Surely the "dirty play" would warrant a suspension? Where are all you guys crying for Ariza's head now? http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3968577&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom will take the hit for his role in a scrum with the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night. Odom Odom Fernandez Fernandez The NBA announced on Tuesday that Odom will serve a one-game suspension without pay for leaving the vicinity of the bench during the altercation. He will serve the suspension when the Lakers play at Houston on Wednesday. The incident occurred after Lakers forward Trevor Ariza delivered a hard foul on Blazers rookie Rudy Fernandez in the third quarter of Portland's 111-94 victory. Fernandez spent the night in the hospital with a bruised chest and injured right hip. The swingman was expected to be released from the hospital Tuesday afternoon. He was listed as doubtful for Portland's game against Dallas on Wednesday night. NBA officials reviewed the play but determined Tuesday that Ariza will not face further discipline beyond his third-quarter ejection for a flagrant-2 foul. Fernandez was fouled on a fast break and landed awkwardly. The Spaniard was taken from the court on a stretcher with his neck in a brace. The teams scuffled and the Blazers were assessed two technical fouls. Blazers teammate Sergio Rodriguez, who is also from Spain and one of Fernandez's closest friends, spent the night at the hospital. "He couldn't breathe, and that scared himself, but he was OK," Rodriguez said. The two watched the game at the hospital because Fernandez wanted to see what happened after he left. Fernandez was in good spirits. "He couldn't laugh a lot because it hurt," Rodriguez said. Fernandez, who played on Spain's silver medal-winning Olympic team, is averaging 10.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists this season. Known for his no-look passes, alley-oop dunks and behind-back-dribbles, fans at the Rose Garden often chant "Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!" when he enters a game. Some female fans have taken to wearing "I [heart] Rudy" T-shirts. Fernandez was lured to Portland from DKV Joventut Badalona of the Spanish ACB League. He became something of an Internet sensation this summer when he dunked over Dwight Howard at the Olympics. The U.S. team won the gold medal with a victory over Spain in the final. Against the Lakers, Fernandez hit a 3-pointer late in the third quarter that gave the Blazers an 81-51 lead. Moments later, he was driving down the floor. As he leapt toward the basket, Ariza fouled him from behind, knocking him down. Fernandez curled up in pain at the base of the basket. Portland's trainers rushed to his aid, and his teammates tussled with the Lakers. Odom appeared to leave the bench, although he later denied it. Lakers center Pau Gasol stayed out of the fray with his eyes on Fernandez. The two were Olympic teammates. "It was an unfortunate play, and an unfortunate fall," Gasol said. Ariza was contrite after the game, apologizing to Fernandez. "It wasn't anything I was trying to do. I wasn't trying to hurt him," he said. "I was just trying to make a play on the ball." At the Blazers' practice facility Tuesday in Tualatin, coach Nate McMillan would not comment on the NBA's decision not to penalize Ariza further. "That's a dangerous play," he said. "That's all I'm going to say." Brandon Roy said he made it a point not to get involved because of the team's push to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2002-03 season. Portland and Utah shared the Northwest Division entering Tuesday night. "The race is too tight to miss any games," Roy said.
Wow the officiating the league has become a joke. They'll suspend a player for leaving the bench but they won't suspend a player for possibly ending a player's career or possibly their life?
I respect other peoples' opinions but I still think Ariza meant to inflict pain. Like Bruce Bowen and Josh Howard have done on many occasions, Ariza just disguised his dirty play enough to get away with it. I truly thought Ariza would be suspended for at least 1 game.
I followed Ariza since his days at UCLA...im 100% sure he didnt mean to harm Rudy. Hes just not that type of player. it was just an unfortunate and dumb/dangerous play
Like you stated...Bowen and Howard have been known to do it many times. Show me one time where Ariza made a dirty play. Good luck.
