Nene, Blair, Orton Silas Suspended For Wizards' Regular Season Opener

Post #1 » by **RealGM Wiretap** » Thu Oct 9, 2014 2:55 pm

DeJuan Blair, Nene, Daniel Orton and Xavier Silas of the Washington Wizards have each been suspended for one game for leaving their team's bench area in Monday's preseason game against the Chicago Bulls.

The players left the bench during an altercation between Joakim Noah and Paul Pierce.

The NBA said the suspensions will be served by the players during the first regular-season game in which the players are physically able to play.

Via ESPN

Post #2 » by **pbj** » Thu Oct 9, 2014 3:29 pm

Definitely sounds like the actions of a championship contender

Rated T By CBRA · Post #3 » by **Rated T By CBRA** » Thu Oct 9, 2014 3:52 pm

They can thank Jermaine O'Neil, Ron Artest & the Pacer/Detroit brawl for this harsh disciplinary action

AWillFan20 · Post #4 » by **AWillFan20** » Thu Oct 9, 2014 5:23 pm

Rated T By CBRA wrote:They can thank Jermaine O'Neil, Ron Artest & the Pacer/Detroit brawl for this harsh disciplinary action

Except that rule had existed long before that happened.

"in 1995, the National Basketball Association changed the penalty for leaving the bench to participate in a brawl from a $500 fine to an automatic one-game suspension."

Arsilva · Post #5 » by **Arsilva** » Thu Oct 9, 2014 6:52 pm

Rated T By CBRA wrote:They can thank Jermaine O'Neil, Ron Artest & the Pacer/Detroit brawl for this harsh disciplinary action

The Spurs (now the "good guys" team) also thanks them.....it it wasn't for this brawl and its consequences, they wouldn't have the benefit of playing game 5 against the Suns without Stoudamire and Boris Diaw in 2007 playoffs....the series was 2-2 and the next game was very tight.

keynote · Post #6 » by **keynote** » Thu Oct 9, 2014 9:23 pm

It's a silly rule, but the NBA is even sillier with how they've enforced it here. The altercation started during a dead ball (while the refs were reviewing the video to determine whether Pierce's bump was a flagrant foul). Bench players leave the bench and mill about during dead balls all the time -- as evidenced by the fact the Bulls who left the bench during the altercation were *not* penalized.

So, the NBA's enforcement of this rule amounts to the fact that, in their minds, Nene & co. strayed *too far* from the bench -- not that they left the bench at all. That sounds extremely subjective to me.