The NBA thought it was an unnecessary shot. Whether it's "cheap" depends on what you consider a cheap shot. As I said, my definition of a cheap shot is a move intended to hurt someone else and Miller's knock-down of Griffin didn't remotely look intended to injure or hurt him.
Yeah, you already said this. The NBA's suspension of Miller tells me it was more than just an "unnecessary" shot. We disagree. Also, was Bynum trying to hurt Barea, or just knock him down?
He sent Wallace to the hospital witha collapsed lung FOR THE EXACT SAME CHEAP SHOT! He knew what he was doing.
He clearly doesn't understand the difference between instigation and retaliation. Griffin pushed Miller from behind at one end, so Miller pushed Griffin from behind at the other. Griffin instigated. Miller retaliated. Tit for tat. Miller wasn't even called for a foul at the time, and neither was Griffin (big surprise, he pushes off and comes over the back on almost evey offensive rebound). There was no intent to injure anyone at either end. Griffin was pushing off to try to gain an advantage and Miller pushed off to send the message to the rookie that if you're going to shove me from behind, you're going to get the same thing right back. Bynum's foul on Barea was totally different. Barea didn't instigate anything. Bynum did. The Lakers were losing by 32 in the 4th quarter and Bynum, out of frustration over losing the game and the series, took a cheap shot at a much smaller player in a very vulnerable position. As has been mentioned about 50 times in the last two days, Bynum did the same thing to Gerald Wallace and put him in the hospital with a collapsed lung. He also just recently did the exact same thing to Michael Beasley, which injured Beasley and caused him to leave the game. That was instigation, just like in the case with Barea. You simply don't do that. You don't undcercut a player when he's in midair and you don't nail him in the ribs with a forearm/elbow when he's extended and vulnerable. It is a very reckless play, magnified by the fact that he did it to a much smaller player, he did it out of frustration without even trying to make a play on the ball, and he has a history of this exact same type of reckless play. Here's what Stu Jackson said after Bynum did the same thing to Michael Beasley less than two months ago: “It was not a basketball play,” Jackson said in a phone interview with The Times. “There was a chance for Bynum to make a basketball play, but he led with his forearm on a play that was both dangerous and reckless because the player, [Michael] Beasley, was vulnerable in the air with no defense. The result of all of this was Beasley was injured and had to leave the game. “We considered even going with three games, but we felt two was warranted here.” For his third offense, I expect Bynum ot get at least 5 games, but given the circumstances 10 games would definitely be appropriate, and if Stern and Stu want Bynum to stop this behavior once and for all, a 20 game suspension without pay would send a very clear message. BNM
Thus the "As I said." We do. The suspension of Miller tells me it was viewed as an unnecessary shot. Considering the size difference, the fact that Barea was in a vulnerable mid-air position and the fact that Bynum has already injured others doing this--I'd have to go with "trying to hurt."
A 100lb weight difference between Bynum and the fact that he was in air is just slightly different than what Miller did to Griffin. Basically it was sour grapes by Bynum because Barea penetrated the Lakers ass all series long. If it would of happened in meaningful time and not been such a blatant forearm while Barea was in the air off balance in a decided final game of the series I wouldn't have beef with it. But, it will forever be remembered as a black eye to Bynums reputation, mainly because the Lakers were getting their shit handed to them by about 30 points. Its okay to be an enforcer, but there's a proper time and situation. If Bynum wants tip on how to be a good enforcer he should be studying players like Przybilla, Nick Collison or even Kendrick Perkins.
MOOBS!!!!!! Jeezus, if you're a 23-year old professional athlete and look like that, you might want to think twice about removing your shirt on national TV. BNM
+1 I don't know how PapaG can think Millers foul was worse and that the Bynum foul wasn't that bad. When you put someones career at risk with fouls like that when the game is already decided and your pissed it shows a lack of characters. In the 80's this was acceptable basketball but the last 10+ years they have been cleaning the league up, this isn't the 80's this is 2011 a different era of basketball were that shit isn't tolerated.
It was a 100% cheap shot and intended to be that as well. He made no attempt at the ball and hit him right under the arm pit in the ribs. That's how you hit someone to collapse their lung. And he also did it long after the game and series was decided. No offense, Minstrel, but to not call it a cheap shot is way out there.
What series? Are you talking about Bynum or Miller? My post was about Andre Miller and that was obviously not part of any "series." If you are referring to the Miller incident, I think saying "That's how you hit someone to collapse their lung" is far more "out there" than my saying it wasn't a cheap shot. It was excessive and unnecessary (as far as the game goes), but since my definition of cheap shot revolves around plausible intent to hurt someone with dangerous play, it doesn't qualify as a cheap shot in my opinion.
Even in the 80s, you don't do it when you're down 30 and being swept. You do it in the first play of the series to send a message that it is not safe to come into the paint. Still dirty but a completely different context and intent.
i doubt there is anyone AT ALL that would agree with papag, except maybe a laker fan. miller pushed a player twice his size, vagynum fucking elbow slammed a player half his size. lol wtf man, you slippin
Neither do I, since I never said Miller's foul was worse than Bynum. I think Bynum's is much worse, based on when it occurred. Had he done it in Game 2 to send a message, I would then think that Miller's foul was worse. Making stuff up is fun, though, so have a ball! Also, Miller knocked Griffin a good 10' to the ground, so saying that Griffin couldn't have been potentially injured is laughable. Regardless, of the two cheap shots, Bynum's was much, much more bush league.
Agree with what? An imaginary opinion that I supposedly hold that Miller's shove is worse than Bynum's cheap shot? This is what happens when posters like BoobNoMore writes an essay arguing something that I never said, and then a poster takes BoobNoMore's smear of me as some sort of truth.
