Garnett suspended for Game 2

[Rondo_is_better]

Lets not badmouth KG. This is just a retarded suspension -- he couldn't foresee the extent of the league retardation.

[crownsy]

Lets not badmouth KG. This is just a retarded suspension -- he couldn't foresee the extent of the league retardation.

Come on now. IT's not bad mouthing to point out the truth.

He threw an elbow in the middle of a game. He was out of control. It was a brain fart, and a costly one.

We can all still love KG, which i do, while admitting this was an absolutely stupid thing for him to do.

[FallGuy]

Lets not badmouth KG. This is just a retarded suspension -- he couldn't foresee the extent of the league retardation.

Come on now. IT's not bad mouthing to point out the truth.

He threw an elbow in the middle of a game. He was out of control. It was a brain fart, and a costly one.

We can all still love KG, which i do, while admitting this was an absolutely stupid thing for him to do.

Agreed. It was a mistake by KG and he basically admitted as much after the game.

I think if TA or Baby had done it, the reaction would be a lot different from the Celtics fanbase.

[Steve Weinman]

Lets not badmouth KG. This is just a retarded suspension -- he couldn't foresee the extent of the league retardation.

Come on now. IT's not bad mouthing to point out the truth.

He threw an elbow in the middle of a game. He was out of control. It was a brain fart, and a costly one.

We can all still love KG, which i do, while admitting this was an absolutely stupid thing for him to do.

Agreed. It was a mistake by KG and he basically admitted as much after the game.

I think if TA or Baby had done it, the reaction would be a lot different from the Celtics fanbase.

Or if the jerseys of the players involved had been reversed.

-sw

[jdpapa3]

Hurts us most on the defensive end. With KG: elite defense. Without: average defense.

[Fafnir]

Lets not badmouth KG. This is just a retarded suspension -- he couldn't foresee the extent of the league retardation.

Come on now. IT's not bad mouthing to point out the truth.

He threw an elbow in the middle of a game. He was out of control. It was a brain fart, and a costly one.

We can all still love KG, which i do, while admitting this was an absolutely stupid thing for him to do.

Agreed. It was a mistake by KG and he basically admitted as much after the game.

I think if TA or Baby had done it, the reaction would be a lot different from the Celtics fanbase.

Or if the jerseys of the players involved had been reversed.

-sw

Yeah if KG had been wearing his jersey backwards I'd probably want him suspended at least two games.

They're professional athletes they should at least be able to dress themselves properly!

[ACF]

At this point, I think KG will be suspended because of all the media hoopla over this. Which is why I think Boston fans should email every media person asking about the Haslem elbow.

Here's a cap of that elbow:



Pretty clear to me. No one is talking about it because it is not KG.

The NBA: Where Putting Money in a Crook's Pocket and Feeling Like a Fool While Doing So Happens.

[Bahku]

KG knew he had messed up as soon as he did it ... we also know that he's one of the most intense players to ever play the game, and that intensity gets the best of him at times, unfortunately. Despite that intensity, he should be mature enough to control it and set the example for the younger guys.

OK, that said, this whole thing would not have happened if Q had left well enough alone and not come over to taunt Pierce while he was on the floor. And this may have been addressed previously, but wasn't there a rule that said if a player came off the bench and onto the playing surface during a fracas it's an automatic suspension?

Did they change that rule without my knowing? (Forgive me if they did so ... I'm not always up on every rule). Because half the Heat bench was up off the bench and getting involved. If you're the NBA organization, you can't make an example of someone like KG, and yet completely ignore other things going on.

And I'll say this just to show how irrationally emotional I can be: When Q started clapping after KG was ejected, with that smug smirk on his face, I had some very violent thoughts concerning him, fists and multiple contusions. (There, I feel better getting that off my chest ... it's OK to fantasize, right?).

[Steve Weinman]

Lets not badmouth KG. This is just a retarded suspension -- he couldn't foresee the extent of the league retardation.

Come on now. IT's not bad mouthing to point out the truth.

He threw an elbow in the middle of a game. He was out of control. It was a brain fart, and a costly one.

We can all still love KG, which i do, while admitting this was an absolutely stupid thing for him to do.

Agreed. It was a mistake by KG and he basically admitted as much after the game.

I think if TA or Baby had done it, the reaction would be a lot different from the Celtics fanbase.

Or if the jerseys of the players involved had been reversed.

