Barnes dissing NBA for just 2 game suspension on JR

[BudweiserCeltic]

Yea, but what is the value of a playoff game, vs. a regular season game suspension.  That's the only way I can look at it.  Two games with a suspended starter, and one injured, in the playoffs - possibly costs you two games in a series and likely knocks you out.  The KO suspension is about as harsh a punishment as having him run one extra lap at the end of a practice.  I bet they took Love being injured into account.  If Love did not get hurt, Smith might have gotten a 5 game suspension, but clearly they are looking for balance in handing out penalties.  I bet the players union has some real influence in suspensions as well.  If it is too harsh a penalty, the union surely will start some sort of action to defend a player.

Artest got 7 games in 2012, some if not most of the games spilled into the playoffs.

Almost all of those games spilled into the playoffs.

However, Artest got 1 playoff game for this in 2011, which seems to be closer to the Smith hit than the elbow to the head from 2012.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PJiuPYUfWGg

No, that's really not even close.

[danglertx]

That is close to what Perkins did but not quite as bad.  I know that wasn't nearly as bad as Smith's hit on Crowder because tiny little JJ Barea didn't even go down.  It wasn't even an elbow, it was a forearm.  Smith knocked Crowder out with a closed fist.  That isn't even in the same stratosphere.

[makaveli]

I don't agree with the punishment either, but then again CLE probably thinks Kelly's 1 game suspension is too little as well

how many id wade get...

[kozlodoev]

Except for the fact that isn't true that would be a good excuse.

This is silly. It's the league's rulebook and thus it's the league's choice of how to administer it. Whether it is 1, 10, or 25 games is entirely within their discretion with no limitations. They've calibrated suspensions separately for the playoff for as long as I can remember. Sorry you don't like it.

[LooseCannon]

Barnes is really just laying down a marker so he can whine about his punishment for his next offense.

[danglertx]

Except for the fact that isn't true that would be a good excuse.

This is silly. It's the league's rulebook and thus it's the league's choice of how to administer it. Whether it is 1, 10, or 25 games is entirely within their discretion with no limitations. They've calibrated suspensions separately for the playoff for as long as I can remember. Sorry you don't like it.

Well I just read the CBA, not the rulebook, and I can say for a fact, it is not entirely within their discretion with no limitations.  The CBA governs suspensions and fines.  The rulebook governs the actual rules of the NBA game of basketball.  For instance, the size of the court, how many steps you can take without dribbling, and what constitutes a foul are things you will find in the rulebook.  Thinks like the right to suspend players, player obligations, and revenue splits are covered by the CBA.

I can also unequivocally say, there is no playoff v non playoff game suspension difference written into the CBA player's conduct section.

[D.o.s.]

Yea, but what is the value of a playoff game, vs. a regular season game suspension.  That's the only way I can look at it.  Two games with a suspended starter, and one injured, in the playoffs - possibly costs you two games in a series and likely knocks you out.  The KO suspension is about as harsh a punishment as having him run one extra lap at the end of a practice.  I bet they took Love being injured into account.  If Love did not get hurt, Smith might have gotten a 5 game suspension, but clearly they are looking for balance in handing out penalties.  I bet the players union has some real influence in suspensions as well.  If it is too harsh a penalty, the union surely will start some sort of action to defend a player.

Artest got 7 games in 2012, some if not most of the games spilled into the playoffs.

Almost all of those games spilled into the playoffs.

However, Artest got 1 playoff game for this in 2011, which seems to be closer to the Smith hit than the elbow to the head from 2012.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PJiuPYUfWGg

No, that's really not even close.

"Closer" is a comparison, but it does not imply an immediacy to either.

[MMacOH]

If JR turns around and is facing Crowder before hitting him, then I think his suspension would have been much more severe. 

[Sixth Man]

Except for the fact that isn't true that would be a good excuse.

This is silly. It's the league's rulebook and thus it's the league's choice of how to administer it. Whether it is 1, 10, or 25 games is entirely within their discretion with no limitations. They've calibrated suspensions separately for the playoff for as long as I can remember. Sorry you don't like it.

