1. I disagree. That clearly was a shove by Howard that he got away with. Meh. Howard really got away with murder that game but it's done and over with. That's why Carlisle went off on the refs after that game and got himself fined $25K. From what I'm seeing, the Rox are getting away with an awful lot of physical contact and if any team is getting hosed, it's the Mavs who simply don't match up physically with the Rox. I'm seeing the most physical contact in this series since the days of the Bad Boys. The Mavs won last night by packing the lane and daring the Rox to hit their jump shots. it didn't work last night, but to expect this strategy to continue to work for three more games is simply being silly. 2. Interesting narrative but incorrect. TC is actually the opposite of what you've described. What you are seeing between him and Howard is the closest thing to the WWE yet in these playoffs. After 3+ games of pushing, shoving and grappling, I'm sure BOTH players were about ready to knock each other's head off last night. It's the playoffs and I'm sure that by now Howard and Chandler absolutely hate each other's guts.
I took a screenshot for Twitter of what happened before the "shove": That's a clear foul on Harris, who has Howard's dominant arm pinned for the sake of preventing him from going after the offensive rebound. Now, you're not entirely wrong. The refs are letting a lot of physical contact go, which generally benefits the Rockets. However, that play was neither a bad call nor an example of Dwight playing dirty. When Dwight saw the blatant hook go uncalled, he adjusted and properly deduced that the official was going to let contact go. Thus, he did what it took to get Harris off him and made the play. Did Dwight "get away with murder"? Not in my eyes. The Mavs were illegally hooking and holding him all over the place. But because the officials let much of the contact go, both ways, it worked to the benefit of the stronger player. No one notices when the big, powerful guy gets pushed -- they only take notice when the perceived weakling goes flying. Add the fact that the team of weaklings lost, and you had the perfect storm for a wide discrepancy in public outcry.
There's nothing in the league rulebook specifying an automatic suspension for an elbow. There is for a punch. That's the difference.
Full speed looks like Dwight chopped down hard with the right arm trying to "untangle" from Chandler. Chandler then retaliates with a 1-2 jab to the back right in front of the ref. Probably a fine for each but not suspension. Big picture, who cares. They lost, as would any team that combines a lack of defense and and ice cold shooting for the majority of the game. Adjustments are simple: play better defense and drive to the basket when the jumpers aren't falling.
Elbow is a flagrant. Closed fist swing is a suspension. It isn't about how anyone feels, who's crying, who's laughing... it's about the rules and precedence. In America we somehow have evolved to caring about doing what the rules say we should do instead of doing what makes sense. The NBA I grew up watching... this is nothing. I wish it wasn't anything. But the NBA we have now... it's a either a suspension for Chandler or hypocrisy by the NBA. The way the league is right now. That's a suspension.
If this was Dirk instead of Howard, he would've flopped and fell to the ground holding his hand on his back in pain/agony like he was shot point blank by a revolver. Howard would've then been ejected and suspended 1-2 games.
You guys are right, a suspension is not just warranted, we should be advocating for it! If this series extends beyond 5 games, we'll come out crippled like the Cavs. ------------ Here's Feigen <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p>Reached out to the NBA. Have not heard back, yet. Here's a video of Chandler's right. <a href="https://t.co/3YstRPQd1U">https://t.co/3YstRPQd1U</a> <a href="https://t.co/tK0DLwaQfJ">https://t.co/tK0DLwaQfJ</a></p>— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/status/592761532351668225">April 27, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Reggie Miller talked about the Mavs acting multiple times in the first half, and specifically with the sequence you are referencing, whenthe showed the clip from game 3 between Harris and Dwight, Reggie again spoke to the acting/flopping the Mavs were doing. I'm not sure why BBSrs always get their panties in a wad about this type of stuff. National commentators generally strike me as very fair and balanced, with the exception of Chuck, who has a known bias against the Rockets. Hubie is generally very fair, Reggie is fair, Weber has a man crush on DMo and is usually fair, Kenny is always fair, JVG is fair and hilarious, Mark Jackson is annoying but tends to be fair, etc. I prefer watching the national broadcasts to the local ones. I also prefer the national sports radio programs to the local ones. You do always get that grade A market/superstar homerism - meaning, the Yankees, Patriots, Lakers, Lebron, Tiger, etc. bias that is a function of those teams/guys driving ratings and thus "having to be discussed"... but you also get more of a non-local bias viewpoint. Also, there is only so much of person X,Y,Z you can take... you can only take so much Drexler...
That's what I was looking at too. I don't see how the NBA suspends Chandler for the ineffectual punch and does nothing about Howard's karate chop on his arm. It might not end up so great if both Chandler and Howard are suspended for Game 5.
This is like a Twilight Zone post. Is it a bit physical? Um.. sure. But it's FAR from the most physical series since the Bad Boys days. Probably not even the most physical series thus far this playoffs. Spurs/Clips is extremely physical. Frankly, I don't see a ton of physical-ness, honestly. It's gotten chipy... that happens. The only physical player on the Rockets has been Dwight, and nothing crazy there. No one has really been physical on the Mavs... maybe Chandler, or at least trying to. It's mostly just flops otherwise...
Can anyone make this video to go Viral??????? First segment is Carlisle at the post presser in which Carlisle said “but this series has got to be played within the rules." Second segment is the punch from Chandler Third segment is this :NBA rules on fouls and penalties: "Any player who throws a punch, whether it connects or not, has committed an unsportsmanlike act. He will be ejected immediately and suspended for a minimum of one game."
Both should have been and were already fined when they got Ts. Dwight for the forearm swipe and Chandler for the left forearm in the back. Per regular season rules it's $2,000 per each T. The additional 3rd action that has not been addressed is the right hand closed fist punch to the back. Of the 3 acts, 2 have been addressed while the 3rd has not been. NBA should address the 3rd act and as per the rules requires a minimum 1 game suspension.
I cant stand Reggie Miller but one thing he was pretty spot on with the flops by Dallas last night like where Howard was pinned on the baseline by Dirk and Chandler and was pushed out of bounds and Dirk blew up about it and got Carlisle a T for it. One replay he was like - thats nothing but a lot of acting by Dirk. Then when they showed the replay of game 3 -- Reggie called it right again that Dwight didnt really do much to "shove" Harris and it was a lot of acting by Harris there. It was a bit nice to see someone call out the Mavs for their flopping like that. It was a punch - it warrants a suspension but there wont be one with it being an elimination game for the Mavs and the league probably wanting series extended as much as possible with so many being sweeps or 3-0/3-1
I know you are a 99er, but are you sure you are a real Rockets fan? A suspension possibility for Dwight for trying to get lose from someone who was hooking him for a suposedly "karate chop" on his arm? Where do you even get the idea that this is suspension worthy? What precedent? Are you trying to tell me that as a 99er you can't tell the difference between someone trying to get someone to let go of them and someone throwing two punches at someone that is no longer connected to them?
You guys are playing with fire. This is not going to turn out well for both teams once the NBA sees that Dwight goes full blown karate chop first then Chandler responds back with the closed fist punch shove. Game 5 will not be fun without Dwight nor Chandler. LEAVE IT ALONE.
Exactly! I loved how Reggie called them out, was a breath of a fresh air. Hope they do game 5 since Steve Smith and Brent Barry are already on duty Monday. The other option is Webber!!
