Metta World Peace elbow to Harden

[Neutral 123]

What they did in that Dallas series wasn't intentional and cowardly? That shot Bynum gave Barea while he was in the air was almost as dangerous as what Artest did today. The history is there man.

Intentional and Cowardly? Yes. Evidence towards them trying to take someone out as a means to gain some sort of competitive edge? No.

Also 1 or 2 isolated incidents =/= history.

That would be harder to prove, but I don't think the league needs to prove it. If that is the result, and it keeps happening with the same team, fine them heavily whether it's intentional or not. There were SEVERAL plays in that Dallas series that players from Dallas had good reason to retaliate and players getting suspended would have hurt a team that luckily kept their heads and won a title. It's also curious that he did this to OKC and not a meaningless game against Sacramento. Now OKC is facing Harden possibly missing extended time. If we know it's intentional and a dangerous cheap shot, there is no reason to give them the benefit of the doubt. This isn't a criminal trial.

[RamonSessions7]

Harden ran up behind him while he wasn't looking and positioned himself low in a defensive stance to take a flop.

He put himself there to flop. He did not think he was going to take a hit but he ended up taking one because he didn't fall out in a flop fast enough like he had already done this year. He knew the game was turning momentum wise as he tried to re-pull a stunt he had done this year when his team was losing momentum.

He took a calculated gamble and got hurt because of his own choices.

I don't disagree that Harden *could have* been putting himself in that position to flop, draw the foul, and swing momentum in the game. Given what I have seen in the past it is in the repertoire of Harden. Fair enough.

But.... and it is a big one...

That is absolutely no excuse for what Artest did to respond to Harden's actions. None. Sorry.

If a guy who has a history (and this description is being hard on Harden, so apologies to J.H. fans) of tossing himself out in front of nearly-stopped traffic at intersections in order to make money through insurance fraud actually gets hit by a drunk driver 5 seconds before he attempted his latest scheme... he still got hit by a drunk driver.

Ron was wrong. Period. He has to pay for it.

This is good

[marty264]

When viewing from the side angle, Harden appears to be backing away from Artest before the Elbow flies.

[AllzGudInDaHood]

Did Bynum get knocked out of the game with a concussion?

Oh please...Harden was gonna come back in the game until Sam Presti told him he had to sit down to make the hit look worse and get a bigger suspension for World Peace. Considering the Thunder are slated to play the Lakers, a World-Peace-less Lakers could have that much more trouble in the first round and make it easier for the Thunder to get to the WCF.

He has a concussion and wasn't cleared to play. Are you really that ignorant or just trolling?

I guess you were too busy posting here to see Harden walk out after halftime and have Lisa Salters report that he passed all of the tests and he felt he was cleared and ready to play (per him). He was held out for "precautionary reasons" after he walked out onto the court and a Thunder official told him he had to sit out.

[bjax24]

I genuinely believe Artest didn't mean to do it, but in the heat of all that momentum and excitement he did a knee jerk reaction elbow to the temple when he felt Harden behind him. If it was all ill intent i think he woulda made some eye contact or something.. That said he needs a few games off so he learns to control that.

[kblo247]

Harden ran up behind him while he wasn't looking and positioned himself low in a defensive stance to take a flop.

He put himself there to flop. He did not think he was going to take a hit but he ended up taking one because he didn't fall out in a flop fast enough like he had already done this year. He knew the game was turning momentum wise as he tried to re-pull a stunt he had done this year when his team was losing momentum.

He took a calculated gamble and got hurt because of his own choices.

I don't disagree that Harden *could have* been putting himself in that position to flop, draw the foul, and swing momentum in the game. Given what I have seen in the past it is in the repertoire of Harden. Fair enough.

But.... and it is a big one...

That is absolutely no excuse for what Artest did to respond to Harden's actions. None. Sorry.

If a guy who has a history (and this description is being hard on Harden, so apologies to J.H. fans) of tossing himself out in front of nearly-stopped traffic at intersections in order to make money through insurance fraud actually gets hit by a drunk driver 5 seconds before he attempted his latest scheme... he still got hit by a drunk driver.

Ron was wrong. Period. He has to pay for it.

I never said don't suspend Ron. I said 3 games is good as two are playoff games which means they are valued more. I said Harden got taught a lesson to not do that stupid **** again at least to him or the Lakers. If Ron ran up and hit him, turned around and saw him and then hit him, or so on I'd say Ron deserves 1000% blame. Harden initiated the scenario and tried to set up the dominoes, just got truly knocked the **** out and that is on him as well as he intentionally put himself in the place and time to be hit

2 things should come from this

1) Ron gets his 3 game suspension since 2 are playoff games

2) Harden stops doing that bs as he thought it was cute when he pulled it off before on Dallas, but he got rocked and could have been hurt today all because of his own calculated gamble back firing. There is no place in basketball for guys to fake elbows to the head or position themselves to take one just to swing the momentum of a game and get a guy tossed or a flagrant 1

[jman3134]

I was absolutely astonished that more OKC players did not rush to stand up to World Peace after that blow. I understand that he is a big guy, but that type of a hit merited a team fight imo. In the real world, if you leveled someone like that, you would get what is coming to you. Probably should be banned from basketball after that play.

