Get well soon Rudy!

[Renz]

Nah-uh....both of them were unnecessary cheap shots.

Also I would love to see if you would need a stretcher after being airborne, getting hit in the head and having you body bouncing off the floor.

I think I could get off the court with a bruised hip and elbow w/out a stretcher.

NEW YORK -- NBA vice president Stu Jackson decided Tuesday that Lakers forward Trevor Ariza would not be penalized further for his hard foul against Trail Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez, but the league was still taking a long look at whether Lamar Odom's actions merited a suspension under the "leaving the bench" rule.

"We're reviewing it," league spokesman Tim Frank said of Monday night's Lakers-Blazers scrum, which happened after Ariza knocked Fernandez off-balance with a hard foul on a breakaway late in the third quarter, and Fernandez was carried off on a stretcher and hospitalized.

Ariza was ejected, which is automatic for a flagrant 2-category foul. But Ariza would not receive any other penalty, Frank said.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3967289

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I think I could get off the court with a bruised hip and elbow w/out a stretcher.

Renz, stop while you're behind.

Every injury is different. The stretcher is used as a precaution.

 

[Renz]

Renz, stop while you're behind.

Every injury is different. The stretcher is used as a precaution.

Maybe, but honestly, can you imagine Michael Jordan or Karl Malone or Kareem or Laimbeer needing a stretcher after a play like that? Come on.

 

[Covert Rain]

Hard foul. Although at the end of the play it appears Ariza cleared out Rudy's arm. Flagrant 2 was justified.

Odom better get suspended as well or there will be without a doubt be a double standard when it somes "leaving the bench" area during an altercation.

We are talking about Stern though so nothing would surprise me.

 

[Ryanwb]

I just looked it up. None of the Blazers players have any medical training whatsoever.

The medical/coaching staff usually come to the aid of a fallen player, correct?

 

[KloD]

IDIOT OF THE DAY:

I stood up, but I stood right there -- I didn't go nowhere

Can his arse for a game Stu, hell.. make it three for insulting us all with his pathetic attempt to rewrite history and for using a double negative. He not only walked into the pushing and shoving, he got in Roy's face until Gasol shoved him back toward the bench.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

odom should be suspended - ariza not so much

it's basketball, these things happen - he didn't undercut his legs, he didn't hit his torso or do the forearm into the ribs thing that drives me nuts - I could see a flagrant 1 and that's about it

 

[Bufalay]

IDIOT OF THE DAY:



Can his arse for a game Stu, hell.. make it three for insulting us all with his pathetic attempt to rewrite history and for using a double negative. He not only walked into the pushing and shoving, he got in Roy's face until Gasol shoved him back toward the bench.

He doesn't sound any dumber than Amare and Diaw when they did the same thing, and he definitely doesn't sound as dumb as Nash did when he was trying to convince people that Raja didn't deserve a suspension for clotheslining Kobe.

 

[Chaplin]

Maybe, but honestly, can you imagine Michael Jordan or Karl Malone or Kareem or Laimbeer needing a stretcher after a play like that? Come on.

Come on. You know for a fact that if they are unclear what kind of injury it is (and they clearly didn't know for sure), they take every precaution. That's exactly what happened.

 

[KloD]

He doesn't sound any dumber than Amare and Diaw when they did the same thing, and he definitely doesn't sound as dumb as Nash did when he was trying to convince people that Raja didn't deserve a suspension for clotheslining Kobe.

First, if memory serves me correct.. Amare and Diaw didn't argue they broke the rule. They pointed out that they never got near the fight or an opposing player. I think most people agreed that the rule needed to be adjusted on a per case inspection of events and to suspend them was overkill.

I don't recall what Nash said, I'm sure thought that concidering it was the playoffs, he didn't want to lose a starter. I'm also sure he wasn't trying to convince us we didn't see an infraction as I am confident Bell didn't try to claim he had not done what everyone just saw him do.

Silly post man and hardly a defense of Odems idiocy. You'll also note that I titled it "IDIOT OF THE DAY", that to me represents there's more than one each day, let alone many over all days.

 

[Andrew]

If Amar'e and Diaw were suspended, it is only fair Odom is.

I think Ariza deserved at least a 1 game suspension.

 

[Suns_fan69]

This play seems remarkably similar to the Al Horford TJ Ford incident:



FYI, Horford was suspended one game for that.

 

[Bufalay]

First, if memory serves me correct.. Amare and Diaw didn't argue they broke the rule. They pointed out that they never got near the fight or an opposing player. I think most people agreed that the rule needed to be adjusted on a per case inspection of events and to suspend them was overkill.

