Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy accepted the suspension of his point guard -- Rafer Alston will miss Game 3 Friday night against Boston -- but he took the opportunity to question why the Boston Celtics got preferential treatment from the NBA.Alston was suspended Thursday for slapping Boston's Eddie House in the back of the head at the end of Game 2 Wednesday as they were running down court after a basket by House.
Van Gundy compared it to the Boston-Chicago first round series when Rajon Rondo smacked Brad Miller in the face as he drove to the basket in the closing seconds of a close game. Rondo received only a personal foul call againt him and no suspension.
"The problem that players have, coaches have, and fans have, is they can't fathom that the slap to the head (by Alston), which was minor, was a one game suspension. And what Rondo did to Brad Miler was nothing,'' Van Gundy said. "David Stern says the league can't take the chance injury, but I'd say the Rondo-Miller play had a lot greater chance of injury than what Rafer did to House.''
Van Gundy also confirmed that shooting guard Courtney Lee would return to action after missing the past three games -- two in this series -- after surgery to repair a fractured sinus cavity. Van Gundy then returned his discussion back to Rondo and why he never was suspended.
"The question everyone has is why, when Brad Miller is going to the hoop, why can (Rondo) just take a swing at somebody. The only ones who agreed that he didn't wind up and follow through were Stu Jackson and David Stern,'' Van Gundy said. "Everybody else , including Boston fans, agreed that he (Rondo) wound up and followed through. But that's how they saw it."
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Apparently Stan doesn't value his money, because he is going to losing a whole lot of it.
i mean he has a point, but the rondo thing is over.
complaining about it now isn't going to help his situation at all.
and he shouldn't be surprised that stu jackson isn't consistant. He doesn't even know what that word means
To me, what the NBA doesn't want to admit to is blowing a call that affected the outcome of a game. The Rondo call clearly could have affected the outcome, but the Alston move wouldn't have affected it. I imagine that's the same reason they didn't suspend Rondo for Game 7 (for the accumulation of the Game 5 and 6 fouls), as it's admitting to mistakes that clearly affect how games were decided.
Hey Van Gundy,
What did Alston's slap have to do with the actual playing of game?
Rondo's play on Miller was for one intent only -- to stop a basket. He would have preferred that he had a better angle to get some part of the body other than the face. But do you really believe that he came rushing over from his point guard spot for the sole purpose of slapping Miller in the face? Think about the GAME situation. As for the so-called "follow through", he was trying to hang on to prevent the shot. If you only give the guy a tap, he'll score a basket plus the free throw.
What did Alston's slap have to do with the actual playing of the game?
INTENT is a key factor when considering suspensions.
glen , very well said .. rondo was not specifically trying to hit him in the face .. the play no one is talking about is the one where Rondo swung Heinrick around and threw him into the scorers table ... that was deliberate, and not part of a play .. rondo should have been suspended for that .. it was very bad sportsmanship
not when rondo himself admitted to trying to foul miller hard afterwards though
u r a blind idiot. Rondo had several situations that would have got another player on a another team suspended. You bafoon and if I saw you, I would throw my hand to slap a ball and hit u right in ur stupid lookin face. Then say, DEAL WITH IT ! Perhaps u can give me ur mommas number cuz I heard, like ROndo, she goes for the head too. Just jokin,,,ur probably right, it was unintentional.
I hate vanGundy but I completely agree with him. Come on... you can't smack someone on the back of the head but you can deliberately swipe at someone's face and bloy them???? What a joke..I am a huge NBA fan, but am starting have some seious doubts about how fair the officiating and rulings are interpreted. Is this the NBA or the WWF?
Why is it so difficult for people to understand the difference between an event while trying to play the game versus an event that occurs after a play is over? Why can't people understand the concept of "intent"?
A few examples...
* Kobe's elbow came while fighting with Artest for position. He didn't seek out Artest to elbow him. I'd give him a flagrant, but no suspension. NBA was CORRECT to NOT suspend him.
* On the other hand, Howard's elbow last week was after the play was already over. He had ONE INTENT ONLY -- to elbow someone. It had nothing to do with playing defense. NBA was CORRECT to suspend him.