That is PRECISELY the problem with these types of plays, and the league should look into teams that have a history of this sort of crap. Now if guys went and took swings at Artest which they should have done, they get suspended and really hurt themselves come playoff time.

Exactly the point. That's because it would "tarnish the image of the NBA". However, I would much rather have a bunch of men willing to fight and stand up for their teammates than a bunch of men reduced to cowardice in a moment where one of their teammates was in dire need of backing. The truth is that Ron Artest doesn't need anymore suspensions. He really needs a good ole fashion butt whooping. But, the league does not allow this to happen and I understand why.

With that said, I actually feel that people not stepping in is probably more reprehensible. And the fact that the league is willing to dish out suspensions left and right when players are drawn into these situations sort of feeds behavior like this.

[Neutral 123]

please!!! no worse than this. give me a break

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd-FLEDTfao[/youtube]

Did Bynum get knocked out of the game with a concussion?

So since Bynum didn't go down it's not a big deal?

I honestly think what Ron did was worse b/c of the outcome, but what Shaq did was clearly done with intent to get back at a player who just embarrassed him.

Ron was not trying to "get back" at anyone. In fact, I don't think he saw who he was hitting, just that a Thunder player was in his way.

So based on the outcome, Ron's a bigger douche. But based on the intent, Shaq is.

That hit was in retaliation to Bynum hitting him first. It was also a half hearted forearm, not a full wind up elbow to a man's temple. Bynum wasn't hurt because it wasn't a shot to seriously hurt him. Ron Artest was looking to seriously hurt someone with that vicious elbow.

[MastaStrategist]

What they did in that Dallas series wasn't intentional and cowardly? That shot Bynum gave Barea while he was in the air was almost as dangerous as what Artest did today. The history is there man.

Intentional and Cowardly? Yes. Evidence towards them trying to take someone out as a means to gain some sort of competitive edge? No.

Also 1 or 2 isolated incidents =/= history.

That would be harder to prove, but I don't think the league needs to prove it. If that is the result, and it keeps happening with the same team, fine them heavily whether it's intentional or not. There were SEVERAL plays in that Dallas series that players from Dallas had good reason to retaliate and players getting suspended would have hurt a team that luckily kept their heads and won a title. It's also curious that he did this to OKC and not a meaningless game against Sacramento. Now OKC is facing Harden possibly missing extended time. If we know it's intentional and a dangerous cheap shot, there is no reason to give them the benefit of the doubt. This isn't a criminal trial.

The point I don't think you get is that what happened with Dallas wasn't done to get a competitive advantage, which is your main argument for why it's so deplorable. What happened against Dallas was done during the last game in a sweep out of pure frustration.

Was it wrong? Yes

Was it done to get a competitive advantage? No

[DCsportsallday]

Oh please...Harden was gonna come back in the game until Sam Presti told him he had to sit down to make the hit look worse and get a bigger suspension for World Peace. Considering the Thunder are slated to play the Lakers, a World-Peace-less Lakers could have that much more trouble in the first round and make it easier for the Thunder to get to the WCF.

He has a concussion and wasn't cleared to play. Are you really that ignorant or just trolling?

I guess you were too busy posting here to see Harden walk out after halftime and have Lisa Salters report that he passed all of the tests and he felt he was cleared and ready to play (per him). He was held out for "precautionary reasons" after he walked out onto the court and a Thunder official told him he had to sit out.

No the commentators then said he went back to the locker room because he was exhibiting concussion like symptoms while walking back to the court.

[Wooderson]

please!!! no worse than this. give me a break

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd-FLEDTfao[/youtube]

Did Bynum get knocked out of the game with a concussion?

So since Bynum didn't go down it's not a big deal?

I honestly think what Ron did was worse b/c of the outcome, but what Shaq did was clearly done with intent to get back at a player who just embarrassed him.

Ron was not trying to "get back" at anyone. In fact, I don't think he saw who he was hitting, just that a Thunder player was in his way.

So based on the outcome, Ron's a bigger douche. But based on the intent, Shaq is.

Between the whistles vs. after the whistle. Huge factor, yet you conveniently continue to ignore it.

[MastaStrategist]

thing is that if this wasn't by MWP, then there would be a greater reaction.

