Rajon Rondo Avoids Suspension

Dwight Howard's elbow on Tuesday night wasn't the only play that had fans wondering if one of the game's premier performers would be forced to sit out their team's next game. Rajon Rondo's foul to the back of Brad Miller's head at the end of overtime had many wondering if he would suffer the same fate as Howard: a one-game suspension.

The NBA has weighed in, and said that the play "stands as called." No suspension for Rondo, and no retroactive penalty of a flagrant foul will be assessed.

And just like in the case with Howard, I believe that the league absolutely got this one right.

Now don't get me wrong -- I do think that Rondo's foul should have been called a flagrant, as he had no play on the ball from that angle, and clearly just wanted to issue a hard playoff foul to prevent Miller from getting the easy layup. A shot to the head when the ball is out of reach is flagrant all day long. But the difference is, it came during the course of live game action, and it was a defensive play meant to contest a shot.

The same cannot be said, however, for Howard's elbow, which came after a made basket, and was a deliberate shot to the head as the two players began to run back down the floor. The intent there was to strike back for some perceived excessive contact on the previous possession, not to play any kind of defense on an actual scoring attempt by his opponent.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

4-29-2009 @ 7:18PM

MEK said...

Sorry Brett, but a blow to the mouth of the player when the ball is two feet above the player's head is not an attempt on the ball. It should have been flagrant, the Bulls should have gotten the free throws and the ball, and Rondo should not be playing in the next game. But officials have this insane philosophy that you officiate the game one way for the first 47 minutes and officiate it differently in the last minute.

4-29-2009 @ 7:51PM

dayhold said...

The author is as blind as he is dumb. The hit was to the front facial area, The hit was a wild swing that had no chance of blocking the ball. Miller was running full speed as best he could and Rajon hit him with a FLAGRANT palm of the hand to the face. I hope the writer gets a similar punch to his face sometime and then tell us that is was just an inappropriate shot under the conditions. Ask Rudy T about getting hit in the face by a haymaker thrown by Washington. Rudy T's face was shattered and his career was virtually over. Perhaps the NBA officials are hopng to repeat that horrific incident. If they keep excusing violent deliberate attacks on the court they will incite the fans and then the NBA execs are to blame. Just another example of Stern's pathetic reign of incompetence and total disregard of the rules and moral values. Stern should be suspended for life from the NBA and the planet. Stern is a total waste!! Polakoffass is a poor excuse of a writer and only serves as a puppet to Stern.

4-29-2009 @ 8:13PM

sccrmom007 said...

It does make sense if you knew the rules. Understand what a Flagrant 1 and Flagrant 2 are, and if either automatically means a suspension.

I think the author is correct: Rondo went for a hard foul not to be malicious, but to make sure an uncontested basket wasn't scored. Since Rondo decided to commit a foul, he didn't want a wimpy foul for a three point play which would have lost the game. He fouled hard, but I doubt he was trying to hurt Miller or go for the head. He probably went for any part of the body so as to foul hard.

Would the officials been in their right to call a flagrant? Sure, but it doesn't warrant a suspension, and it could have been called the way it was because Rondo did go through the motions to look as though he was going for the ball even though he couldn't get it. Since the league can't pretend to know Rondo's true intentions, they went with what it looked like Rondo's intentions were.

The problem with most fans are that they are too emotional, not pragmatic. If it were the opposite scenario, I doubt there would have been outrage from Bulls fans. Instead, they probably would have pointed to Ray Allen's questionable fouls (to foul out in 27 minutes or so), or Ben Gordon's foot on the line that wasn't called which resulted in him getting fouled for three free throws near the end of a close game.

Two words for most sports fans--situational ethics.

4-29-2009 @ 8:52PM

steve said...

rondo should've been thrown out of the game.

It would save the league from A) suspending him which I think would have been too much and B) looking like hypocritical idiots for doing nothing.

4-29-2009 @ 9:29PM

Kamal said...

Rondo barely slapped the guy while going for a block. As soon as Brad Miller choked on the foul shot, all of a sudden he started acting all woozy. It's playoff basketball. Toughen up Brad Miller and Chicago fans.

4-29-2009 @ 9:41PM

Rick said...

Typical Boston play. The ball was three feet away from where he hit the man. He draws blood.
Rhondo should be suspended..period. Typical Boston.

4-29-2009 @ 9:57PM

Gordon should be suspended for hitting all those silly, clutch shots!
Even though im a Boston fan, the Bulls have won my respect and I'll root for them if they beat the Celts. They are a fun team to watch.

4-30-2009 @ 1:11AM

Glenn20 said...

Rick,
We have very thin skin inside our lips and it is being touched by these sharp things called teeth. A minor slap can draw blood. In fact, my 3-year-old recently gave me a bloody lip.

But it's kind of hard to draw blood from the side of someone's head. An elbow to the head thrown by a 6-11, 270 pound guy only has the potential for minor injuries -- like BRAIN DAMAGE. (maybe that's what happened to you).

This isn't about drawing blood. It's about INTENT.

The Rondo play happened while playing defense and the primary intent was to stop a lay up.

The Howard hit occurred after the play was over -- which makes the intent indisputable -- he was attacking someone.

4-29-2009 @ 10:31PM

karaokeman said...

