Matt Barnes' Taunt - Grounds for NBA Review?

[jmb987]

I thought it was right in Kobe's face when I first saw it, but the more and more I see the gif, and the replay of the game, it looks like it was off to Kobe's side. I'm surprised neither has been asked about it in an interview yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoLM4XTZWxc&feature=player_embedded


And LOL @ people thinking he wasn't trying to make Kobe flinch. Hilarious. Definitely doesn't deserve a fine/suspension though.

[Patty Mills]

U can see in the gif, if it was towards kobes face, it wouldve hit.

[the_warden]

"No such thing as a (Kobe stopper) he's the badest man n the league. He had 35pts 2day. I jus try 2 make him work 4 every point. Respect!!!"

[Ito]

From the angle that is being shown everywhere it looks like he pump fakes it right in Kobe's face but I played the game again on my tvo and I saw it at another angle and Barnes faked it to the left of Kobe. Kobe was just mean mugging Barnes and the media only shows that one angle. Also if you watch any replay you would think there would be some kind of a reaction from the immediate crowd. You can even tell from this .gif if you look again..



Kobe is standing to the right of Barnes at an angle.

Lol, even with that gif it's still nearly impossible to see where Kobe's face was to the side of Barnes. Watching it in Slow Motion, you can't even tell if it was on the left/right side from this angle.

^ If the gif shows that the ball had passed through the left side of Kobe's face, showing depth of an angle existing, then I'd buy it, but it clearly doesn't. And their bodies are depthly symmetrical in the foreground too!

Anyway, what do you Laker fans think? Do you feel he deserves a fine?

And for everyone else, if Barnes did this to your fav player like Lebron, Carmelo, Dirk, or Wade, what would you think?

it's REALLY clear. On ESPN you couldnt tell because they froze it and zoomed in a lil on the ball so it looked like it was exactly at kobe's face... but on that GIF you can see it clearly that kobe was on the side of the ball

[eatyourchildren]

It seems clear to me he's ball faking it into Kobe's face. Look at Barnes' face as he does it, the way he acts as he does the ball fake. It all seems like he was doing it to get a reaction out of Kobe.

[Ito]

It seems clear to me he's ball faking it into Kobe's face. Look at Barnes' face as he does it, the way he acts as he does the ball fake. It all seems like he was doing it to get a reaction out of Kobe.

If you look at Barnes, then yeah maybe I guess.. but look at the BALL and look at KOBE... Kobe is on the side.. stay looking at it for a while like I did, it's clear kobe was lil bit to the side

[jmb987]

It seems clear to me he's ball faking it into Kobe's face. Look at Barnes' face as he does it, the way he acts as he does the ball fake. It all seems like he was doing it to get a reaction out of Kobe.

If you look at Barnes, then yeah maybe I guess.. but look at the BALL and look at KOBE... Kobe is on the side.. stay looking at it for a while like I did, it's clear kobe was lil bit to the side

And if you listen to what Kobe said after, it's clear he was ball faking it into Kobe's face. I think Kobe had the best angle out of all of us, don't you guys think?

[Hilltop]

Better question is, if it was LeBron who ball-faked it into Kobe's face, do you think he would've flinched?

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

The no flinch is awsome.

[Fobbie]

WTF is Kobe doing? hand not even up, and he not even attempting to play any sort of D lol.

Kobe too cool for out of bound defense

[DumbyTheWizard]

Better question is, if it was LeBron who ball-faked it into Kobe's face, do you think he would've flinched?

Definitely. But if Lebron tryed that on MJ he wouldnt have.

[GreenWithEnvy]

Was Barnes' taunt before or after he got smacked in the crotch while dunking and then forearmed in the chest upon landing by Kobe?

[Asianiac_24]

If it was LeBron getting taunted, Barnes would of gotten a flagrant foul and a 3 game suspension right after the game

[Dupp]

no. i liked it, and kobes non reaction was even better.

but this is even better again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jz_XbkCbWb4

[RookieStar]

You guys didn't talk about what's clearly the most important issue here... Kobe didn't flinch!

[Hilltop]

no. i liked it, and kobes non reaction was even better.

but this is even better again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jz_XbkCbWb4

Kobe didn't flinch there either, good find.

[KDoverLBJanyday]

Barnes' parting shot regarding Kobe: "If he's going to throw elbows, I'm not just going to let him do it . . . Kobe is a killer. He has that killer instinct. If you let him mentally get to you, you don't have a chance."

http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... -punk-us/1

[Mamba Venom]

Its fine

Lets play in the Finals again.

Loved LOs comments about getting him a cape w/ some mexican words on it becauses its all show, hes a mexican wrestler.

[Hilltop]

Better question is, if it was LeBron who ball-faked it into Kobe's face, do you think he would've flinched?

Definitely. But if Lebron tryed that on MJ he wouldnt have.

So does this mean MJ > LeBron > Kobe?

[OrlChamps2030]

Its fine

Lets play in the Finals again.

Loved LOs comments about getting him a cape w/ some mexican words on it becauses its all show, hes a mexican wrestler.

Ric Flair is a Mexican Wrestler???? LO needs to get you some glasses.