As if the NBA would suspend Kobe in the playoffs anyways. But I honestly don't think that would be worth suspension. He probably should've received a technical, but that's about it.
Kobe is always a very tough guy when he has someone bent over underneath him. He was a lot less impressive for the 48 minutes where everyone was standing up on the court.
Rockets/ Cavs game would bring a lot to the table also. There is a buncha Chinese out there. If the Rockets go to the finals, there is gonna be a run on Yao Ming jerseys!
I watched closely and that's not what it looked like at all. Kobe intentionally kneed and elbowed Shane after Shane ripped the ball from his hands.
There's no disputing it was intentional. There's also no disputing that the NBA will not even look at the video. No chance in hell Kobe Bryant gets suspended.
kobe should be suspended a game for throwing that elbow into the back of shane's head. dHoward got suspended for a game for throwing a elbow and missing, kobe connected w/ a elbow to the head and a knee to the face.
Which I think is the reason the knee doesnt warrant the suspension or fine or post dated flagrant/technical. But the elbow AND his reaction both before he went down after the ball and after he got up(well after the .gif ends) indicate an intent for malice, if only a "cheap shot". I mean, the play was over, the whistle had blown. If he was really that worried about getting up, letting go of the ball so he could use his other hand for balance would have been a pretty smart move.
I don't want Kobe suspended. I don't want any "Kobe (Jordan) wasn't playing" crap if we manage to beat them.
I think the first knee to the face was a result of Kobe getting up. It's the bigger shot with the knee anyways. But, there's a second knee to the face followed closely by an elbow to the back of the head. I could see this happening if Kobe slipped/was having trouble getting up and didn't want to let go of the ball. However, considering what caused the play and the reaction afterwards, it was pretty clear that it was intentional. IMO, They just wanted to rough up Battier and give him something else to think about. Good thing that Battier isn't thrown off his game so easily.
I hate kobe as much as the next person, but that knee looks accidental to me. Kobe isn't even looking at shane and is just trying to get up using his left leg and it hits shane in the head by accident. Looked like a pretty normal motion for anyone trying to get up off the floor as you see as soon as the knee hits shane, his left leg also plants on the floor to get himself up.
That was the Lakers' problem last night: They were trying to make a statement about how physical they could be. The Rockets, on the other hand, didn't care about making statements -- they were busy trying to win the game.
I put this in another thread too. I was listening to XM last night on my way home and they had the Lakers radio team calling the game. They said Kobe "had no ill intent" so many times after that incident you knew they were just trying to convince their listeners. They knew it was uncalled for.
I'll take the suspension. Who cares what the faker fans say? After we beat them they will have excuses either way.
He straight up elbowed Shane on the back of his head. Totally uncalled for. But the NBA will look the other way. Its one thing for players to tangle up and try to get themselves hyped, thats part of the game, but elbowing a player who;s down and on his head? Uncalled for.