* Rondo's play on Miller was with the intent of stopping a potentially game-winning basket. He had no ill-will toward Miller. There was no one covering Miller and Rondo had to rush over as fast as he could to stop a shot. It was a split-second (and unfortunate) play in the course of playing defense. You're screwed up if you think he actually came over -- without regard to the game situation -- just because he felt like hitting someone. I would have given him a flagrant foul, but the NBA was CORRECT to NOT suspend him.
* Alston's slap was after the play was already over. He had ONE INTENT ONLY -- to slap House upside the head. It had nothing to do with playing defense. The NBA was CORRECT to suspend him.
The problem is that most fans (and some writers) are only comparing the actual contact, without putting it into the context of the play. If you think about the game (or non-game) circumstances of each individual situation and try to consider intent, you'll realize that the NBA has been pretty consistent when doling out suspensions.
I agree, how can Kobie throw an elbow and not be suspended, but Dewight Howard did and was ejected. An elbow is an elbow if it was thrown intentenally no matter where it landed.
If you going to hit someone do it. That slap was an embarrasment to his man hood:)
Your spelling abilities are an embarrassment to the American education system.
I thought the whole purpose of the "Playoffs" was to get the best team to the NBA Title?
Why on earth do you "SUSPEND" a player when they do what Alston & Fisher did?
Don't you realize you are penalizing not only the team they play on but also the "FANS"
Get real here....hit the player with a hugh fine were it hurts....now you are penalizing the player not many many people who want to see these teams at full strenght.
Hey Glenn20, You should look at the vidoe before you start spouting about intent! The only intent of 6 ft guard trying to stop Miller was to hit him in the head> Look at the video. He doesnt even attemt to go for the ball. Second, how bout when he slung hinrich into the scorers table? Kirk didnt even have the ball. What was Rondo's intent there. As for the B!@#$ Kobe? Did you see the play. He elbows artest straight in the chest before he even trys for the ball. He is lucky Ron didnt beat his ass!! Wake up and learn the game dude! Kobe is dirty, remember the elbow on Ginobli. Said thats how I shoot. Yeah swinging your arm out to clock somebody. None of these plays were done "just trying to hustle" They were dirty cheap plays by guys who were getting beat! The nba is rigged stern wont allow the upsets even when they should happen!!! Rondo should of gotten suspended, bulls win series. David Stern is a FIXER!!!
I think YOU need to look at the video. Most guards wouldn't have been quick enough to even make it over to the the uncovered Miller. Rondo had to fly over and reach his arm out in desperation to stop a shot attempt. You're right, he had no play on the ball -- he was coming from too far away. Whatever part of the body he could reach -- so be it. It's unfortunate that it ended up being the face. If it were possible, don't you think he'd rather have slapped the ball into the tenth row?
No, YOU need to go look at the video
Same reason Kobe Bryant can elbow Artest and not get kicked out of the game. The NBA wants the bigger money cities like L.A. and Boston to make it to the finals because it means more viewers to the networks and more money's generated all around. Cleveland better be careful, too. Especially if they play Boston and, ultimately L.A.
I am just shocked that you can compare the actions of someone coming at a player from behind and slapping him in the head well after he shot the ball with the acts of a player that CLEARLY was trying to stop the shot. Only a fool believes that RONDO was trying to attack Miller. I just wish the readers would think about their comments before they make them. As for Van Gundy, he is a coach trying to motivate his players and show he is loyal. I don't find it hard that he would believe what he said. Ashame his fans do.
glenn is right about the rondo play. that being said, i don't agree with any of these suspensions. call a foul, call a technical and move on. these suspensions are ridiculous and lowering the quality of the playoffs.
Most are lawyers and to them it is just a blame game.
Stern may have been paid off.
They there for $$$and like Obama in Chicago crooks.
Obama tide is up but there will come when tide will really drop low.
The way Obama going on talk show we do not need Senators or house.
may be he need to lay them off and we really save money paying these crooks.
?????????????????????????????? Huh?