Say that again after watching the video posted immediately after your post. This is going to to sound biased, but Shaq should be suspended. He was pushing people with animosity. He threw TMac out of the way, then pushed Yao, then threw Rafer. He deserves something. As does Barnes. After watching the video again and again, the only other person that may deserve a suspension is Rafer, but I don't think he does. Shaq and Barnes should, without a doubt, be suspended though. I don't care how many punches were thrown. Both of their actions were done with animosity, and they deserve suspensions for it. Props to Keith Jones for being the only Rockets' staff off the bench.
First off, that was hilarious that Shaq pushed like the entire group. Second the refs made the perfect call. Shaq pushed in response to McGrady pushing Nash which was in turn response to Nash trying to push Rafer from behind. The people who caused the problem, Barnes and Rafer (more so Barnes the little douche) were the ones that got the worst penalties. Those that also kept the dispute going got techs. I felt it was fair. On a side note good game by Rafer. Hopefully he's out of taht horrendous slump. That will make a big differnce if so.
I would actually put Nash over Rafer. Rafer only got in Barnes face and if refs had called a foul or blew the whistle quicker it would have been a different story. Nash running in there when he is not involved is a different story.
To me Tmac's push was inadvertent, and Shaq should be the one suspended. Rafer wasn't using his head obviously, but then wasn't behaving violently. However I won't be surprised if Rafer gets a game or two suspension. I care less about anyone on the Suns gets suspension or not.
Only Barnes and Rafer deserve suspensions, if anyone does at all. If you fault Shaq, then you fault T-Mac as well. T-Mac's shove on Nash was very hard and up front. Shaq and T-Mac are very good friends, I'm sure Shaq was only trying to keep T-Mac from further getting involved. Later on you see the two of them laughing and talking to each other. The refs did a very good job. Shaq did not deserve to be ejected. The ones who deserved it were rightfully ejected.
Shaq pushed after T-Mac pushed Nash. In addition to how many punches/shoves thrown, NBA will also look at who escalated it further.
If Shaq gets suspended, there's no way Tmac doesn't. Shaq's shove was a result of Tmac shoving Nash. A Barnes 1-2 game suspension should be enough in my book.
I believe the refs handled it pretty well also, but on the other hand, I can'r say the refs handled it well because an initial whistle would have stopped most of the ruckus. Big no call.
Nash flopped, which is what he's good at. TMac's push wasn't much. The marks on Nash's neck are either from Rafer or Nash's teammates(towards the end).
Oh and the previous notion of Shaq pushing people with "animosity" is ridiculous. If Shaq pushed people with "animosity", you'd know it. He moved a group of five people, I'm sure if he pushed one in any sort of serious display of strength, that person would've been catapulted across the court. I understand the fan outcry, but seriously, the refs did a good job.
There's no way Nash flopped. This isn't trying to get a foul call. This was a confrontation. What good does flopping do? T-Mac is much bigger than Nash and could easily push him down, just like Shaq could easily push the whole arena down.
I think we are forgetting about Artest here. He was in the same building of an altercation so I think David Gustapo might suspend him a game for wearing Red. LOL.
I'm so glad Artest was on the bench for this. He would've been ejected just for standing on the court.
Sarcasm meter off? The flopped thing was me being silly, but seriously, TMac's push looked harder than it was. Nash tripped. I believe over the ref. Watch the video again. Shaq actually threw force into his pushes of TMac and Rafer.
I thought it was pretty funny what Shaq did. I have no problem with it either, its basketball, your big guys should be looking to throw the opposition teams better players around when ever they can.
Yeah, sarcasm is easily detected through text. Especially when you say it without any good indication of true sarcasm. If you honestly think Shaq would shove T-Mac with anything other than the intent of breaking it up, you need to revisit your line of thought. T-Mac/Shaq are VERY good friends. It was obvious Shaq was keeping T-Mac from doing anything else.