The foul WAS flagrant, but the chicken s*** refs wouldn't call it in Boston. The league is just as stupid..it was clearly flagrant. Therefore BULLS... when Rondo, Pierce or Allen come anywhere near the basket ..take them out!!! Knock them into the seats and hope they get hurt...then see what the league says??? When the player fouling was BEHIND the shooter and hits him INTENTIONALLY to stop the basket it's flagrant, especially when he drew blood!!! If Brad Miller had been knocked down and unconcious they still wouldn't have called it flagrant..probably if just died on the court it would still be just PERSONAL..Well Bulls MAKE it personal Thursday!!!!

4-30-2009 @ 12:54AM

Hey Brett, I know that you have no rooting interest in the Celtics. Which means that you are simply being honest and calling it the way you see it. This is a good example of unbiased reporting and I respect you for it.

Unfortunately, even though your intent was not to defend a Celtic, you will now incur the wrath of a myriad of irrational Celtic-haters.

Thank you for being gutsy and honest.

4-30-2009 @ 12:09AM

Some of you need to stop frothing at the mouth and start thinking about this more logically. First of all, a flagrant foul does not usually mean a suspension. If you've watched a lot of NBA games, you've seen a lot of flagrant fouls and you know that it is rare for a suspension to result from it.

Rondo is a point guard and was not covering Miller. If this had been someone who was covering Miller and was close by, they probably could have grabbed him with both arms to prevent the shot. But the Celtics were fooled so badly by the play that there was no one there. Rondo had to come flying over from his position to foul Miller. This is where you have to look at INTENT. His intent was to STOP A LAY UP, not to hit someone in the face. He had no ill will toward Miller. He wasn't retaliating for anything. He simply wasn't in a position to put a bear hug on the guy. He had a split second to react and had to fly over and stretch his arm out. Wherever it hits, it hits. I'm sure that the face wouldn't have been his first choice. Let's also keep in mind that there is about a 100 pound difference between these guys. A little guy isn't going to stop a shot with a love tap.

This is WAY DIFFERENT than when a player hits someone after the play is over (like Howard did). Again, think about INTENT. If the play has already ended, the intent becomes INDISPUTABLE -- you meant to attack someone. That would be the type of situation that should warrant a suspension.

Now seriously folks, do you really think the only reason Rondo came flying toward Miller was to slap him in the face? Think about the game situation and try being honest.

I'm not saying that anyone should have a license to be a hit man during game play. That is why we have flagrant fouls and arguably a flagrant foul could have been called in this case. But Pollakoff's article is about "suspension". And I strongly agree with him that this does not meet the criteria.

4-30-2009 @ 12:23AM

sh101175 said...

Rondo's foul was flagrant and unacceptable. Ref's should have been suspended along with Rondo. The act of shooting was already established when Rondo came after the fact to make his point.No place in basketball for this type of play.If the league does nothing, that means it condons this type of action. There's no technicality here, it is exactly what it is. A FLAGRANT FOUL!

4-30-2009 @ 12:25AM

I cant wait for the Bulls to act "tough" tomorrow. What, is Rose going to slap Perkins?
Brad Miller is a bum and a wimp if little Rondo can knock him senseless with a bitch slap.

4-30-2009 @ 10:29AM

jhawk90950 said...

you sir are a moron, this is basketball, not football and these flagarant fouls should not be condoned by anybody. they need to do whatever it takes to get the game of basketball back to where it should be. the referees are at fault here and should be reprimanded by the league for letting this kind of thing to go on.

4-30-2009 @ 12:52AM

Statement from NBA:
"We felt Rondo was making a basketball play and going for the ball after a blown defensive assignment by the Celtic team," Jackson said.
"In terms of the criteria that we use to evaluate a flagrant foul penalty one, generally we like to consider whether or not there was a windup, an appropriate level of impact and a follow-through. And with this foul, we didn't see a windup, nor did he follow through. So for that reason we're not going to upgrade this foul to a flagrant foul penalty one."

4-30-2009 @ 12:53AM

Billy said...

A blow to the head is a flagrant foul when there is no attempt at the ball, whether intentional or not. If you can't stop the shot or wrap up the player shooting, then pull your hand back, don't hit him in the face because the ball is out of reach. And as far as intention is concerned, Rondo reached for Miller's head. He is liable for the contact, and it's consequences. People in here sound like Rondo could have ripped his nose off, but since it was not intentional, no call. Stupid, this is how people get hurt.

4-30-2009 @ 12:59AM

You're missing the point, Billy. When it comes to suspension, your intentions are the main consideration. And you actually could rip someone's nose off and not be suspended as long as it was accidental and you didn't mean to do it.

4-30-2009 @ 1:06AM

sh101175, You said "Rondo came after the fact to make his point". Let me ask you a question.. Did he stop Miller from scoring? If the answer is "yes", then it wasn't after the fact. His intent was to stop Miller from scoring and that's what he did.

4-30-2009 @ 6:37AM

shepardtrent said...

It's official! Rajon Rondo is officially a Celtic. He fits right in with all the other Celtics, jaw jutting, profanity spewing Keven Garnett, cheap shot "elbow to the groin" Ray Allen, and Paul "I am the greatest basketball player" Peirce. I just wish you wanna be thugs would still be around at the eastern conference finals so the Cavs could spank you.

4-30-2009 @ 10:12AM

GoodPlayRondo said...

Here we go Celtics

All your comments are a joke you say Rondo should be suspended / thrown out of the game LOL did you see the previous game when Miller attacked baby why no comment on that. The NBA is right on with the call stop crying about your loss and get ready for game 6. No point living in the past. As for the Cavs I'm not worried about them anyone watch last year, James will fold again and D will win the game espcially with these refs haha. See yah next year Bulls

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