(2011)-2012 NBA Season

[Borgminister]

Should've been for the rest of this season and 25% of next season, if only to send a message. And you're right, Artest could've killed him had the elbow hit the temple.

That sage, Barkley, yesterday said Nash is old and should retire. Huh? Number 2 in assists for the year for a team like the Suns, and he's too old?

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Barkley is tripping.

Stern's reasoning was that they had to take into consideration all of Artest's "positive work" during last season and what all. I'm sorry, but that line of reasoning doesn't wash. It's as if someone in that room actually believes it was unintentional. Heat of the moment does not equal unintentional. How does a big, powerful man with the upper body strength of Artest draw his arm back that far unintentionally? I believe he got angry and over excited in the moment and succumbed to an angry impulse without thinking, just like he used to do. That's not worth at least ten games?

Hell, Traber my favorite idiot here on OKC radio was blasting the OKC fans for being mad and basically venting about MWP, saying he needed to be suspended for a good long time or banned. He opined that they were only angry because they were "homers." Traber's not from LA. I don't get him at all; he rants and raves about everything. He said it was worth no more than 5 games because of Artest's efforts to rehabilitate himself last year. Like any other city's fans wouldn't have been angry if Artest had done the same thing to one of their players. I'm sure the LA fans would be all zen if someone had given Kobe a concussion on the floor. Traber's a big time born again Christian.

 

[gblews]

I think 7 games is fair enough. It is a decent compromise between the usual overblown emotionalism over these types of things and allowing Metta to "go free". For the conspiracy theorists among us, think the commish was going to deprive himself of the monster ratings a potential second round meeting between Harden and World-Peace will almost surely garner? A 10 game or more suspension would likely have killed any possibility of that. This is, of course, assuming both teams make it to the second round. Or maybe he thought, "well I've already screwed the Lakers once this season..."

As for Harden, I read that he has already been cleared to play, and that's a good thing. But on that fateful play, the Lakers had just scored, so just what was the reason Harden, who was on offense at the time, was all up in Metta's body while W-P was on his way back up court? By many accounts Harden talks a lot of crap on the court and gets involved in petty one upsmanship mini games with opposing players regularly.

I'm not saying Met's 'bow was justified or that Harden deserved to get the holy fuck knocked out of him, but he was certainly not blameless in the situation. After his brain cells finally unscramble, I sure hope he finds the lessons to be learned here.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I'm not saying Met's 'bow was justified or that Harden deserved to get the holy fuck knocked out of him.

No, but you are insinuating it. I know players who have had concussions that can't even be with their team because the noise of the crowd gives them terrible migraines. He's cleared to play after this one, but if he gets a second, things will be far worse. There's no possible justification or mitigation for what happened.

 

[Neroon]

I fail to see any way Harden could be given any portion of blame on this play by Metta. Maybe it wasn't premeditated, but Metta still has the charge of controlling himself in any situation. I'e seen the replay over and over, and while he doesn't look to me like he's willfully hitting Harden.... Harden was no more than simply in the wrong place at the wrong time at worst. Metta has indeed improved over the seasons in controlling his anger but this demonstrates he still has demons that are not completely dealt with. Regardless, I cannot find any fault with Harden's action in this.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Thank you, Neroon.

Harden was getting in position for the inbounds pass. Players run over each other and bump each other all the time on changes of possession trying to gain position and get a little one upmanship going. I find it disturbing that anyone thinks that James is to blame. Yes, he's been cocky. I'm not saying he's a perfect little angel. So has Kobe, Artest, Westbrook and dozens of other players in the league when they get competitive. Kobe talked smack to Lebron during the all star game for crying out loud. They all bump up against each other, too, cross each others' paths, yell at each other etc etc. Do they "sort of have it coming" if they also get a concussion from an elbow? No, they don't. If James' head had been turned just a little he'd have caught that elbow right in the temple. That's scary. No, it wasn't premeditated but Artest allowed himself to give in to an angry impulse. It's on him. Is tip toeing around the out of bounds lines during every change of possession the "lesson" James was supposed to learn?

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I cannot find any fault with Harden's action in this.

There was talk on Sportscenter about Lakers fans trying to blame Harden. So I wasn't caught completely by surprise when I saw that post.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Oh I've read numerous comments from online discussions blaming Harden for the incident. Doesn't matter if an inbounds pass is coming in--you do not cross Metta's path or touch him. About 99.9% of them come from self identified Lakers' fans, or people who identify as being from the state of California. Although I was being tongue in cheek, these folks really think players are supposed to tip toe along the court boundaries and stay out of Metta's way. You can catch the inbounds pass from way over there, apparently. Don't get Metta "riled up" or you have it coming. Harden will "think twice" about touching him again. Harden's a "flopper" who learned what it's like to play "big boy" ball how the "real men" played in the 80s and what have you. They really admire Metta's toughness in teaching a lesson. Never mind that he could have killed him if he'd connected at a different point on his head. It doesn't matter. Harden shouldn't have made him mad by touching him.