-sw

Yeah if KG had been wearing his jersey backwards I'd probably want him suspended at least two games.

They're professional athletes they should at least be able to dress themselves properly!

Well played, sir.

-sw

[Andy Jick]

Because half the Heat bench was up off the bench and getting involved.

Not true.

I love the Celtics, but I also am objective.  Nobody from Miami's bench did anything wrong...

[ChainSmokingLikeDino]

Lets not badmouth KG. This is just a retarded suspension -- he couldn't foresee the extent of the league retardation.

Come on now. IT's not bad mouthing to point out the truth.

He threw an elbow in the middle of a game. He was out of control. It was a brain fart, and a costly one.

We can all still love KG, which i do, while admitting this was an absolutely stupid thing for him to do.

Agreed. It was a mistake by KG and he basically admitted as much after the game.

I think if TA or Baby had done it, the reaction would be a lot different from the Celtics fanbase.

Or if the jerseys of the players involved had been reversed.

-sw

Steve, I agree with you entirely about some of the rhetoric surrounding the KG suspension around here. There is certainly some excuse making going on, some rationalizing that is a bit far fetched. As per the jersey being different, therein is my problem with the suspension. It has nothing to do with the jersey being green or red. Had the jersey been different I would hold the same position, that the suspension is unwarrented. Now, following the letter of the law, yes, I understand the suspension. To move from the enforcement of the rule to the rule itself I would argue that no player on ANY team should be suspended for what occured in game 1. This only shows the absurd level the over policing in The Association has risen to. Do I get that KG gets a game off for the elbow? Yes. Do I think he, or any player on any team, Celtic, Heat, Laker, or any team, should be suspended for that? Absolutely not. Now, I am not saying you hold that position, just using this as an opportunity to vent about the overdone nature of the leagues policies in the last 10 years or so regarding these kind of issues.

[Bahku]

Because half the Heat bench was up off the bench and getting involved.

Not true.

I love the Celtics, but I also am objective.  Nobody from Miami's bench did anything wrong...

They don't have to throw punches, the rule, (if it still exists), said that if a player got up off the bench and set even a part of one foot on the court, it was an automatic suspension ... aggression or not, it didn't matter. Here's one example ... I'll try to find the rule.

http://nba.suite101.com/article.cfm/series_tied_sun_lose_two  (Third paragraph, I think)

[liam]

what a crock. KG shouldn't have been suspended, period. kobe didn't get suspended last year for an incidental elbow to artest's neck that was worse than this one. ridiculous. how you don't suspend haslem, who threw an elbow at baby, if you suspend KG is ridiculous. i'd throw some really hard legal picks and try to knock Q's teeth out if i was boston.

Q doesn't play D and would never even be close enough to his man to get picked.

[Bahku]

I found the rule, under NBA Rule #12, Section 7, Part C:


During an altercation, all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench. Violators will be suspended, without pay, for a minimum of one game and fined up to $35,000. The suspensions will commence prior to the start of their next game. A team must have a minimum of eight players dressed and ready to play in every game. If five or more players leave the bench, the players will serve their suspensions alphabetically, according to the first letters of their last name. If seven bench players are suspended (assuming no participants are included), four of them would be suspended for the first game following the altercation. The remaining three would be suspended for the second game following the altercation.

Here


From some interpretations I've heard, stepping onto the court was considered not in the immediate bench area. Some gray area, obviously, but worth consideration, IMHO, as many Heat bench players were on the court.

[dlpin]

Or if the jerseys of the players involved had been reversed.

-sw

While I understand that saying KG shouldn't be punished is a bit much, there is a clear double standard here. Had it been a player less visible, less controversial, and less hated than Garnett, the outcome might have been very different here.

It is clear to me that if things in this incident are worthy of suspensions and fines, then Richardson and KG shouldn't be the only ones punished.

I have no problems with KG's suspension. It has been the norm and there is ample precedent. I also have no problems with Richardson only being fined. Other instances of players instigating fights were dealt with fines too.

But I do have a problem with Haslem, Oneal and Margloire escaping without even a fine or a slap on the wrist. Haslem clearly joins Richardson in the taunting, and elbows, albeit accidentally, BBD in the face. He then also pushes, alongside with Oneal, BBD down/towards the bench. After that, Margloire grabs Garnett, coming off the bench while doing so. Aren't any of these actions punishable?