Amidst all the "Melo is a thug" and "burn down the NBA," anyone with a real interest in the league might want to consider why this happend. Yes, there was a hard foul by Mardy Collins, but as for the motivations behind it:
"They just wanted to embarrass us," Robinson said. "It was a slap in the face to us. As a team, as a franchise, we weren't going to let that happen. A clean, hard foul happened and after that it went down from there."
Another Knicks quote from the
ESPN recap:
"They were having their way with us," Thomas said. "I think J.R. Smith had just made one dunk when he reversed and spun in the air. And I think Mardy didn't want our home crowd to see that again. So he fouled him."
Before you go blaming this on those showboating NBA brats, think on this: George Karl, UNC kin to Larry Brown, is the coach of the Nuggets. The Knicks are currently helmed by Isiah Thomas, who as GM of the Knicks clashed bitterly with Brown. This was Karl, through his team, going at Thomas. Who knows whether J.R. was dunking with Karl's vendetta in mind, or whether Collins lashed out in defense of Isiah. But before we blame the players, let's not forget that this could've been prevented if Karl and Thomas had behaved like role models.
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Interersting... Implicating Karl. The first thing I thought was that Thomas probably ordered the "hit" given how he is always preaching tough, old-school play.
I can't believe that a head coach in the NBA would ever come up with such a wimpy excuse for one of his players slamming an opposing player face first into the floor. "They were beating up on us in front of the almighty N.Y. home crowd ..........waaa ... waaa waaaa .... where's my mommy?" The fight wasn't cool, but the violence was started by New York.
I hadn't read all the posts before my first post. Some of you people are pretty funny. Melo is a thug, but runs away like a girl? You people writting that crap probably couldn't take a punch from Melo's mom. Thomas says that Denver shouldn't have had the players they had on the court because N.Y. had already surrendered and Denver was embarrassing them. Ehh Hmmm..... if your team surrenders before the game is over, nobody has to do anything to embarrass you. I bet the real fans in N.Y. would rather have seen another slam than have to listen to all the pitiful crying coming from their team.
How is Isiah at fault in this? This all comes down to Karl keeping his starters in too long. I guess this is "the Carolina Way" when it comes to playing hoops. Larry Brown did the same exact thing (keeping his starters in a blowout) in the Pistons-Pacers brawl.
Normally, it's easy to blame Isiah, in fact you can make a long-distance blame and say it's Isiah's fault for putting together such a crappy Knicks team, but this time it all comes down to George Karl.
Though all ten players on the floor aren't completely innocent either. Still, this never happens if the Nugs had their scrubs on the floor.
Not only do the Knicks s*ck at basketball, they are cheap-shot artists and liars. I hope you get your lumps for Christmas. Freakin dipsh*ts.
The problem with this "brawl" is the fact that it really isn't much to get upset about....yet ESPN is doing a fine job trying to make up feel upset. The NBA has and always will have these things happen. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Dr J have all been in big time fights...so the fact that people are out there to label today's stars as a bunch of thugs is quite ignorant of the game's history.
Also, to add to your conspiracy theory.....JR Smith committed to UNC as well.
-Sportz
Why should the Nuggs have their scrubs on the floor?? First off, this is the NBA...a bunch of professionals. If they get their pride hurt by not being able to stop the other team from scoring...they shouldn't be playing. If this is college where these are just kids playing and the talent level is so different...then call off the dogs. But this is the NBA. Don't get offended if you get run.
Second, if anyone watched the two Lakers/Rockets games recently....you'll know that NO lead is safe.
Maybe these are weak reasons to most....but they are facts. And the fact that NBAers have to resort to NHL tactics because their feelings are getting hurt is bush league.
-Sportz
last time i checked they were professionals if they cant handle getting beat maybe they should go home and stop whining like a bunch of babies
Anyone who follows pro sports know when the time comes to send in the bench. In college because of ranking it may be necessary to blow-out the opposition. Anyone with the argument: "NO lead is safe", does not watch the Knicks. If it were kids at the playground we would all say, "Why are you fighting, it's only a game, you're not getting paid if you win. And when it's professionals we say "Why are you fighting, you get paid too much money to act like kids. Games are for kids. And during competition it's difficult to seperate emotions of embarrassment, pride and the desire to win. Just fine them and lets' move on.
NBA = NHL with an inflated puck
All the NBA is turning into is a bunch of street thugs who got a chance to make big $$$$$$$$. Most are given college free rides, what a waste of good education money.
Where in the NBA rulebook does it say anything about having to substitute 2nd string personnel for the starters if you are up big late in the game? Maybe Thomas and his Knicks should worry more about why they are non-competitive than about how many minutes the opposition's starters are on the floor?
Zeke was always a thug, and his team now reflects him.
Add this to the other "brawls" in sports. When I grew up, sport stars were role models. Now they are thugs and criminals that I hope no one wants their kids to turn out to be. Something has to be done to put respect and SPORTSMANSHIP back into our sporting events....
The highlight of Knicks this season, in the past 20 seasons for that matter ha ha
Wow. The crying by Zeke about "we had already surrendered" is EMBARASSING. You flat out got your a$$es kicked and should take it like a man. Play the game out til the end like the overpaid professionals that you are supposed to be. It was a punk move by Collins that started the whole thing. Once something like that happens, it's testosterone city and all hell breaks loose. And if you watch the tape, Melo gets grabbed and pushed back by a teammate first after the punch-he didn't run away.
Pathetic...Isiah's comments. There is no question that he must be fired...NOW! Not after the season.
We can debate who started it. (hard fouls are a part of the game) but there's no doubt the street punk threw a sucker punch (how brave!) and ran like the pansy #ss he and all street punks are.
Isiah was a great player, but has Never been anything that resembled a coach. whether or not the nuggets were running up the score, as a coach you neede to control the convicts/thugs that you have employed for WAY too much money then what they are worth. You want to clean up this current mess in a hurry, replace Isiah immediately. Larry Brown should have never been replaced by Isiah's ego in the first place.
"The Nuggets starters were on the court still!". Do you want hors d'vouers with that WHINE!? Collins did a cheap shot on Smith, clear and simple. If the Knicks players truly felt that the Nuggets were running up the score, they should have buckled down to playing better basketball, not converting into hockey players! Throughout the league, teams overcome large score deficits and win games. Look in your Holiday stockings for some talent, or you better think about putting on ice skates and grabbing a stick for your next game in the Garden!