Like i said in the other thread, Ariza wont be suspended by the league. Is the same situation like Bynum hard foul earlier on!
wow, this ruling really reflects how dumb officiating is in the NBA. A guy steps 1 feet onto the court and gets a suspension. The guy who swiped at someone on an open fast break get's nothing. Nobody really remembers what horford did to tj ford? It's funny how people say he just fell awkwardly like that's how Rudy just falls. Anyone else would have fell "normally".
It wasn't a dirty play. Many of you are reaching here. He swiped at the ball and his hand hit the ball while his arm hit the back of Rudy's head. What made it even nastier was the fact that after he hit Rudy his arms got tangled with Rudy's which kind of flipped Rudy in a sideway motion causing the ugly fall. Regardless, it was not a dirty play where he should be penalized by getting suspended. They both were coming at full speed and the fall was just ugly. I ask everyone who is against this ruling this question: Imagine same scenario, same thing happening, except Rudy springs back up as if nothing happened, would yall still the same way?
first off it wasnt a dangerous/dirty play. i dont know how many times i've seen a guy get swiped upside the head on a fast break. it happened to aaron brooks a few games ago, but he landed fine.
Heck everyone remember when Olajuwon blocked Kevin. It was also a swipe, but of course he got all ball (and Olajuwon was way better as shot blocker). KJ still had a fall, not so bad, but looked like it hurt, but it was never a dirty play. I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WAS NOT FROM BEHIND LIKE ARIZA's but the point I'm trying to make is that the way they swiped at the ball was similar, so it wasn't a "violent" swipe or anything of that nature.
Word... Video doesn't prove intent...innocent until proven guilty People are trying to equate the score with his intent and that to me is ridiculous. Especially if there was no other foul play between Fernandez and Ariza during the game.
That's a silly remark because if I shoot somebody and he dies, I'm going to be judged for a life sentence or death penality but if I shoot somebody in the leg and nothing more happens .. I'm not going to go in jail for that long
Not analogous...you are always allowed to go for a block. You are NEVER allowed to prememptively shoot someone. Of course theres self DEFENSE...such as defending the ball...hah but thats a stretch and would favor my position anyway Heres what I posted in another thread: Also, I don't understand how people say you've never played ball if you think thats a clean play. I play ball and I would hustle on a play like that if I was up 20 or down 20. I'm sure TMac and a lot of good players would have yielded to Fernandez on the play in that situation but other players would try to make a play. And a lot of people say 'oh if it was AB or Von going up for the layup you would think it was dirty.' What if it was Ron going for the block? You know its his nature to go for everything and play at a high level of intensity on every posession...especially defensively. NO LAYUPS! Secondly, I don't think the circumstances should be considered (ie-how much you're winning by or losing by). You guys are acting like it was preseason or a scrimmage. We criticize NBA players for not playing with heart like college players on each play. This was just a play where someone hustled really hard and the outcome was very unfortunate. Lastly, let's just stop trying to read minds here. The video doesn't show clear intent because he was going for the ball...innocent until proven guilty.
Hey man, I'm not in control of the law, sorry. It's different here because there is intent, much different scenario. I just want to keep the same scenario we are talking about. Think about it. Rudy springs back up, nothing happens. Do you still feel Ariza should be suspended? No doubt it was an ugly play. It was. Ariza is an energy player and this block could perhaps given some life to the team (who knows), but instead it turned out ugly. Bottomline you can tell he had no intent. And please don't come arguing, well he talked mess and kept jawing at people, blah blah. That's just natural. He reacted like most humans would since Blazer players ran towards him jawing so he just reacted by screamin back. Could he have had better judgment there? Hell yeah he could. I would of ran right at Rudy to check on him. Definitely he could of done that, but just because he didn't doesn't mean that he had any intent of hurting Rudy. The play was not dirty.
The problem I have with that play is it is an obvious frustration foul. The lakers had been physical since they are down big. On the other note, isn't a flagrant 2 foul an automatic suspension? I thought that's why stu jackson didn't give FURTHER suspension to ariza.
An obvious frustration foul?? Really. Have you watched the replay over and over? He was trying to make a play on the ball. That is not a frustration foul.
