Denver's Carmelo Anthony and the other nine players on the court at the time were ejected for fighting during a wild brawl between the Nuggets and Knicks, triggered in part by a New York team that felt it was being shown up on its home floor.
Multiple players, including Anthony, threw punches, and New York's Nate Robinson and Denver's J.R. Smith -- fouled hard by Mardy Collins on the play that started the brawl -- flew into the first row of the crowd while fighting during the NBA's scariest scene since Indiana players fought with Detroit fans in 2004.
According to the Knicks, the whole thing happened because the Nuggets still had their starters on the floor with 1:15 left and a 19-point lead. Denver won 123-100.
"They just wanted to embarrass us," Robinson said. "It was a slap in the face to us. As a team, as a franchise, we weren't going to let that happen. A clean, hard foul happened and after that it went down from there."
The foul wasn't clean at all. Collins grabbed Smith around the neck as he was going in for a breakaway layup. Anthony and Robinson quickly jumped in, and the melee went from one end of the court all the way to the other.
Anthony threw a punch at Collins, and now awaits what will surely be strong punishment from a league still trying to repair its image after the melee in Auburn Hills, Mich
So the Knicks were worried about getting embarrassed at the Garden? I'm sorry, but aren't they a little too late for that?
The word is that Zeke ordered the flagarent. If this is true, Thomas should get a pretty big suspension himself. I know it was dickish of Karl to keep his starters out there, but you don't respond by having your guys go headhunting.
But it must be said, that last punch by 'Melo was an absolute cheap shot. He landed a total sucker punch and backed off like a punk.
(edited by It's False on 17.12.06 0205) "That's the thing: Maybe he'll be up and down this season, but when he's up, is there another center in the league quite like him? He protects the rim, passes out of double teams, has great hands around the basket, up-fakes on his jump-hooks, rebounds in traffic, even has a motor that keeps going and going (unlike a stiff like Eddy Curry). I'm not sure what's missing here. This is stunning. This is startling. There's almost no precedent for it. Just what the Lakers needed: More obscenely good luck. Meanwhile, I have to watch Al Jefferson whip jump-hooks off the front of the rim for the third straight season. I will now pour scalding hot water down my pants." -Bill Simmons on Andrew Bynum (11/08/06)
Wow, an embarrassing incident like this occurs and no Pacers or former Pacers are involved in it? (And no, I don't count Isiah Thomas). Thank God! Between the Pistons/Pacers brawl, the thing with Antonio Davis (of the Bulls) running into the stands last year, and Dale Davis being tasered, this is a little refreshing for me, anyway.
"Hurt me if you must, but let the duckie go." --The Oracle of the Sunken Valley, The Order of the Stick
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If you watch the tape, the instigator of the brawl is Nate Robinson, as it was just the usual scrum situation post hard foul when his Napeoleonic complex appeared and he just started throwing punches. He should be gone minimum 5 games. Anthony should be gone minimum 10 game for throwing a sucker punch when the brawl had died down, then, running as fast as he could away once he threw the punch. Was George Karl sticking it to the Knicks for his old friend Larry Brown? Yes. Should Isiah Thomas first learn how to coach his own team before he starts telling another coach how to do his job? Yes. Hopefully though, the genius that is James Dolan realizes the fight the Knicks are showing under Isiah and rewards him with a 5 year extension so that those of us who revel in the misery of the Knickerbockers can have a wonderful holiday season. Extend Isiah Now.
The Horsemen DVD is 3 Discs and 9 hours. Let Us Rejoice and Sing Its Praise.
Is it wrong that Nate Robinson is now one of my heroes? I think my favorite part was when Carmelo starts running away like a little punk and Nate bucks in his face like he's going to throw a punch, causing Carmelo to cower in fear.
Of course this had to happen to the Knicks. All in all, though, I think Carmelo deserves quite a bit of the blame.
Anthony was just an idiot all on his own. The blame for this whole situation is unconnected to him. I saw two things happen - the Knicks caused a fight, and Carmelo Anthony tried to start a separate one. The penalties for this should be a lot stiffer than what people are suggesting, if the NBA wants to stop this stuff from happening. 5-10 games won't do it. Make it 25-30 and people will think twice.
It's hard to see individual transgressions on the smaller size videos I've seen online. But from what I can make out: Collins HAS to get a Deliberate Flagrant and the punishment that comes with it for the hack job that started it all. If people had just remained calm after that its all over. JR Smith and Robinson deserve suspensions for flaring it up again. Melo gets a hefty suspension for his punch. Jeffries probably gets one for chasing Melo. Its hard to see alot of detail from the rest of it, but guys like Lee who seemed to be trying to hold guys back, and whoever stopped Jeffries, shouldn't get suspended.
