Should Taj Gibson be suspended for Game 2?

[paulpressey25]

Emunney started the discussion from the other thread with this note:

I wonder if there's any chance Gibson gets suspended for game 2.

From http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_12.html:

l. A player, coach or trainer must be ejected for:
(1) A punching foul
(2) A fighting foul
(3) An elbow foul which makes contact above shoulder level

So he should have been ejected, which means he gets suspended for game 2, correct?

I look at the sequence below and that elbow is above shoulder level clearly. Further I recall that Gibson was flailing the elbows earlier in that same sequence where he was being ball pressured. I think that fact that the elbow to OJ's throat came later in the sequence tells you it wasn't a normal arm clearing reaction after a rebound.

[paulpressey25]

Here is the Scott Williams flagrant on Iverson that got upgraded from F1 to F2 the next day and got Williams suspended.

The play starts at the 20 second mark of the video. You guys be the judge which was worse. Taj's looks a whole lot more malicious.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kayoLtEzf4o[/youtube]

[AFMan]

Definitely.

And Bucks will get a bigger chance in Game 2.

[Cold Crush 24]

As a Bucks fan, yes. As a basketball fan, no. I think he was looking to clear out. Flagrant 1, yes. Flagrant 2, probably not.

[The Wet Whistle]

No

[Zeezprah]

well if the rules say he should, then yea he should.

i really wouldn't lose an ounce of sleep. throwing elbows like that is so fricken dangerous, hate when players do it.

[paulpressey25]

As a Bucks fan, yes. As a basketball fan, no. I think he was looking to clear out. Flagrant 1, yes. Flagrant 2, probably not.

Yeah, but you can't throw elbows to the throat to clear out just because guys are reaching in.

I didn't see Mike Prada is already on this.

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/4/18/8 ... hard-elbow

[Aaron It Out]

He should be suspended for the rest of the series imo.

[paulpressey25]

This Vine gives a better view showing that Taj was starting out throwing elbows down low and then deliberately moves to high.

Props to Emunney on this one with the rulebook. I think Taj will be out for game 2. Otherwise the NBA starts letting the Bill Cartwright era of allowing high elbows to resume.



More on it here with that H/T for that vine.
http://fansided.com/2015/04/18/taj-gibs ... ant-video/

[JustinCredible]

Taj always is tough against us but I'm not sure I want to see Mirotic get a bunch of minutes either.

[Shaffty]

Taj always is tough against us but I'm not sure I want to see Mirotic get a bunch of minutes either.

Giannis can beat Mirotic on the offensive end.

[Buck Dweller]

Taj always is tough against us but I'm not sure I want to see Mirotic get a bunch of minutes either.

Giannis can beat Mirotic on the offensive end.

Jimmy Butler was on Giannis. I think Mirotic would be on Ersan


Sent from my iPod touch using RealGM Forums

[CannondaleF400]

No way he is suspended

[LittleRooster]

Here is the Scott Williams flagrant on Iverson that got upgraded from F1 to F2 the next day and got Williams suspended.

The play starts at the 20 second mark of the video. You guys be the judge which was worse. Taj's looks a whole lot more malicious.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kayoLtEzf4o[/youtube]

I completely disagree, actually. I think William's looks worse.

I haven't looked at that in years and it's the first time I've felt they were probably right in suspending Williams, which pains me to say that

ETA: I think that vine does a poor job of giving context to the foul

[Miasma]

That Williams play is more like a high foraerm shiver where the force is exerted evenly on a flat surface. Doesn't look like the point of the elbow hit Iverson at all (that play actually makes me like Williams even more - making guys second guess driving down low). Where the line should be drawn is roundhouse swings with the point of the elbow that can cause broken bones or concussions.

[Newz]

Does it matter?

[InsideOut]

Maybe I'm naive but I think he is just trying to rip the ball away and is not intentionally trying to get OJ in the neck or head. In the first video OJ is directly behind him so I question if he can even see where OJ's neck is at. I also feel when you are bent over the natural reaction is to rip the ball up and away. I'd go F1 but can see he case for F2.

[Sky Bucks]

Should he, probably. Will he, no.

[IrishRainbow]

Scotty's shot looks more like a flat wing to the pec...Taj's shot is way beyond clearing a board. If that connects right OJ ends up concussed with a broken eye socket and his season is over. The clearing elbows need to be curtailed with stricter parameters.

[MikeIsGood]

Intent or context really doesn't matter, does it? By the rulebook, yes, he should be suspended. It was an elbow, and it was above the shoulders. It doesn't matter that he was clearing out, had been swarmed, probably fouled, etc. I think it's pretty black-and-white.

That's not to say that he will be, but if the question is whether or not he should be, it seems pretty clear.