Van Gundy complains about Alston and no Rondo suspension

[kheeko]

Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy accepted the suspension of his point guard -- Rafer Alston will miss Game 3 Friday night against Boston -- but he took the opportunity to question why the Boston Celtics got preferential treatment from the NBA.

Alston was suspended Thursday for slapping Boston's Eddie House in the back of the head at the end of Game 2 Wednesday as they were running down court after a basket by House.

Van Gundy compared it to the Boston-Chicago first round series when Rajon Rondo smacked Brad Miller in the face as he drove to the basket in the closing seconds of a close game. Rondo received only a personal foul call againt him and no suspension.

"The problem that players have, coaches have, and fans have, is they can't fathom that the slap to the head (by Alston), which was minor, was a one game suspension. And what Rondo did to Brad Miler was nothing,'' Van Gundy said. "David Stern says the league can't take the chance injury, but I'd say the Rondo-Miller play had a lot greater chance of injury than what Rafer did to House.''

Van Gundy also confirmed that shooting guard Courtney Lee would return to action after missing the past three games -- two in this series -- after surgery to repair a fractured sinus cavity. Van Gundy then returned his discussion back to Rondo and why he never was suspended.

"The question everyone has is why, when Brad Miller is going to the hoop, why can (Rondo) just take a swing at somebody. The only ones who agreed that he didn't wind up and follow through were Stu Jackson and David Stern,'' Van Gundy said. "Everybody else , including Boston fans, agreed that he (Rondo) wound up and followed through. But that's how they saw it."



Nothing new, gotta say I saw this coming 

[Roy Hobbs]

Rondo's play on Miller was a basketball play.  It's meant to prevent a basket, and it's very arguable whether he was intentionally swinging at Miller's head.

Alston's play was a thug play, not during the course of a play.  It was a retaliatory strike at an opponent's head, for making a big basket.  There's absolutely no question that Alston intended to hit Eddie in the head.

[Celtic]

Rondo's play on Miller was a basketball play.  It's meant to prevent a basketball, and it's very arguable whether he was intentionally swinging at Miller's head.

Alston's play was a thug play, not during the course of a play.  It was a retaliatory strike at an opponent's head, for making a big basket.  There's absolutely no question that Alston intended to hit Eddie in the head.

TP, what he said.

[PosImpos]

Yeah, Stan's missing the point, and he's doing so on purpose.

What Alston did, whether provoked or not, was an action that occurred outside of the action of a play and could not be construed as anything besides physical contact meant to elicit some kind of response (a fight).  As such, you can't really justify what Alston did at all.  

You can justify what Rondo did, as it was a desperation foul at the end of a game and though a hard foul it clearly wasn't meant to injure or cause lasting harm, just prevent a basket from being made.  

In other words, the severity of Rondo's foul was largely unintentional, while Alston's intention was extremely plain in slapping Eddie on the back of the head.

[xmuscularghandix]

Van Gundy is a moron, we think it, his players know it, and hell his brother deep down knows it too.

[celticinorlando]

fat gundy meet the fine man

[RAcker]

$$$$$$  Ching    $$$$$$   Ching   $$$$$$   Ching

The sounds from the NBA offices while these comments were being uttered.

He cannot possibly believe what he is saying by the way which makes the comments even more sure to get a fine. 

[ssspence]

every time SVG opens his mouth, he confirms his growing reputation as a blow hard whiner. he's on a slippery slope -- if the magic are not successful he's going to have a hard time keeping his current job and or finding his next. shaq's words, no matter how reactionary, will resonate in GMs ears. Do his players like him? no. Do his in game antics breed winning? no. Why does he bother p---ing off the opponent so much -- offering so much chalk board material?

I'd hire Jeff over Stan any day of the week and twice on Sunday. But I wouldn't hire other with any other solid option.

[dirtyeggs]

Van Gundy is donkey.  I agree with everyone here.  Rondo's play was a basketball play Alston's was just crap.

Skip to my SUSPENSION....... when you bring in a player like this you gotta take the good with the bad.  All the more why I am impressed with Marbury.

[kozlodoev]

I'd be in shock if Van Gundy didn't complain about something.

[Bankshot]

"Everybody else , including Boston fans, agreed that he (Rondo) wound up and followed through. But that's how they saw it."

So he expects us to believe that some Boston fans told him that Rondo wound up and followed through. ****!

[kheeko]

The game preview on the front page says Lee wont play. Although in the above van gundy says Lee will play. Will he or wont he play? hhm

[Jaycelt]

"The problem that players have, coaches have, and fans have, is they can't fathom that the slap to the head (by Alston), which was minor, was a one game suspension. And what Rondo did to Brad Miler was nothing,'' Van Gundy said.

Hey Stan, don't speak for me!  I'm a fan but I'm not an idiot.  I know exactly why one was worthy of suspension and the other wasn't.  I suspect most clear thinking, rational NBA fans know as well.  The fact that you are supposed to be a coach and you don't know the difference between attempting to make a play on the ball and giving a guy a cheap shot to the back of the head when he wasn't looking freightens me.

[RebusRankin]

Dear Stan,

Alston's play was an attempt to provoke a larger incident and was in no way shape or form a basketball play. Rondo's play was an attempt to block Miller's shot and while unsuccessful was a basketball play. Thus Alston received a suspension while Rondo did not.

You sir are a professional basketball coach. I am a mere fan, isn't a little sad that you don't understand these things.

Rebus

[BrickJames]

The master of panic.