinorlando]

i think orlando has zero answer for rondo...alston at least hit a few 3's...strong with the ball and would hit some of those floaters in the lane...boston needs to run AJ into the ground

[TheGreenGoblin]

OrlandoSentinel.com
SENTINEL EXCLUSIVE
Magic's Rafer Alston is suspended for Game 3 of the Celtics series

Brian Schmitz

Sentinel Staff Writer

5:25 PM EDT, May 7, 2009

Magic point guard Rafer Alston will be suspended for Game 3 on Friday night against the Boston Celtics, according to an NBA source. The league is expected to make the announcement soon.

Alston was penalized after slapping Celtics shooting guard Eddie House in the back of the head during Game 2 of the second-round playoff series at TD Banknorth Garden on Wednesday night.

House was celebrating after draining yet another 3-pointer during the Celtics' 112-94 hammering of Orlando. On is way down the floor, he appeared to bump into Alston, who later said he retaliated after House dug an elbow into his stomach.

The NBA didn't agree with Alston's on-court justice, meaning the Magic will start Anthony Johnson at point guard after losing their second player to a suspension this postseason.

All-star center Dwight Howard was sent to the NBA doghouse for Game 6 of the club's first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers after delivering an elbow to Sam Dalembert's head.

The Magic won that game without Howard to close out the Sixers. But Alston's absence --- coupled with shooting guard Courtney Lee's uncertain status --- leaves them vulnerable in a back-court match-up that was dominated in Game 2 by Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo and shooting guard Ray Allen.

Lee returned to the team on Wednesday --- six days after undergoing sinus surgery --- but was not activated. He worked out, running and shooting while wearing a protective mask, but felt he wasn't ready to play. He's a game-time decision Friday.

Copyright © 2009, Orlando Sentinel

[ma11l]

I think Skip to My Lou came out during that play.  Very dumb play for a starting PG in a game that was out of reach to begin with.


Rondo should have another big game in Game 3.  Just a matter of staying aggressive on the road, something he doesn't always do.  This is a golden opportunity to get homecourt back, but don't forget they closed out Philly with a very undermanned team including no Dwight Howard.

[cordobes]

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!

This "flow of the game" theory is becoming frequent but is a deeply flawed reasoning. Being in the flow of the game cannot serve as an excuse or attenuating circumstance. One of these days, someone will push a player in mid-air, our take a swing from behind at the head of someone, there's an unlucky moment, a young man dies, and then some will keep saying "oh, but it was in the flow of the game".

I've played plenty of basketball and I know the rules. Basketball is a game where only certain degrees and types of contact are allowed even "in the flow of the game"; it's not wrestling. Pushing people around violently, even if "in the flow of the game", is not allowed and it's wrong in every single circumstance. There are certain type of moves that shall not be tolerated in a basketball court.

"Making statements" throwing elbows above the chest, pushing people to the scorers' table or hitting the head belongs to the playground in the ghetto, I suppose.

[Mencius]

Now that he's suspended, this should be the game where we take back HCA.

As an aside, I'm glad Pierce got in foul trouble last game, because he really was getting nothing done, and seemed in slow motion again.

A lucky break for us all the way around.

[Drucci]

I'm hoping for a Celtics in game 3 but I'm not sure that Alston's suspension really helps us because in my opinion Anthony Johnson is as good as he is, or at least he is a better shooter.

We'll see what happens with the point guard matchup but this suspension just gives Orlando an extra motivation to win.

[Hoops]

Now that he's suspended, this should be the game where we take back HCA.

As an aside, I'm glad Pierce got in foul trouble last game, because he really was getting nothing done, and seemed in slow motion again.

A lucky break for us all the way around.

I think the rested Pierce factor will be bigger than the Alston factor. But combining them together ought to be a nice recipe for a Game 3 W.

[celticinorlando]

anthony johnson could barely get the ball up vs rondo...i expect we see more hedo at the point and lee....boston def. has the advantage without alston...need to exploit this...time for pierce to bust loose

[clover]

What I think the suspension does accomplish is making sure that Orlando isn't going to risk it by taking any cheap shots against the guy they're really going to want to be taking out by the end of the series--and that's Rondo.

[cordobes]

I'm hoping for a Celtics in game 3 but I'm not sure that Alston's suspension really helps us because in my opinion Anthony Johnson is as good as he is, or at least he is a better shooter.

That's a very odd opinion. In my view, Johnson is probably the worst player getting regular minutes in playoffs. Alston is a fringe starter at best, but Johnson is pretty horrific - I don't think he belongs in the NBA any more.

The C's must take advantage of this, although I'm not sure if AJ minutes will be raised that much.