I don't recall what Nash said, I'm sure thought that concidering it was the playoffs, he didn't want to lose a starter. I'm also sure he wasn't trying to convince us we didn't see an infraction as I am confident Bell didn't try to claim he had not done what everyone just saw him do.

Silly post man and hardly a defense of Odems idiocy. You'll also note that I titled it "IDIOT OF THE DAY", that to me represents there's more than one each day, let alone many over all days.

Nash said something about how he didn't think Bell should've been suspended since Kwame wasn't suspended for throwing Diaw on the floor and "putting his crotch in his face".

Amare said that he was running to check into the game.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Can his arse for a game Stu, hell.. make it three for insulting us all with his pathetic attempt to rewrite history and for using a double negative. He not only walked into the pushing and shoving, he got in Roy's face until Gasol shoved him back toward the bench.

The only way I see Odom not getting suspended is if Stu reviews the tape and determines that Odom did not leave the "bench area and step onto the court." He was out of bounds near the Lakers bench, where the assistant coaches had undoubtedly guided them after the play. It just so happens that the "altercation" was out of bounds and close to the bench area. I think he was approached by a Blazer and moved to confront him before being shoved back.

The league should more clearly define this rule or toss it out completely.

 

[dodie53]

Odom should be suspended,
he clearly left the bench area.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think a flagrant 2 on Ariza is appropriate. However, I really did not see the intent to injure. I think frequently flagrant 2 fouls are given out based more on how hard a player hits the floor rather than based on the foul itself. I think in many cases flagrant 2s are used to control the players and the fans reaction to the situation. The referees tend to react quickly just due to keep the situation from getting out of control.

 

[Suns_fan69]

The league should more clearly define this rule or toss it out completely.

Agreed completely. It's way too arbitrary right now. The purpose of the rule, as I understand it, is to prevent further escalation in conflicts. I would argue that LO was closer to escalating things than either Amare or Diaw were but he never stepped on the court.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

The rule doesnt deal with entering the court, it deals with leaving the vicinity of the bench, and Odom went from the vicinity of the bench to the vicinity of the altercation. There was a blatant border of where the action was, and Odom went there.

 

[AnotherHOMER]

I just saw the replay. I was expecting something worse.

****

 

[TheKid_1]

Odom gets one game, Ariza gets nothing.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3968577

What bothers me the most about this stupid rule is that basically Stern is saying that what amare and diaw did in the playoffs was just as bad as what Odom did here. Odom actually reached the scuffle and actually got into it a bit with Roy (look at the 1.40 mark of the clip). I think this rule needs to be changed badly.

 

[cobbler]

I think a flagrant 2 on Ariza is appropriate. However, I really did not see the intent to injure. I think frequently flagrant 2 fouls are given out based more on how hard a player hits the floor rather than based on the foul itself. I think in many cases flagrant 2s are used to control the players and the fans reaction to the situation. The referees tend to react quickly just due to keep the situation from getting out of control.

Good post!

 

[cobbler]

Odom gets one game, Ariza gets nothing.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3968577

What bothers me the most about this stupid rule is that basically Stern is saying that what amare and diaw did in the playoffs was just as bad as what Odom did here. Odom actually reached the scuffle and actually got into it a bit with Roy (look at the 1.40 mark of the clip). I think this rule needs to be changed badly.

Good rule or bad rule... Amare, Diaw, and Odom left the bench. They all got suspended. End of story.

 

[Brianellsworth]

Cobbler of course you are going to comment with those responses you are a Lakers homer. come on bro

 

[KloD]

I understand the rule, it's easy to say whether a player left the bench area or not. Keeps it simple for everyone involved, the league can clearly see when the rule is broken and the players know (should know Odem.. cough) when they have broken it. It seems unfair at times, but there's no arguing it. A player leaving the bench, whether they actually get involved encourages players from the other bench to enter and then who knows if all hell breaks loose.

Of course when Amare and Diaq were suspended I was pissed much like everyone and felt the penalty unfair. But, If I recall I was more mad that Duncan was not given the same punishment when a game or two earlier he left the bench and got at least 10-12 feet onto the court during an arguement and nothing was done.

Overall the rule is good, it just sucks that a guy could do nothing other than walk towards, but never get involved and another can leave his bench and shove a guy and the same penalty is given.

 

[D-Dogg]

Huh.

I love Rudy, hope he is ok soon.

Lamar definitely deserved the game suspension.

Ariza definitely did NOT deserve a suspension, and good that he didn't get one.

The Portland announcers, per usual, are whiny douchebags.

There is Laker kryptonite buried deep within the Rose Garden. They just suck out loud in that building.