Which would make sense if they were playing street ball or having a street fight instead of playing a professional game with actual rules in place and refs to supposedly enforce those rules. "Kick - a blow or forceful thrust with the foot." Given that force is subjective, pushing off with the foot like Harden did can still be considered a "kick". We live in a world where stepping can also be considered stomping. Recall Suh and Jones?
Let the record show that if I were ever douchey enough to throw a man to the ground to where his leg is extended up in the air, I will not then crowd up on him and essentially walk my jewels right up to rest on his extended foot. That's just love thyself rule #1, don't walk your nuts up to be rested on the bottom of someone's foot.
Matt Barnes isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, "FINNED" err Matty it's FINED derrrrr huh wha ? And Lebon ? That was more egregious than Harden's attempted kick to the Royal Jewels ace.
You can 'tackle' a player, just don't kick. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Whiteside NOT suspended, just ined $15,000. Len got $20,000. Morris $15,000.</p>— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/status/572898914183090176">March 3, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Spoiler <iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3RW-Xsoknhk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
If that were true...they would have ejected Harden. Lebron took a bigger hit losing that game, than if Harden hadn't been suspended.
Not when there are ratings to be concerned about! Many called that Rockets-Cavs game the best game of the season so far. A large part of that was billed on the James vs. Harden for MVP match-up, especially in the 3rd quarter when Lebron and Harden were trading blows. Ratings for that game had to be some of the highest of the season so far, especially since it was a national broadcast on ABC so everyone could watch it. Picture the out-lash if Harden was ejected in that game! Those high ratings instantly plummet. Ratings = money, after all! Won't be surprised if the NBA told the refs during the replay to keep Harden in the game and punishments will be given after the game.
By upgrading the foul to a flagrant 2, they basically admitted that the refs got the call wrong and Harden should have been ejected
I know my conspiracy theorist hat would have been on VEGAS MADE A CALL!!! It seriously was the best game i have seen all season Rocket River
I'm sure that was all going through the refs' mind when he had to swallow his whistle on multiple occasions because if he blows it when he should, there would be no Harden kick. Ref should have blown that play dead LOOOONG before Beard is forced to the floor. And the whistle on Bev when Lebron was the obvious aggressor while they were both down was pure comedy. Refs were allowing Lebron and his cronies to play physical but when the Rockets respond in like manner they are portrayed as the thugs, the villains. Lebron is allowed to lower his shoulder and bull to the rim at will, and no one else is allowed to place 2 hands on the ball handler except Lebron. NBA is hypocritical and one sided in its treatment of its star players. Lebron, Durant and Chris Paul get away with EVERYTHING. I loved how the Rockets and Harden responded, they gave as good as they got, then took the Cavs will AND the game.
Refs take a hit either way. They either take it publicly, by ejecting him on live TV, during a GREAT game, and get blamed for trying to be bigger than the game by all media the next day....or they let the game go on, play out, and the league bails them out basically. Sure, it means they got it wrong, but is anyone attacking them now? No. i agree with that, but that means the league benefited, not Lebron. Lebron walked away a loser, who choked at crunch time, from the FT line. And his MVP campaign took a hit.
wow what a bs league, no suspension for them but harden gets on for a frustration kick. BULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
I do think they didn't have the balls to eject both Harden (for kicking) and LeBron (2nd tech for b****ing). Also, the Beverley incident was tech-worthy too.
What rule are you referencing that says any contact to the groin area is an automatic one game suspension? The NBA reviews these little dust-ups all the time and there's always a measure of subjectivity that goes into it based on the severity, the duration, the intent, etc.. There's been plenty of incidents that were arguably worse than this (actual fights) where the offenders got off without a suspension.