I've read it more times than I care to remember; these same fans who would probably set fires to cars if anyone dared level Kobe Bryant like that--Kobe who's been every bit as mouthy as James Harden times ten during his career--they think Metta's a big man for what he did. Not all of them, but more than you'd think. It says something quite disturbing about what people consider "manly" behavior, no? It does to me, anyway.

 

[gblews]

I'm not saying Met's 'bow was justified or that Harden deserved to get the holy fuck knocked out of him.

No, but you are insinuating it.

I fail to see any way Harden could be given any portion of blame on this play by Metta.

Thank you, Neroon.

Harden was getting in position for the inbounds pass. Players run over each other and bump each other all the time on changes of possession trying to gain position and get a little one upmanship going.

After a made basket, the team that was scored upon attempts to inbound the ball from the back court baseline to a teammate in order to go on offense. One player takes the ball out of bounds and throws it inbounds to a teammate. The four (now) offensive players, in order to receive a pass, do not run toward a defensive player. They run away from the defensive players because the defenders are trying to steal the ball among other things. Harden ran toward Metta - actually came into contact with Metta the way a defensive player might have. They weren't tangled in a crowd under the basket after the score. There was no "basketball reason" for doing this. It was a totally unnecessary move by Harden. Watch any basketball game on any level and see if you see an inbounds play where the offensive guys run toward the defensive guys.

If Harden had not run toward Metta, he never would have gotten that shot to the skull. Harden was pulling one of those bush league plays where you try to disrupt the "celebration" of a significant play by the opponent by using physical contact, "riding" the celebrator as it were. It's meant to say, "chill, you ain't all that".

But I understand. To acknowledge this would be acknowledging that things aren't as easily black and white as we'd like them, right guys? Look, Metta didn't seek Harden out for that blow. Harden sought him out and, I'll write it again, if Harden had not run toward Metta and made contact with him, he never would have gotten that shot to the skull. Met overreacted and has been rightfully punished but Harden shares some of the blame in this ugly incident.

BTW, Dorian, please let me know the next time you see Kobe, LeBron, or even Westbrook, run up on a player like World Peace (DeMarcus Cousins, anyone?) and initiate unnecessary physical contact with that player while they are supposedly awaiting an inbounds pass. Even better, let me know the next time Harden does it.

 

[Borgminister]

Metta could've pushed him out of the way, not aimed an elbow in a blind-side to the head.

You are simply wrong, period, no matter what your team colors.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Oh my goodness, gblews. I'm sorry, but you are wrong on every level about this. Metta could have pushed him out of the way if he thought he was disrupting his celebration. I've seen players bump on a change of possession many times. Yes, it's one upmanship a little bit. All a part of the posturing that goes on when these men get uber competitive. Last Sunday was the first time I've seen any of them leveled with a concussion.

James Harden didn't have it coming. That's what you're saying and you're wrong. I'd say the exact same thing if one of the Thunder players had done that to Kobe, and I think Kobe's one of the bigger dicks playing the game. You don't deliberately aim a blow at someone's head like that. That is black and white. You don't. It's dangerous and it's one hundred percent Metta's fault. Obviously his anger issues are not resolved. I think he's due for an adjustment on his meds. The guy's mental. Even his friends say he's a head case.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Harden ran toward Metta - actually came into contact with Metta the way a defensive player might have. They weren't tangled in a crowd under the basket after the score. There was no "basketball reason" for doing this. It was a totally unnecessary move by Harden. Watch any basketball game on any level and see if you see an inbounds play where the offensive guys run toward the defensive guys.

Here is a video, so everyone can judge.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1RluZdEUeo[/yt]

As you can see, he walked towards the baseline to catch the inbound pass. As long as the Lakers aren't pressing, this is a perfectly logical move. Artest will just run pass him and he can catch the ball. So, no, you're not right.

 

[gblews]

Metta could've pushed him out of the way, not aimed an elbow in a blind-side to the head.

James Harden didn't have it coming.

I think the two of you have missed my point. I never wrote that Harden had it coming - only that his attempt to "body up" with Metta in a little macho gamesmanship was part of the problem.

Harden ran toward Metta - actually came into contact with Metta the way a defensive player might have. They weren't tangled in a crowd under the basket after the score. There was no "basketball reason" for doing this. It was a totally unnecessary move by Harden. Watch any basketball game on any level and see if you see an inbounds play where the offensive guys run toward the defensive guys.

Here is a video, so everyone can judge.