Except that that isn't the case, nor is it what you originally implied. 

[BudweiserCeltic]

Yea, but what is the value of a playoff game, vs. a regular season game suspension.  That's the only way I can look at it.  Two games with a suspended starter, and one injured, in the playoffs - possibly costs you two games in a series and likely knocks you out.  The KO suspension is about as harsh a punishment as having him run one extra lap at the end of a practice.  I bet they took Love being injured into account.  If Love did not get hurt, Smith might have gotten a 5 game suspension, but clearly they are looking for balance in handing out penalties.  I bet the players union has some real influence in suspensions as well.  If it is too harsh a penalty, the union surely will start some sort of action to defend a player.

Artest got 7 games in 2012, some if not most of the games spilled into the playoffs.

Almost all of those games spilled into the playoffs.

However, Artest got 1 playoff game for this in 2011, which seems to be closer to the Smith hit than the elbow to the head from 2012.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PJiuPYUfWGg

No, that's really not even close.

"Closer" is a comparison, but it does not imply an immediacy to either.

"No" = it's not "closer", the rest was driving the point more so.

The elbow is in fact quite close to what JR did, or closer if you will. Don't know how anyone could see it differently.

The video you posted is closer, to use your terminology, to what Perk did than anything else being discussed here.

[BudweiserCeltic]

If JR turns around and is facing Crowder before hitting him, then I think his suspension would have been much more severe. 

That's actually a good point in all of this. But, there's been a precedent in the NBA for throwing elbows, arms, punches around recklessly even without the player having his line of sight on his target.

But I agree to that degree, that the fact that JR wasn't looking at Crowder probably played a role in this.

[danglertx]

If JR turns around and is facing Crowder before hitting him, then I think his suspension would have been much more severe.

I'd agree with that.  That is just plain fighting.  In that case the penalties are around 7-15 games for first offenders.  The Rudy Tom... ,I can't spell that name, hit, I think the guy's name who did that was Kermit Washington but I could be misremembering the name, got a 15 game suspension if memory serves.  It might have been longer.

I would argue JR's hit was as bad or worse though.  It was intentional, lets get that out of the way.  It was a closed fist, he knew Crowder was behind him and there was absolutely no reason to be swinging a closed fist behind him like that.  If you want to argue it was unintentional then I don't know what to say.

At least in a fight situation you have an opportunity to defend yourself.  You at least tell the other player by your actions a punch might be coming.  Just throwing a fist out of nowhere leaves you no chance to defend yourself. 

2 games for a repeat offender is a joke. 

[jeezem]

If JR turns around and is facing Crowder before hitting him, then I think his suspension would have been much more severe.

yea, you have to wonder if he landed a lucky blow, or well - accidental, if he thought Crowder was closer to him and his move was intended to push Crowder off his back.  Although, it looked so perfect you have to think he knew exactly what he was doing, but then that would apply to KO's incident as well.  I honestly don't think I've ever seen a play like either of those in all the games I've watched.

[Sixth Man]

If JR turns around and is facing Crowder before hitting him, then I think his suspension would have been much more severe.

yea, you have to wonder if he landed a lucky blow, or well - accidental, if he thought Crowder was closer to him and his move was intended to push Crowder off his back.  Although, it looked so perfect you have to think he knew exactly what he was doing, but then that would apply to KO's incident as well.  I honestly don't think I've ever seen a play like either of those in all the games I've watched.

Too bad you missed Detroit's "Bad Boys" back in the day...

[crimson_stallion]

I agree with Barnes completely. 

It really feels like the NBA wanted to let him go without a suspension at all so as not to affect the team in the playoffs, but then knew there was no way they could get away with it - so they gave him the bare minimum they possibly could given the nature off the 'play'. 

I've definitely seen players get the same (or more) time for lesser offences.   

I don't agree with the punishment either, but then again CLE probably thinks Kelly's 1 game suspension is too little as well

Hell yes - so far the Clevleand responses I've seen have ranged from "10 games" to "40 games" to "all of next season" to "he should miss as many games as Love does, that's the only way it's fair".