Originally posted by MercIts hard to see alot of detail from the rest of it, but guys like Lee who seemed to be trying to hold guys back, and whoever stopped Jeffries, shouldn't get suspended.
Well I don't know who was in the game at the time but doesn't the NBA have a suspension rule for anyone coming off the bench regardless if it's to defend a player or stop them from fighting. It might not be a good rule, but if it's a rule then even the guys breaking up the fight should be punished. Maybe that's just a fine rule though, I don't remember.
So, what, no word on the suspensions yet? It seemed like the fight was barely over between the Pacers and the Pistons (fans) before David Stern announced a season-long suspension for Artest and massive suspensions for O'Neal and Jackson.
"Hurt me if you must, but let the duckie go." --The Oracle of the Sunken Valley, The Order of the Stick
Five-Time W of the Day (5/27/02; 7/3/02; 7/30/04; 8/28/04; 12/16/05)
The Only Five-Time (and Last) N.E.W. World Heavyweight Champion
Certified RFMC Member-- Ask To See My Credentials!
Originally posted by QuezzyWell I don't know who was in the game at the time but doesn't the NBA have a suspension rule for anyone coming off the bench regardless
I know they have a rule for that, but couldn't remember if its just a Technical Foul. I assumed the person stopping Jeffries was an on court player. I found this in the NBA Rules 05-06 version (http://www.nba.com/media/rule_book_2005-06.pdf - page 30)
"c. During an altercation, all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench. Violators will be suspended, without pay, for a minimum of one game and fined up to $35,000. The suspensions will commence prior to the start of their next game. A team must have a minimum of eight players dressed and ready to play in every game. If five or more players leave the bench, the players will serve their suspensions alphabetically, according to the first letters of their last name. If seven bench players are suspended (assuming no participants are included), four of them would be suspended for the first game following the altercation. The remaining three would be suspended for the second game following the altercation."
So, basically, the Nuggets and Knicks should both be playing shorthanded for their next game (18 Dec)
Originally posted by ekedolphinSo, what, no word on the suspensions yet? It seemed like the fight was barely over between the Pacers and the Pistons (fans) before David Stern announced a season-long suspension for Artest and massive suspensions for O'Neal and Jackson.
I heard something about the league announcing that they wouldn't be making any suspensions until today.
Holy bajesus, George Karl is PISSED at Isiah Thomas. There's a video clip of him on the front page of ESPN.com right now. I can't figure out how to link to it because all they give us is a Javascript link, but to summarize/paraphrase, Karl says that he was NOT running up the score, he was worried that his team might blow the lead as they've done in the past, and Isiah is full of shit and is an asshole (his words, not mine). The clip is about 30 seconds long. Watch it!
EDIT: You can view a slightly lower resolution version of the video in Monday's Daily Dime (ESPN.com).
Originally posted by StingArmyHoly bajesus, George Karl is PISSED at Isiah Thomas. There's a video clip of him on the front page of ESPN.com right now. I can't figure out how to link to it because all they give us is a Javascript link, but to summarize/paraphrase, Karl says that he was NOT running up the score, he was worried that his team might blow the lead as they've done in the past, and Isiah is full of shit and is an asshole (his words, not mine). The clip is about 30 seconds long. Watch it!
EDIT: You can view a slightly lower resolution version of the video in Monday's Daily Dime (ESPN.com).
- StingArmy
(edited by StingArmy on 19.12.06 0309)
I found myself agreeing with Karl here. It seems like almost NO lead is safe in the NBA and if Thomas wasn't throwing in the towel, then why should Karl? The Knicks weren't playing to finish the game, they were playing to catch up. I agree 100% with Furious George on this one (and man, did he live up to his name in this clip, or what?).
"That's the thing: Maybe he'll be up and down this season, but when he's up, is there another center in the league quite like him? He protects the rim, passes out of double teams, has great hands around the basket, up-fakes on his jump-hooks, rebounds in traffic, even has a motor that keeps going and going (unlike a stiff like Eddy Curry). I'm not sure what's missing here. This is stunning. This is startling. There's almost no precedent for it. Just what the Lakers needed: More obscenely good luck. Meanwhile, I have to watch Al Jefferson whip jump-hooks off the front of the rim for the third straight season. I will now pour scalding hot water down my pants." -Bill Simmons on Andrew Bynum (11/08/06)
The team that is behind should be the one to call off the dogs and put all the second-teamers in. If the Knicks are still playing hard with the their first squad, then why wouldn't the Nuggets?