Will Rafer Alston be suspended?

Ball Don't Lie has the video and asks "what was he thinking?"

"The question now? Does that slap constitute a punch, which results in an automatic (no matter the context) one-game (at least) suspension? Or does the open hand keep Alston within the bounds of the legal?"

almost 3 years ago Jeff Clark 21 comments 0 recs |

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its true

what the heck was he thinking?

by fletchercail on May 7, 2009 7:47 AM EDT reply actions

Always

You’ll always be Skip to My Lou. A street baller, never a champion.

"I don't hate anyone, at least not for more than 48 minutes, barring overtime."
-Sir Charles Barkley

by Major-Tom on May 7, 2009 7:52 AM EDT reply actions

Tell...

…Earl Monroe that being a street ball player and a world champion are mutually exclusive.

by ChainSmokingLikeDino on May 7, 2009 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions

splitting hairs

it shouldn’t matter if it was open-handed or closed fist. it was an intentional, deliberate striking of an opposing player. The fact that the stricken player was facing away from him should seal the deal for a suspension.

As stated in the broadcast, failure to act on this by the league will send the message to the players that this is permitted.

Dumb move by Alston should be penalized. A fine is insufficient to get the point across.

by slamtheking on May 7, 2009 7:54 AM EDT reply actions

Eh

This one wouldn’t surprise me if it went either way, the league hasn’t been consistent in doling out suspensions so far this postseason, I’d be surprised if they started now.

by celticspride003 on May 7, 2009 8:16 AM EDT reply actions

Gotta agree

And the fact that the blow went to the head isn’t consistent either. We all remember what Rondo did to Miller’s face. Granted that was on a basketball play but still…

by Reddo on May 7, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions

It stinks, but you've got to suspend him. You can't really just be going around slapping

players in the head. Imagine Perk slapping Howard in the head after Howard dunks on him. Not cool at all. But, I agree, at this point who knows what the league will do.

by eastie Rich on May 7, 2009 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions

check it out

i like how Eddie’s headband does a wave when he gets slapped!

by GreenPride on May 7, 2009 8:21 AM EDT reply actions

hey, he took a swing-goodbye. just do not do eddie to even things out.

by nazzbo on May 7, 2009 9:02 AM EDT reply actions

I've Seen KG Hit His Own Teammates Harder.

"I don't come to play, I come to WIN"--Larry Bird
"Criminally Negligent Officiating"--Tommy Heinsohn

by TrueGreen on May 7, 2009 9:04 AM EDT reply actions

Haha … true, true.

by Who on May 7, 2009 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions

I’d rather not see him suspended. I don’t want asterisks or excuses for why the Magic win or lose. That being said, I think they probably do suspend him. The difference in this incident is that Eddie didn’t have the ball and it was definitely intentional. No way can anyone say that it was a play on the ball.

Perk and Powe... the Next Big Thing

by FLCeltsFan on May 7, 2009 9:27 AM EDT reply actions

I hear what you're saying

…but I’ll take the wins however we can get them. People can say what they want. We’re without 2 of our top 6 players. I’ll take a suspension of their erratic point guard.

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V

by Jeff Clark on May 7, 2009 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions