Could Thomas get suspended?

[Guest]

Excuse my language but BULLSHIT!!!

[Atlantaholic]

We all know what would have happened if the roles had been reversed. We saw it last year with Horford. 

[bird_dirt]

56 minutes ago, atljonesbro said:

Coach bud needs to call the leagues bluff and have Dennis smack Thomas first play of the game. Any action taken should result in the Hawks taking action for corruption

Mmmm....Maybe not Dennis.  Send Muscala, Patterson, or Hinrich out there to test that theory.  Just in case.

[Guest]

So uh can someone with insider post this?

 

[bird_dirt]

The NBA ruled that Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas will not be suspended after hitting Dennis Schröder in the head during Game 3 of the first-round series between Boston and the Atlanta Hawks.

Our crew breaks down three big questions surrounding the decision not to suspend the Celtics All-Star: Was it an intentional blow? Should the NBA have suspended Thomas? How does the non-suspension shape the outcome of the series?

1. Did Isaiah Thomas intentionally hit Dennis Schröder in the head?

Brian Windhorst, ESPN.com: Yes. No question. It wasn't all that severe, but it's cut and dried. Thomas waited for him for no apparent reason and then instantly took off, like a hit-and-run, with no remorse.

Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN.com: I believe so. I think he could have avoided that confrontation if he didn't want it. The two had been jawing at each other before that. Thomas is a prideful player, and he doesn't back down from anybody.

Bradford Doolittle, ESPN Insider: In the larger context of the rancor brewing between those guys during those sequences, I strongly suspect it was an intentional act made to look somewhat unintentional. You can never be certain about what is in a person's head, but I see a really dumb play by a really good player.

Kevin Pelton, ESPN Insider: It's pretty hard to argue that was an accident. The movement by Thomas wasn't natural, and Schröder was in his line of sight.

2. Should Thomas have been suspended?

Windhorst: Yes, for three reasons. One, it was intentional. Two, the league warned teams about such actions before the postseason. Three, the league saw the Celtics series (with the Cavs) get out of hand last year. It passed the boiling point with their final game, which led to injuries and multiple suspensions. Given that Thomas didn't get suspended, I'd love to have his defense attorney.

Doolittle: If it was deemed to be intentional, I think you had to suspend him. In general, I think the league has to be very careful about removing players from such important games (like Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire against the Spurs in 2007). You can't let this kind of play slide, though -- that's how a series can get out of hand.

Pelton: That all seems to hinge on whether the contact was deemed a "punch," or more accurately a "punching foul." I don't think this matched my definition of a "punch," but the precedent of Zach Randolph's suspension during the 2014 playoffs suggested the NBA was likely to interpret any contact with a closed fist as a punch, even if a boxing judge like Harold Lederman wouldn't score it a punch on his scorecard.

Youngmisuk: I personally don't think so. I know that whenever a punch is thrown, that typically leads to a suspension. This didn't seem to me like a clear-cut, intentionally thrown, traditional fist-closed punch. Apparently the league saw it the same way.

3. How would a suspension have changed your view of the series?

Windhorst: Without starting guards Thomas and Avery Bradley, winning Game 4 would be a very tall order for Boston. That would have been unfortunate, as coach Brad Stevens has just found an interesting lineup.

Doolittle: On the surface, it would have erased an already thin margin of error for the Celtics. But Boston's offense has been pretty bad this series with Thomas on the floor, even with his big Game 3 factored in.

While no one else for Boston has Thomas' ability to create a shot, if the Celtics could have discovered some new things about themselves, it wouldn't be the first time that's happened to a team that suddenly loses a star.

Youngmisuk: If the Celtics' best scorer had been suspended for Game 4, that would have dramatically improved the Hawks' chances of winning in Boston on Sunday. And with Boston already needing at least one win in Atlanta, losing a game at home would have made their job too difficult.

Pelton: With no suspension, I'd give the Celtics about a 20 percent chance of winning three of the last four games in this series. They still must win on the road and their Game 3 performance wasn't exactly convincing.

Winning Game 4 is nearly a must for Boston, and that would have been hard to envision without Thomas. A suspension would have dropped their chances to around 5 percent, in my view.

[Lurker]

4 hours ago, atljonesbro said:

Coach bud needs to call the leagues bluff and have Dennis smack Thomas first play of the game. Any action taken should result in the Hawks taking action for corruption

If we're going to do something like this, it needs to be Hinrich or Patterson starting and do it on the first play of the game.

[Lurker]

Pelton has a good point, while Boston had a 20 point lead at one point in game 3, their game wasn't so convincing that Hawks fans should be really worried yet. The main thing I'm worried about is the "Atlanta sports thing" really.

