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

[Stu]

Apparently, Fisher has been suspended and Kobe has not, as expected:

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/59024/20090507/alston_and_fisher_suspended_for_game_3/

[Hoops]

Ultimately, I think the league made the right calls. Kobe's play, while questionable, was a basketball play. He may have intended harm, but he was putting his elbow out in an attempt to block out. Kobe's play was like Rondo's face slap on Miller. Both were probably driven by non-basketball motives, but they were both arguably basketball plays. Fisher and Alston did not make basketball plays.

[Drucci]

Ultimately, I think the league made the right calls. Kobe's play, while questionable, was a basketball play. He may have intended harm, but he was putting his elbow out in an attempt to block out. Kobe's play was like Rondo's face slap on Miller. Both were probably driven by non-basketball motives, but they were both arguably basketball plays. Fisher and Alston did not make basketball plays.

Agreed, good calls from the NBA. It's pretty clear that Kobe will get some expanded attention from the refs in this series now that the NBA has called a Flagrant 1 on him.

[angryguy77]

So an elbo is only bad after the ball goes throught the hoop? Kobe didn't do anything near a basketball play. He should have been suspended. I find it funny taht d12 gets it but Kobe doesnt. Just becasue you are battling for position doesnt give you the right to cheap shot a guy. On the flip side I thig alston shouldn't have been suspended. It was a soft smack opened fisted. Kobe could have caused serious injury, Alston just bruised some pride. This is why people think the nba is ajoke, and they have every right to think so.

[Atzar]

So an elbo is only bad after the ball goes throught the hoop? Kobe didn't do anything near a basketball play. He should have been suspended. I find it funny taht d12 gets it but Kobe doesnt. Just becasue you are battling for position doesnt give you the right to cheap shot a guy. On the flip side I thig alston should have been finded. It was a soft smack opened fisted. Kobe could have caused serious injury, Alston just bruised some pride. This is why people think the nba is ajoke, and they have every right to think so.

So if we were playing one-on-one and I smacked you everytime you made a shot, that shouldn't have basketball repercussions?  Fines are laughable in the face of the money these guys make every year.  Suspensions are the only real way to get the point across.

[liam]

Ultimately, I think the league made the right calls. Kobe's play, while questionable, was a basketball play. He may have intended harm, but he was putting his elbow out in an attempt to block out. Kobe's play was like Rondo's face slap on Miller. Both were probably driven by non-basketball motives, but they were both arguably basketball plays. Fisher and Alston did not make basketball plays.

KOBE took another cheap shot. Artest is crazy so at some point I'm sure he'll get Kobe back. Maybe not now but he won't forget.

[Hoops]

So an elbo is only bad after the ball goes throught the hoop? Kobe didn't do anything near a basketball play. He should have been suspended. I find it funny taht d12 gets it but Kobe doesnt. Just becasue you are battling for position doesnt give you the right to cheap shot a guy. On the flip side I thig alston should have been finded. It was a soft smack opened fisted. Kobe could have caused serious injury, Alston just bruised some pride. This is why people think the nba is ajoke, and they have every right to think so.

It has nothing to do with whether the ball goes in the hoop. The ball was in play or "live" when Kobe threw the elbow. Nobody knew whether the shot was going to go in and for that reason, they were pushing and shoving (and elbowing) for rebounding position. Guys have got to be allowed the freedom to play basketball.

Dwight's elbow was totally different. There was no loose ball or live ball or any battling for position. Dwight simply turned and swung the elbow at Dalembert's head. There was absolutely no basketball reason to make such a move. Kobe, again, had a reason to throw out an elbow - he was trying to block out. It doesn't mean that Kobe has a license to throw an elbow to the head while blocking out. But a solid forearm or elbow in the chest happens all the time - it's text book blocking out. The challenge with Kobe's elbow was that it wasn't clear where he hit Artest. If he had unnaturally raised the elbow high and clocked Artest in the face, he probably would have been suspended. But given that A) it was part of a legitimate basketball play and B) it wasn't an absolute clear elbow to the head, he rightly doesn't get suspended.

 

[angryguy77]

Paging Mr. tom ziller.
We all know you hate Boston and think we are cheap and the Lakers are class. I would love for you to show your face here and defend them again. If you do not at least give them the same treatment, you prove my point that you are ahypocrite and unobjective homer.

[RAcker]

I'm glad that Kobe is playing in the next game so that Artest, et al can show him how to play "real" tough instead of pretend which is what he did.

I wouldn't be surprised to see several hard fouls on the Raping Mamba.

[Scribbles]

So if you're Ron Artest, Von Wafer, Shane Battier, etc. do you elbow Kobe in the throat next game when you get a chance?  I would!   

[Dissent]

RonRon is going to have a spotlight on him as much as Kobe does unfortunately.

I personally have a lot of respect for the way Artest has played this year, I am a little sickened he got thrown out yesterday.

[ACF]

I'm glad that Kobe is playing in the next game so that Artest, et al can show him how to play "real" tough instead of pretend which is what he did.

I wouldn't be surprised to see several hard fouls on the Raping Mamba.

I hope someone decks him so hard
that he will start to cry.

[ACF]

The NBA is sure taking their time to decide on these suspensions. Thinking long and hard about the best explanation to give for Kobe not being suspended, I imagine.

Yeah. TP.

Also, what does he have to do?
Rape someone? Oh, wait...

[kheeko]

I'm glad that Kobe is playing in the next game so that Artest, et al can show him how to play "real" tough instead of pretend which is what he did.

I wouldn't be surprised to see several hard fouls on the Raping Mamba.

I hope someone decks him so hard
that he will start to cry.

I would ****

[liam]

Wow, Kobe is such a cheap punk. Look back at some of his cheap shots over the years. Someone needs to take his head off. Yao needs to sharpen his elbows on Kobe's pointed head.