You lost me on that one

[taj2133]

Ron artest is just scum and worthless human being

[Black Feet]

please!!! no worse than this. give me a break

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd-FLEDTfao[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ_Dx2KWmnM[/youtube]

Why wasn't that monster banned from the league, oh my the horror. Bynum could have lost his head, Brad Miller more than likely would have lost his life.

[MastaStrategist]

please!!! no worse than this. give me a break

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd-FLEDTfao[/youtube]

Did Bynum get knocked out of the game with a concussion?

So since Bynum didn't go down it's not a big deal?

I honestly think what Ron did was worse b/c of the outcome, but what Shaq did was clearly done with intent to get back at a player who just embarrassed him.

Ron was not trying to "get back" at anyone. In fact, I don't think he saw who he was hitting, just that a Thunder player was in his way.

So based on the outcome, Ron's a bigger douche. But based on the intent, Shaq is.

Between the whistles vs. after the whistle. Huge factor, yet you conveniently continue to ignore it.[/quote]

Ummm, what whistle? On a made basket there is a 1 or 2 second delay while the team inbounds the ball. It's not like they called a foul, he ran up to Harden, and tried to knock him out.

[Kobe2ndFiddle]

Harden is extremely lucky lol.

9 time out of 10 that same blow would have knocked him out cold.

I can't believe he was cleared to come back in the game after that.

[CollegeToPros]

Where to begin. I don't even know. the hit was ridiculous and the people defending this are as bad because my head is hurting like Harden's trying to comprehend how someone defends a deliberate shot to the temple. Notice I didnt say bball court, bc in real life, YOU GO TO JAIL for this ****.

I don't think I will ever respond to a laker fans comments after seeing and reading all of this.

Actually, there have been plenty of non-laker fans who agreed he did not try to injure Harden and that it was just a heat-of-the-moment get out of my way swing.

people also get shot bc of spur of the moment madness

[theokie]

Oh please...Harden was gonna come back in the game until Sam Presti told him he had to sit down to make the hit look worse and get a bigger suspension for World Peace. Considering the Thunder are slated to play the Lakers, a World-Peace-less Lakers could have that much more trouble in the first round and make it easier for the Thunder to get to the WCF.

He has a concussion and wasn't cleared to play. Are you really that ignorant or just trolling?

I guess you were too busy posting here to see Harden walk out after halftime and have Lisa Salters report that he passed all of the tests and he felt he was cleared and ready to play (per him). He was held out for "precautionary reasons" after he walked out onto the court and a Thunder official told him he had to sit out.

I guess you were too busy posting to realize that Harden had a CONCUSSION
He probably won't play the rest of the regular season too. You really think thats some conspiracy to get MWP suspended longer?

[Neutral 123]

I was absolutely astonished that more OKC players did not rush to stand up to World Peace after that blow. I understand that he is a big guy, but that type of a hit merited a team fight imo. In the real world, if you leveled someone like that, you would get what is coming to you. Probably should be banned from basketball after that play.

That is PRECISELY the problem with these types of plays, and the league should look into teams that have a history of this sort of crap. Now if guys went and took swings at Artest which they should have done, they get suspended and really hurt themselves come playoff time.

Exactly the point. That's because it would "tarnish the image of the NBA". However, I would much rather have a bunch of men willing to fight and stand up for their teammates than a bunch of men reduced to cowardice in a moment where one of their teammates was in dire need of backing. The truth is that Ron Artest doesn't need anymore suspensions. He really needs a good ole fashion butt whooping. But, the league does not allow this to happen and I understand why.

With that said, I actually feel that people not stepping in is probably more reprehensible. And the fact that the league is willing to dish out suspensions left and right when players are drawn into these situations sort of feeds behavior like this.

The thing is, the league has already won on this issue. They tipping point was probably that Suns Spurs series. To me it's debatable what the best result here would be. Realistically, if they went after him, they might have got a couple of punches in. The first guys on the scene were Westbrook and Ibaka. They lose those two and possibly Harden whose status is up in the air, they might lose in the first round, and allow the team that took that cheap shot, an easier ride to the conference finals. OKC wins the battle, but loses the war. I think I'd get greater satisfaction from beating these guys in the 2nd round, than maybe getting a couple of shots in at Artest.

The league has taken the position that they will handle these types of incidents. Hopefully they do.

[MastaStrategist]

please!!! no worse than this. give me a break

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd-FLEDTfao[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ_Dx2KWmnM[/youtube]

Why wasn't that monster banned from the league, oh my the horror. Bynum could have lost his head, Brad Miller more than likely would have lost his life.

This is what I don't get. Ron clearly wasn't trying to give Harden a concussion, while Shaq was trying to kill that dude. Yet, b/c Ron connected, he is some psychotic crazed animal.

Intent has to come into play in this situation. Not saying it was right to swing your elbow back to clear space, but if the dude isn't trying to knock someone out, I don't see how it deserves a lifetime ban or w/e.