Should Kobe/Fisher be suspended? (Fisher suspended, Kobe not, page 4)

[fairweatherfan]

As most of us know by now both Fisher and Kobe made some hard/dirty hits in the 2nd half last night.  Fisher was ejected; Kobe, being the angel that he is, got his defender ejected.  Here's a gif of the Kobe play:



You can see that looks pretty deliberate.  Remember the league rules are clear that an intentional elbow that lands above the shoulders should be an automatic suspension. 

Personally, I think Fisher won't be suspended only because he was ejected.  But that play was awfully close to a flying elbow, so he may be penalized yet.

Kobe should be suspended in my opinion, this is the same rule they got Howard with earlier in the playoffs.  It seems open-and-shut to me but of course this is the NBA and one of their pet stars, so there's no telling how it will go.

BTW, isn't if funny how, after the Finals last year, the Lakers decide they need to toughen up and play more physically, and their immediate impulse with that mindset is to start making dirty plays left and right?  Tells you a lot about the guys on that team (that you already probably knew).

[BrickJames]

Yes - Kobe ought to be suspended.  He's done this several times in the past - expect the league office to show no mercy.

[Jaehos]

They aren't going to suspend him and it has nothing to do with him being Kobe Bryant.  That action took place during the course of a basketball play.  Much like Rondo hitting Brad Miller.   It's a contact sport and sometimes people get knocked around while boxing out.

Rafer and Dwight Howard took shots at people (at their heads even!) outside the course of a basketball play.  There's a clear difference, imo.

[fairweatherfan]

They aren't going to suspend him and it has nothing to do with him being Kobe Bryant.  That action took place during the course of a basketball play.  Much like Rondo hitting Brad Miller.   It's a contact sport and sometimes people get knocked around while boxing out.

Rafer and Dwight Howard took shots at people (at their heads even!) outside the course of a basketball play.  There's a clear difference, imo.

This was during a basketball play but was pretty clearly intentional - if you see the whole replay Artest was pushing into the back of Kobe's neck with his forearm, then he pushes him under the basket, then Kobe swings his elbow into his throat and grabs the rebound.  If you look at the clip you can see him wind up for it too.

It was retaliatory and as others have pointed out he has a history of this.  Remember a few years ago when he decided swinging his arm straight back into defenders' faces after a jumpshot was "a natural basketball motion"?  Heck, remember Game 1 on Battier on the ground?

[rondo987]

They aren't going to suspend him and it has nothing to do with him being Kobe Bryant.  That action took place during the course of a basketball play.  Much like Rondo hitting Brad Miller.   It's a contact sport and sometimes people get knocked around while boxing out.

Rafer and Dwight Howard took shots at people (at their heads even!) outside the course of a basketball play.  There's a clear difference, imo.

Heres your first tp, I compeletely agree with this. I think both Fisher and Raefer should get a game, but Kobe's play was nothing more than a foul IMO.

BTW, I hate Kobe... So theres no bias.

[adam8]

The reason people don't think that fisher will be suspended is because he got tossed from the game? This makes no sense to me because this was at the end of the 3rd quarter while LA had an 11 point lead. This means in a blowout why not take a cheapshot as long as the ref sees it so you can get ejected no suspension. That really needs to be a one game suspension it was a dirty play.

[crownsy]

The reason people don't think that fisher will be suspended is because he got tossed from the game? This makes no sense to me because this was at the end of the 3rd quarter while LA had an 11 point lead. This means in a blowout why not take a cheapshot as long as the ref sees it so you can get ejected no suspension. That really needs to be a one game suspension it was a dirty play.

if you get tossed in game for somethign the game thinks is a one game offense, no further action is usally taken.

Its pretty standered.

[papa shuttlesworth]

After only seeing the play for the first time now, it looks like it was a deliberate elbow, but Artest had his elbow in Kobe's neck during the whole play.  It looks just like two players playing hard and one getting frustrated. 

Plays like this should be just let go.  Unfortunately, the league has created such a slippery slope with rules and suspensions in the past that almost any play can be suspension worthy if view from the right angle.

(I understand that you don't want players throwing elbows because this can really injure someone or cause a fight, but there should be some common sense applied to it also, not just automatic suspensions.)

[Who]

Fisher should not be suspended, the situation wasn't serious enough and it was dealt with during the game.

The Kobe one? Ehh ... maybe. I'd rather he wasn't though.

[connerhenry43]

Fisher should not be suspended, the situation wasn't serious enough and it was dealt with during the game.

The Kobe one? Ehh ... maybe. I'd rather he wasn't though.

i disagree. i do not think kobe should be suspended. i also think he would have to pull out a gun on the court for stern to suspend him for a playoff game.

as for fisher, he had one purpose on that play. to injure scola. he is a snake. he should be suspended, but in his post game interview, he praised what a great job the refs did and how well they handled the game, so i am sure the nba will take care of him too.

put it this way. if artest had done what fisher did, he would be getting a one game suspension, no question.

[Tradetime]

Derek Fisher should absolutely be suspended for the next game. That was a blatant attempt to injure someone on the court, and shouldn't be tolerated if the NBA is trying to clean things up.

Kobe, on the other hand, has indeed had a dirty history, swinging a closed fist into defenders' faces a couple of years ago and tangling with guys like Mike Miller and Marko Jaric. He can't handle someone like Artest being physical with him, and threw him a cheapshot elbow.  I expect a fine for him at the very least, but would be surprised if he got anything more.

[Big Ticket]

I think they both should be, but neither will be.

[fairweatherfan]

Could be relevant:

Stu Jackson on the Dwight Howard suspension:
"This was an elbow that was thrown that made contact above the shoulders and by rule there's an automatic suspension."

David Stern on the Dwight Howard suspension:
"We're there to protect the players. If you throw a punch, you're gone. If you throw an elbow above the shoulder, you're gone."

Just waiting for the NBA to explain that the throat "isn't really above the shoulders".

[Who]

Could be relevant:

Stu Jackson on the Dwight Howard suspension:
"This was an elbow that was thrown that made contact above the shoulders and by rule there's an automatic suspension."

David Stern on the Dwight Howard suspension:
"We're there to protect the players. If you throw a punch, you're gone. If you throw an elbow above the shoulder, you're gone."

Just waiting for the NBA to explain that the throat "isn't really above the shoulders".

Great quotes fairweatherfan -- you've convinced me -- I think Kobe is going to be suspended.

[Stu]

Kobe should definitely be suspended for that.  Whether he WILL be suspended is another story altogether.  I still can't believe Artest got called for a foul on that play!