A Fine Line Between Dirty and Reckless

Last "dirty" post for a while. I promise.

almost 3 years ago Jeff Clark 12 comments 0 recs |

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Ariza

should be suspended for at least five games. I hope this is a negative turning point for the Lakers.

by The Real Large James 2 on Mar 10, 2009 5:13 PM EDT reply actions

Won't be suspended at all....

He won’t be suspended at all. None of the Lakers has been suspended this year no matter how many players they injure.

by liamail on Mar 10, 2009 5:18 PM EDT reply actions

Exactly this is not the first time the Lakers have been reckless/dirty. It is a danger to any team that gets on the floor with the Lakers esp. this year.

by NoraG1 on Mar 10, 2009 5:22 PM EDT reply actions

What the Fakers really don’t understand is that being tough and being physical has a lot more to do with your preparation, intensity, aggressiveness, focus, and mental approach to the game, than it does with bouncing guys around. Sure, the Fakers weren’t very tough in the Finals last year. The C’s made sure to put a body on everyone, and nobody got anything easy. But there were no hatchet jobs.

Yes, Perk and KG are very physical. You’ll get an extra bump from these guys, even after the whistle sometimes. You won’t get anything easy going to the basket. They protect what’s there’s. They rattle your cage to get in your head. Pose did this as well.

Remember Odom pushing Ray into the Faker bench late in the 4th quarter of the regular season game in LA last year? They were getting their heads handed to them, similar to the Portland game last night.

Was that being tough? Were they a tougher team from then on because of that? Were the Fakers tough in Game 6 last June?

Answer: NO, to all of the above.

You want to be tough? Then bring it every night. Have the mental toughness it takes to overcome a 20+ point deficit on the road in the Finals.

The Celtics understand this. The Fakers are just that…fakers.

- JoeB

by joeb on Mar 10, 2009 5:52 PM EDT reply actions

Physical does not mean breaking the rules

Spot on Joeb. The Lakers’ searched for an excuse for their own performance against the C’s last year and decided that they lost because the Celts played very physically. And in trying to justify their rather stinging defeats, they also decided that the Celts were “too rough.” Nevermind the C’s are generally smaller than the Lakers. Anyway . . .

So now the Lakers (and also other teams) will sometimes play like they think the Celts play. It is an exaggerated imitation, but they think that this imagined ferocity has become acceptable in the NBA. IMHO it is THIS type of play that is truly dangerous. Escalating the risks to other players is not the direction this League needs to be heading.

Does all this make the Lakers evil? Not really. They were already evil.

by Thruthelookingglass on Mar 11, 2009 9:38 AM EDT up reply actions

This is the exact kind of play the NBA needs to prevent. A message needs to be sent that if you play dangerous, you will be suspended for it.

Anything less on the NBA’s part is gross neglegance and should be taken up by the players association. Not punishing players for these types of plays will only lead to more players getting seriously injured.

by D Dub on Mar 10, 2009 6:33 PM EDT reply actions

And the Double Standard for Lamar Odom is a JOKE.

The rule is very clear, you leave the bench you incur a suspension. I can’t wait to hear Stern’s b.s. reason for allowing the Lakers to play at full strength for the rest of their road trip.

If Kobe can’t win it all this year, with all that the league is gift wrapping him, he NEVER will.

by D Dub on Mar 10, 2009 6:37 PM EDT reply actions

No worries

Odom is suspended 1 game, just as he should be ( http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3968577 ). Comes at a good time from a race for homecourt perspective too, with the Lakers at Houston; could be another ‘L’ for LA.

by Berkcelt on Mar 10, 2009 7:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Don’t like it, don’t read it. You have a choice…

by NoraG1 on Mar 10, 2009 7:53 PM EDT reply actions

This guy plays for the Lakers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV5nQB8rZP8&feature=related

by BOSPORTS on Mar 10, 2009 8:00 PM EDT reply actions

IMHO, celtics fans should understand that fanatical hatred of the lakersand their fans is a reasonable position for celtics fans to take. And nothing can or should ever change that.

by wahz on Mar 10, 2009 9:26 PM EDT reply actions