As you can see, he walked towards the baseline to catch the inbound pass. As long as the Lakers aren't pressing, this is a perfectly logical move. Artest will just run pass him and he can catch the ball. So, no, you're not right.

Watch Harden's feet only. He makes two distinct steps to his left, right into Metta's path (although you call this "walking to the baseline"). You cannot say he didn't see Met because Harden was facing him. Then Harden's hands go up in what appears to be an attempt to block Metta's path to the other end of the floor - force W-P to run around him - and then, boom.

If Harden takes two steps to his right, he is wide open. Why also was Harden not headed back to his end of the court? The Thunder's point guard was wide open on the other side of the baseline and as you correctly point out, the Lakers weren't pressing. So why would the Thunder need two guys to bring the ball up with no pressure? Harden's reason for hanging back, I think, had nothing to do with bringing the ball up.

This is an argument about "intent" and I believe Harden's intent was to give Metta a little bit of "the business". James does not get the benefit of the doubt from me here because he has a reputation for taunting and talking crap on court.

Metta's reaction, as I have already stated, was wrong. It was brutal and James' childish stunt didn't warrant that type of aggression. If the two had been jockeying for position during play and Metta let him have it, I would agree that Harden is likely blameless, but this did not happen during play - the ball was out of bounds. The play was totally avoidable IF Harden doesn't push up on Metta.

Harden didn't "deserve" what he got for what he did, but what he did is what prevents him from saying his hands are completely clean.

BTW, you realize that telling me that I'm wrong doesn't magically make me wrong, right?

 

[Alidar Jarok]

No, but being wrong usually goes a long way.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

In other news, the Charlotte Bobcats have officially had the worst NBA season ever, beating the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers (affectionately known as the 9-73ers). However, the Sixers did have an identical win percentage after 66 games so it's possible the Bobcats could have pulled off two more wins as well.

But I'll post a quick tribute to the previous record-holder:
story

The Sixers finally won, at Houston, on Nov. 11. By then, some Philadelphia newspapers had stopped traveling with them. But Rubin wanted to make sure the fans learned of his first NBA win. So late that night, he telephoned a sleeping Dolson, who recounted the conversation in his 1981 book, The Philadelphia Story: A City of Winners.

"Is this you, Frank?"

"Uh, yes. Who's this?"

"This is Roy."

"Roy who?"

"Roy Rubin [pause]. Of the 76ers. . . . We beat the Houston Rockets. . . . I figured you'd probably have some questions you'd want to ask me. So go ahead. Shoot."

"Well, there is one thing."

"Yeah, yeah, what's that?"

"Do you have any idea what time it is?"

 

[Borgminister]

Sounds like Wilfred Brimley and Stephen Colbert...

Let the playoffs begin!

 

[Dorian Thompson]

I am sitting here in disbelief that Rose hurt himself again. With a minute left in the game no less. Just because he was limping gingerly doesn't mean he doesn't have a torn ligament. If it's the ACL, he'll be lucky to be rehabbed in time for the beginning of next season. If he's done, the Bulls are done. Stick a fork in them. Don't get me wrong, I don't wish Rose ill--it's just that it's beyond belief how injury prone he is. And now the Heat will win the East for sure. Balls.

Does he not have a proper strength and conditioning program? I know nothing about the Bulls trainers. Are they shit or something? Do they push them too hard to come back from injuries before they're ready? Rose has had enough "bad luck" to last a decade. Where he was grabbing his knee, it sure looked like someone who'd hurt his ACL. Maybe he'll get "lucky" and it will just be a severe third degree sprain or something.

 

[gblews]

If my memory is correct, Rose's injury proneness has only been this past season. I don't recall him missing many games before this season. And this season his injuries have all been to different parts of the body so it seems like just a streak of bad luck - similar to what Andrew Bynum went through for a few years. Has he been diagnosed? I didn't hear Rose had a torn ACL.

The Bulls can and will likely get by this first round and maybe the next without Rose - this team is VERY well coached and the east is weak. But even if they make it to the conference finals without him, assuming the Heat don't screw up, I'de have to say that it does not look like the Bulls will get to the NBA Finals.

Celtics have an outside chance of getting to the conference finals. I haven't looked at the east brackets but if they are in the same one with the Heat, I am officially worried. The Celts cannot be allowed to get even a shot at the Finals and if they eliminate the Heat, they have to be a pretty good bet to get to the championship round. Come on Atlanta, are you guys ever going to show some balls?

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Yeah, the Sixers simply aren't good enough or consistent enough to win, so the Bulls will pull out either way. Does anyone know the extent of the injury yet?

 

[Dorian Thompson]

They took him to the hospital, presumably to get an MRI. It's the way he was holding it that made everyone, myself included, think it might be a ligament tear.