Rondo: I didn't intentionally bump ref

[cMac44111]

ATLANTA -- Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo said he did not intentionally bump a game official, which led to his ejection during the closing moments of Sunday's 83-74 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in an Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup at Philips Arena.

Intentional or not, Rondo bumped referee Marc Davis while protesting a foul call against Brandon Bass. Rondo's initial outburst earned him a technical foul -- one he says he deserved -- but he defended himself after the game saying he knows better than to initiate contact with a referee, particularly at this time of the season.

“Well, obviously I was upset about the call and I said some words to Marc," said Rondo. "I deserved the first tech and, as I was walking, I thought [Davis] stopped, my momentum carried me into him -- I even think I tripped on his foot. I didn’t intentionally chest bump him. But that’s what it appears to be.”

The Celtics, who trailed by double digits for much of the night, had whittled Atlanta's lead to 78-74 with 41 seconds to play. Joe Johnson had lost control of the ball and both Josh Smith and Kevin Garnett dove to the floor in a scramble for the loose ball. Smith came up with it and Bass was whistled for his sixth foul when he tried to reach around Smith's flailing body to force a jump ball.

Rondo, who was still fuming from a call that went against Boston shortly before, erupted when Davis whistled the play dead and called the infraction against Bass. As Davis turned to signal the initial technical foul to the scorer's table, Rondo pursued and bumped into Davis' back. Davis immediately signaled for another technical and the automatic ejection.

“It doesn’t matter what I thought," Rondo said when asked what made him so upset. "I thought Josh had traveled. I thought it was a jump ball. But that’s not my job. They made the call and it’s what it is.”

Now Rondo will wait to see if the league will hand down further punishment. From the NBA rulebook: "Any player or coach guilty of intentional physical contact with an official shall automatically be suspended without pay for one game. A fine and/or longer period of suspension will result if circumstances so dictate."

The question is whether Rondo intentionally initiated contact with Davis.

“It’s out of my control," said Rondo. "Obviously, I want to be there for my teammates, but other than that, I have no control right now.”

Asked if he said anything to his teammates, Rondo answered, "They all thought that I was obviously in the wrong. But it may seem that I bumped him, but like I said, I didn’t intentionally chest bump him. I know the rules. Like I said, my momentum carried me into him. I thought he stopped and that’s what it appeared to be.”

Garnett said he didn't see the play, but supported Rondo, though he said the team will be ready to play if he's unable to dress for Game 2.

"It affects us a lot," said Garnett. "[Rondo is] our leader. At the same time, whatever the decision is or whatever the results are, we have to be able to play without him and we will be prepared either way."

Said captain Paul Pierce: "I don’t think [the contact] was done purposely, but that’s up to the league at this point to make a decision, hopefully we’ll have him for Game 2. If not, we have guys in this room that are more than capable of stepping in."

Two years ago in the opening round, the Celtics played without Garnett who was suspended from Game 2 of a series against the Heat. Rondo was suspended two games earlier this season for throwing a ball at a game official.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4692810/rondo-i-didnt-intentionally-bump-ref

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQbJkk-LA5M&feature=related

At :33 it looks like he did trip over the ref's shoe. Still, wouldn't surprise me if they gave him a 1 game suspension.

[lightspeed5]

rondo's history with the refs will not help him in this case.

[Celtics4ever]

It was not much of a bump but rules are rules and you know Stern is going to like hammering us.

[BASS_THUMPER]

rondo stepped on the back of the refs heel which made him lean forward but regardless if he did it on purpose or not he should not have been that close yelling at the ref

[Eja117]

Pretty sure Stern's response will be along the lines of "You shouldn't have been anywhere near the ref and you definitely shouldn't have been going towards him. Be more careful next time so I don't have to suspend you".

Now if Rondo had just tried to kill the ref with a blind elbow to the temple....well in that case we'd be down a terrible ref and he'd only get 7 games.  Tough to say which is the wiser or less wise move.

[Bahku]

Rondo's my man, but while he did trip a bit on the ref's heel, he definitely threw his chest out slightly, and you can easily tell it that that much was intentional ... he may have been caught up in the emotion of the moment, (and it was very slight contact), but it's fairly obvious that it wasn't all happenstance. Here's hoping Stern goes lightly on the punishment.

