Bynum suspension reduced from 5 games to 4 games

[StartOrien]

My only complaint is they didn't review the tape and give him more games.... That was a pretty horrendous cheap shot, hadn't viewed it in quite some time.

Logically, the reduction in games make sense.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Well remember a ruling is then referenced from there on...so all will be measured against this...But i say 5 games is 5 games. That was a very dirty move.....but stern is a lost soul...he has no idea what to do on anything.

[get_banners]

I don't have an issue with this because its sort of tied to salary (and the shortened season changes proportions on everything. I have an issue with this because the penalty was too light for a repeat offender. He should have gotten a 10 game suspension, minimum. If I were the Mavs, I'd make sure Bynum got a few hard fouls the first time they play...like 5-game suspension-worthy fouls.

[ben]

I don't have an issue with this because its sort of tied to salary (and the shortened season changes proportions on everything. I have an issue with this because the penalty was too light for a repeat offender. He should have gotten a 10 game suspension, minimum. If I were the Mavs, I'd make sure Bynum got a few hard fouls the first time they play...like 5-game suspension-worthy fouls.

when you say "5-game suspension-worthy fouls" are you talking about "5-game suspension-worthy fouls for a 82 game season" or "5-game suspension-worthy fouls for a lockout shortened 66 game season".  Just asking

[guava_wrench]

Doesn't matter. He'll just get injured his first game back. Per usual.

Yeah. The sooner he gets on the court, the worse it is for the Lakers.

[Roy H.]

Sounds fair.

Keeping the suspension proportionate to the shortened schedule. A fifth of the season is gone, a fifth of the suspension should go too.

Since when is a suspension a proportion?  NBA did not say Bynum would be suspened 5/82 games, they said 5.  Seems like he is rewarded for the lockout. 

Yeah, somebody made this point on twitter.  When Amare was suspended for coming off the bench in the playoffs, he missed one game, not 1/82 of the playoff season (i.e., the equivalent of a quarter).

I think a punishment is a punishment, and should have been enforced.

[ben]

Sounds fair.

Keeping the suspension proportionate to the shortened schedule. A fifth of the season is gone, a fifth of the suspension should go too.

Since when is a suspension a proportion?  NBA did not say Bynum would be suspened 5/82 games, they said 5.  Seems like he is rewarded for the lockout. 

great point. 

Yeah, somebody made this point on twitter.  When Amare was suspended for coming off the bench in the playoffs, he missed one game, not 1/82 of the playoff season (i.e., the equivalent of a quarter).

I think a punishment is a punishment, and should have been enforced.

oh don't get me started.

amare leaves the bench after his team mate is tackled to ground, he has to miss one of the biggest playoff games of his career.  Bynum checks some one mid air to the ground on purpose, and 5 reg season games is too harsh, let's make it four so its proportionate with my basketball reasons. 

[Adelaide Celt]

Pathetic. The punishment should fit the crime.

[chambers]

Seems okay to me.
Was a scumbag move but the punishment should be relative to proportion of salary and the percentage of season missed.
He missed more of the season and thus more pay/salary.

Still doesn't mean it was a scumbag move and he should be scolded publicly- I just feel it's appropriate if they're giving other players similar considerations.

[footey]

Sends a great message.

[nickagneta]

Bad move. Sends the wrong message. He was suspended for 5 games. If that was in the first round of the playoffs he would have missed 5 playoff games. 5 playoff games can be way over half of a playoff season or at the least 5/28 of a playoff season.

% games is 5 games regardless as to whether it is over half a playoff season, 5/28 of a playoff season, 5/66 of a regular season or 5/82 of a regular season.

Just a horrid decision made by the league in a six month stretch filled with horrible decisions made by the league.

[twinbree]

I'll give them that it sounds like a good idea in theory but in reality it is silly. That's like adjusting fines or parking tickets for inflation. Both were suspended 5 games and that's what they needed to sit out regardless of the shortened season.

In the case of Bynum it is egregious because the punishment to begin with was too lenient for someone who's been suspended recently for causing a collapsed lung with similar cheapshot. And he did this during the finals on national TV. Sometimes I wonder if the NBA is as concerned with their image as they claim. If Sheed or Artest I mean World Peace   had done that they'd have missed at least 10 games and the lockout wouldn't have mattered a whit.