I can't endorse taking cheap shots and trying to get away w/ it. We're not the Lakers or the Jazz. The Lakers were taking cheap shot after cheap shot and getting away with it. The refs weren't going to do anything about it. Sometimes you have to do your own self-policing and send them a message that it won't be tolerated, otherwise we would've been steam rolled with knees and elbows, and quite possibly injuries. I'm not saying what Artest did was right. He could've talked to the refs and told them what happened and stayed in the game. He could've told Kobe when they went down the court that on the next play that he needs to watch his back. Not as a promise, but as an empty threat to let him know that an elbow is not acceptable. Kobe would be scared to the death even at the possibility of a true physical confrontation. All that said, I bet the refs will be watching this series with a new perspective and Kobe will be more careful pulling his cheap shots again. He did it against Shane in game 1, no call. Game 2, Ron gets the foul because his neck hits Kobe's elbow. Kobe had a free pass, but hopefully the NBA will revoke it. We played tough basketball by out-hustling. The Lakers think tough basketball is dropping elbows and talking smack. The refs let it escalate, hopefully we will return to real basketball in game 3.
Outstanding. Dude, that is one of the best posts I have read in years, and a friendly reminder of the talent that graced these pages in years past in full force without having to sift through the drivel of the gross number of mindless lemmings. Keep it up, and carry on.
If you do what your enemy wants you to do, you are defeated, no matter how macho you act. If you want to beat your enemy, you do things to hurt him. You don't do things to hurt yourself. What Artest did did not hurt the Lakers or Kobe, he hurt himself and the Rockets. This is what Artest should have done. He should have gone talk to the refs calmly something like, "I understand you missed that this time. But next time, watch Kobe's elbow and knee. He is taking cheap shots whenever you don't look." That would get the refs' attention. If you yell at them hotheaded, you lose their ears and that's what happened.
So I gueessed Kirk Hinrich was "Weak" for standing up for himself when Rondo pull that dirty play. Hinrich stood up for himself and approach Rondo to face him was more aggressive then Artest and Artest get tossed out and not Hinrich? Freaking Kobe should be suspended for what he did and the Houston should ask the League why Artest was ejected and NOT Hinrich or Rondo?
To all u new posters, don't be scared because he's clutch crew. That's what makes this board great. I diagree bigtime in a sense. U have to defend yourself and your teammates. So ron overreacted, I get that, but u can't let guys think they can do anything to u. In fact, shane shouldve hard fouled kobe a play or so later to show unity. Kobe is smiling and busting shanes ass all night and elbowing ron in the throat didn't go over well with me. Call me old school or what,but the ggys in the fox hole have to look out for each other.
We played right into their hands plain and simple. They all know how to get into our heads,Ron and Von were taken out easily. Another thing that was very disturbing was the panic that set in immediately from the very first basket that Fisher scored after the tip off. We failed to get into our sets and didn't execute. Their defense was better but our guys were impatient. The lack of execution under pressure has been our biggest problem throughout the year. Granted we are a 2nd tier ball club but we need to do our best out there.We end up relying on individual performances to bail us out. Yesterday it was Landry and Ron. In Game 5 against Portland it was Scola. We aren't talented enough to afford the loss of a Ron Artest off the court.
Barkley mentioned that Ron did the right thing, you can't let someone do that to you and not get mad. If you let them do that, then they'll know you are weak and Kobe will not stop playing dirty since he knows you are too weak to stand up for yourself. What was awesome is Ron didn't care it was Kobe. He would have done the same thing if it was Luke Walton.
The man's right. That's the difference between Clutchfans and Joey Crawford: We're more restrained about, um, premature ejections. Which is why -- not to continue the argument or anything -- you should be more careful about confrontational behavior on the court than in here.
For the record, I don't ever post on here. I have been a member for a long time, but just come on here to read and follow the Rockets. I had to reply to this one. You couldn't be any more wrong. The Rockets finally have someone that isn't going to take any crap from the big, bad Lakers. I wish someone had gone after Derek after he pulled his cheap shot crap. I would have put him on back - close game or not. This is a 7 game series. Strong? Am I reading you right? Kobe Bryant is mentally strong? Is elbowing someone in the throat and kneeing someone in the head considered strong nowadays? Are you serious? What a friggin joke. Go back and look at NBA history. Detroit, Chicago, Boston - an elbow to Jordan would have been a full out battle. You going to tell me Detroit would have allowed that to Isiah? Please. This is the perfect example of the wussification of America. Must have sucked to get your lunch money stolen every day. Sorry, there is no honor in getting beat up and not standing up for yourself. Take it to 'em, Ron.
Why is it ridiculous? I understand it was the heat of the moment. And Artest's reaction was understandable. But it does not make it the correct one. You can kill someone in the heat of the moment and can be understandable. But that does not make it a smart move. You don't think a professional player could have restrained himself and talk to the refs calmly under that situation?
Its times like these I almost wish Mark Cuban was our owner. Cuban is a pain but he does stand up for his team. We don't want the players retailiating or even Adelman complaining too much but for an owner to call out the league on terrible reffing, and the cheap shots from Kobe should definately be called out, that is something. Alexander is a good owner but are you going to sit there and watch your investment get beaten up while the league does nothing?
Also, if the rockets look like they won't retaliate eventually, other than pure justice, what's the league's incentive to ackowledge the situation. OTH, if the Rockets do take action, then the league has to acknowledge that something serious may happen in the heat of the moment so they will need to get it under control.