[mctyson]

The funny thing about this is that Rondo wasn't exploding over the Bass call, he was p---ed about the prior call that Davis made (which was a horrendous call) when Josh Smith clearly knocked the ball out of bounds and Davis gave it to Atlanta.  Rondo was arguing with him then.

[SHAQATTACK]

Watched it over several times this morning, it appeared the ref stopped kinda abrupt awkward forward motion, probally reacting to something Rondo said...this seemed to catch Rondo off guard . Being too close on the heels of the ref  and his momentum carried Rondo into the ref.  No way he intended to bump him,  Rondo just an't that stupid , the touch was accidental, but he should have never been that close .  It was plain stupid to be that close to the ref. period.....thats just asking for trouble even if it is not intended to cause an issue.

Rondo has let his team down "AT A CRITICAL MOMENT" during a critical time "THE PLAYOFFs"....I find this so dishearting and discourging. I'm sure Danny is not happy... but Danny had a few emotional outbreaks as a player too ( thanks TREE  )...but that was a different era.

Wish somebody else would have reacted and grabbed Rondo , to prevent somethign just like this from happening.

If you watched CP3 lead his Clippers team back from a very simular situation last night against the Grizz...now you know the difference between him and Rondo and why Danny wanted to do the trade.

CP3 is a team leader and Rondo is not , he can't think clear when the chips are down.



 

[Roy H.]

I think Rondo is being less than truthful, but that's what he has to say at this point.  I don't buy the "I tripped" excuse at all, but hopefully it's enough to save us with the league.

[pearljammer10]

I think Rondo is being less than truthful, but that's what he has to say at this point.  I don't buy the "I tripped" excuse at all, but hopefully it's enough to save us with the league.

Me neither. Of course Rondo is going to say whatever he can to save his butt.

"Yeah of course I bumped him...He deserved it."

Id love to see that.

[SHAQATTACK]

 Rondo incident was  "NBA ROADRAGE"

His careless actions and emotions got the best of him .  Simular how accidents occur when angered drivers lose it, then  tailgate to get their point across.

Following somebody around on their heels while mad is a recipe for disaster in a tense situation.

Rondo deserves punishment of a suspension , for nothing else but putting his team in this situation and letting them down in so "MANY WAYS" and being "STUPID"

Yes Rondo wears the "DUNCE HAT" for this display of non professional outburst.

Maybe he should watch a tape CP3 lead his team back without getting thrown out of the game.

Called keeping a COOL HEAD.

[Prof. Clutch]

rondo's history with the refs will not help him in this case.

This.  TP.

Everybody seems to be talking about a one game suspension but the league has a history of being harsher on players who show patterns of bad behavior.  It was only 2 months ago that he was suspended for throwing that ball at the referee.  All I'm saying is that I wouldn't be the least bit shocked if his suspension was 2 games.

[Marcus13]

it does look like he tripped a little bit, but he was still approaching the ref very agressively so I doubt he gets any sympathy for that

[TripleOT]

It has to be irrefutable evidence that Rondo's bump was intentional before he's suspended.  The rules are clear about the contact being intentional. 

It can be easily argued that Rondo was off balance, and Davis had abruptly stopped and that's when the contact was made. 

I don't think the league is going to punish the Celtics bu sitting Rondo for a playoff game.  He and his team has already paid dearly for his losing his cool. 

It would be nice for the league to suspend the ref for a change.  Two horrible calls that helped tip a playoff game is inexcusable.  On the out of bounds play, Davis arrogantly went with his call despite being 100% wrong.  He didn't ask for help of confirmation from his fellow refs.  Total incompetence. 

We fans don't watch NBA games to see referee Davis get emotional.  He was clearly off kilter after blowing the out of bounds call, and that led to his bad call on the jump ball and the subsequent dust up with an also heated Rondo.   

[Donoghus]

I think Rondo is being less than truthful, but that's what he has to say at this point.  I don't buy the "I tripped" excuse at all, but hopefully it's enough to save us with the league.

Me neither. Of course Rondo is going to say whatever he can to save his butt.

"Yeah of course I bumped him...He deserved it."

Id love to see that.

Exactly.  Do people expect Rondo to come out and say "Yeah, I bumped the guy on purpose"?  Of course not.