[Guest]

Thanks @bird_dirt!

[AUhawksfan]

The NBA is all about the revenue.  A guy has a career game, of course they're not going to suspend him!  They want to attract viewers.

Hogwash.....

[gonzo]

even german media (most biased towards dennis) said that if thomas got a penalty dennis would aswell, and since the nba is rather reluctant its fine for both

[AUhawksfan]

Interesting read on Dennis and coach Bud.  I was wondering why he was laying into Dennis during the game, because I definitely noticed.  They do seem to have a give and take relationship.  I still think it was something between them that caused Bud to sit Dennis for a stretch during the season with no explanation.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nba/post/_/id/18465/hawks-dennis-Schröder-still-feels-disrespected-but-vows-no-carryover

[Gray Mule]

He didn't throw a punch, as with a fist.  Instead, he threw a elbow at his head, and connected solidly.

Obviously, he meant to do it.  Dennis got to his big ego and this was his answer.

Later in the game, one of the fine Boston lads threw a body block on Al as he came down the floor.

To me, this was also deliberate and he was attempting to injure Horford.  Refs said, "Clean foul.

Ball out of bounds, Boston."

I have never really liked the Celtics.  Remember when they tried to intimidate Zaza?  Me, too.

It may be the playoffs and different rules apply, as we see here but, as always, Boston plays dirty.

[Diesel]

It's just par for the course.  The NBA wants games that will increase viewership.  They don't want to put out a boring product.  Therefore, unless he does something blatant, the NBA will let a lot of what Thomas does slide.

 

[Jody23]

He obviously should have been suspended, but we know what's going on here.  What will be telling is how the leaders of this team respond.  And I'm talking about Teague, Horford and Millsap.  They came out playing in game 3 like "oh we only need one game in Boston" instead of looking to knock them out.  Those three guys need to come out and set the tone.  There was simply no excuse to be down by 17 at the end of the 1st quarter.

[Guest]

My blood is boiling and I'm not even on the Hawks. You have to imagine that we come out ready to destroy them in every facite of the game. By the way, the league is now just asking for a fight to break out and I am calling it right now. A FIGHT WILL BREAK OUT THIS PLAYOFF SEASON. Kermit Washington/Rudy T. part 2. The NBA wants to be the WWF, let's see how you handle that Adam Silver, or should I say Sliver (like a dirty snake in the grass).

[LamarHampton]

Exactly what I was thinking Spud. These rules have to be enforced partly to prevent players from seeking justice on their own. The other main reason is that the rules and refs are the only things that separate the NBA from the WWE. This just shows another example of the higher ups picking winners and losers or at a minimum manipulating competition. F that.

[Duff_Man]

On 4/24/2016 at 10:43 PM, AUhawksfan said:

The NBA is all about the revenue.  A guy has a career game, of course they're not going to suspend him!  They want to attract viewers.

Hogwash.....

Yeah, because people are emptying their wallets on Isaiah Thomas jerseys now.

[CrazyEye]

In the First quarter in the possesion who ended with a teague Foul close to a shot clock violation. Thomas runs into an off Ball screen under the basket,  and for me punched into the Direktion of the screener. maybe someone knows thw Situation.

[DS17Fanboy]

Also the Crowder situation whas highly dubious. That was not a natural movement on Crowder's part, but a natural reaction by Dennis when you have someone putting his knee into your liver. But somehow Dennis get a tech and crowder nothing.

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, DS17Fanboy said:

Also the Crowder situation whas highly dubious. That was not a natural movement on Crowder's part, but a natural reaction by Dennis when you have someone putting his knee into your liver. But somehow Dennis get a tech and crowder nothing.

The manner in which the refs have handled this series is pushing the series toward a bench-clearing brawl.

The guy CLEARLY got up, ROCKED BACK to put his knee into Dennis' gut.  Clearly.  Now, an argument could be made that this is fine.  I like guys not being all buddy-buddy out there.  However, if you're ok with things getting chippy (as it appears the refs in this case are ok with) either both get a T or no one gets a T.

Dennis is perfectly within his rights to not get a 250lb guy's knee in his rib cage.  If you're the refs and you're choosing to allow this, you can't punish one side.

You also have to understand that the Hawks are already getting imminently SCREWED by Thomas (I refuse to call him Isaiah) not getting suspended.  That review/result is SHAMEFUL.

I've taken a step back from posting 'cause I'm so pissed I don't have much of anything productive to add.  Rest assured though @Spud2Nique and @hawksfanatic ..... revenge is comin'