Pierce, Stevenson Each Fined $25,000 For 'Menacing Gestures'

[duncan228]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/specials/playoffs/2008/04/28/players.fined.ap/index.html

Pierce, Stevenson each fined $25,000 for 'menacing gestures'
Story Highlights
Pierce was sanctioned for flashing a hand gesture toward Horford
Stevenson was called for a flagrant foul for swiping James' headband

ATLANTA (AP) -- Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce and Washington Wizards guard DeShawn Stevenson were fined $25,000 each by the NBA on Monday for making "menacing gestures" in playoff games, another attempt by the league to crack down on bad behavior.

Pierce was sanctioned for flashing a hand gesture toward Atlanta's Al Horford and attempting to stare him down in the fourth quarter of the Celtics' 102-93 loss to the Hawks on Saturday. Pierce had to be pulled back to the Boston bench by his teammates.

Stevenson was called for a flagrant foul when he swiped LeBron James' burgundy headband off late in the first half of a 100-97 loss to the Cavaliers.

"The league is sending a message that we have the best athletes in the world: Play the game," NBA commissioner David Stern said during a stop in Atlanta. "If you get baited, don't take the bait."

After Horford hit a clinching basket with 22 seconds left in Atlanta's Game 3 victory, the rookie began jawing with Pierce before heading for the Hawks bench. Pierce followed Horford as far as midcourt, glaring in his direction before holding up his right hand, forming an "O" with his thumb and index finger and extending the other three fingers.

Pierce's gesture resembled a gang sign, though Boston general manager Danny Ainge denied that it had anything to with such an illicit activity. He said the player holds up three fingers to represent "blood, sweat and tears."

"Watch what Paul does when he's introduced. He's done it for every game," Ainge said. "That's not anything related to" gangs.

Horford said he understood why the league came down so hard on Pierce.

"I knew he was upset after the play," the Hawks forward said. "I honestly didn't know what it meant. But the league wants to keep its image."

Pierce declined comment on the fine, though he indicated it would be appealed.

"I'm here getting ready for Game 4," he said before Monday night's contest at Philips Arena. "We'll take care of that when the season's over. I'm not really worried about it right now."

Boston coach Doc Rivers expects Pierce to win the appeal.

"It's silly," Rivers said. "Unfortunately, everybody's very sensitive about signs. I didn't know that. I know now. I'll be careful when I'm giving signals to the players, I'll tell you that."

Stevenson called James "overrated" after a game in March, and turned the playoffs into a personal grudge match.

The league said Stevenson made "menacing gestures" during the first quarter of Sunday's game. In the second, he came across the lane and swiped his right arm across the top of James' head, knocking off the All-Star's headband and sending him sprawling to the court.

The image-conscious Stern said the league is serious about its crackdown.

"We've got extraordinarily gifted athletes playing a special game," he said. "We're not going to let it degenerate into something else. Period."

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

:lol

[TampaDude]

Yeah...like Pierce would actually step to Horford...Al would crush him. :lol

[Kriz-Maxima]

Got to give it to the rookie, he is not intimidated.

[TampaDude]

Got to give it to the rookie, he is not intimidated.

Yup...Horford is a cool guy off the court, but he doesn't back down from ANYONE in a game. He was a beast when he was with the Gators, and he's still a beast in the NBA. If he doesn't get ROY, it's a fucking crime.

[TampaDude]

Pierce actually got caught throwing the blood gang sign towards the Atlanta bench when they were taunting him.

Pierce claimed it was just the sign for "blood, sweat, and tears." :lol

[GuerillaBlack]

Pierce actually got caught throwing the blood gang sign towards the Atlanta bench when they were taunting him.

No, it's B for Boston! :lol

[TampaDude]

No, it's be for Boston! :lol

No, it's B for BOUNCED by the Hawks in the first round! :lol

[Amare_32]

Pierce needs to worry about Game 5. Making signs at a Rookie of all people. He is better then that.

[Kriz-Maxima]

Apparently not.

[san antonio spurs]

Pierce needs to worry about Game 5. Making signs at a Rookie of all people. He is better then that.

Horford got into KG's head in game 1 and 2.
KG was trash talking to him all game.
I found it hilarious also to trash talk to a rookie especially when you're leading by 20+

[milkyway21]

Horford got into KG's head in game 1 and 2.
KG was trash talking to him all game.
I found it hilarious also to trash talk to a rookie especially when you're leading by 20+:lol

what happened to the veterans?

this young Atlanta team will be one of the teams in the future. Horford is good, he's a hard-worker on both ends of the floor..

that's what separates Tim Duncan to the rest of the much-hyped NBA superstars like KG. He'll accept losing gracefully.

[GuerillaBlack]

Pretty easy to do when you have won four rings.

[m33p0]

to boston:

2 words.









mental toughness.

[gospursgojas]

:lol

How old is Pierce?

And how long has he been in the NBA?

What a disgrace... Gang signs??? :loser

[Fillmoe]

Pierce didnt throw up any gang signs...

It is hip hop related, the hip hop equivalent to this....

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c353/tex6011/rock_sign.gif

examples below..

http://wppd-images.web.aol.com/music_gallery/i/j/jim_jones/02-jim-jones-082907.jpg

http://www.theredlemonstore.com/images/_brands/christian_audigier/press/christian-jim-jones_lg.jpg


http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/6047/jim20jones1sh3.jpg

[Kori Ellis]

Stop speaking out of your azz, he did throw up the blood sign. I saw it during the timeout. Since when did people throw up hip hop signs right after they just got almost got in a fight?

I think he actually threw a Crips sign - the Blood Killer Sign.

It's the same sign thrown here by JR Smith.

http://www.espn.go.com/photo/2006/1126/nba_g_jrsmith_395.jpg


A Crip gang member would use the "BK" hand sign to mean "Kill a Blood." The small "o" formed by the thumb and index finger and the middle finger are supposed to resemble a lowercase letter "b." The last three fingers spread out and form the "k."

http://www.slsheriff.org/images/gang_project/bk.jpg

[Kori Ellis]

Pierce didnt throw up any gang signs...
etc


Actually those hip hop signs are not what he threw. He put his index and thumb together with the other three fingers up.

[xTiTaNx]

Fillmoe, those pictures are of Jim Jones who is a known blood

[xTiTaNx]

plus Pierce went to Inglewood High...so Blood, Sweat, and Tears?? Sounds like some bs to keep the league's image clean

[mojorizen7]

This thread got just plain stupid quick.

[SouthernFried]

"We'll take care of that when the season's over. I'm not really worried about it right now."

What the hell does this mean?

"Oh, it just means we'll get with the league and review it when the seasons over."

yeah, right...

Sounds like the gang mentality is starting to peak in the NBA

[Deuces88]

Pierce is trying to intimidate people :lol

Gang members can only be intimidating when they come at you with their whole gang. Pierce coming by himself isn't going to scare anyone.

[Kriz-Maxima]

Isnt it funny that a rookie and a guy named Zaza are getting into the head of these two veterans

[Red Hawk #21]

Dirk should take some tips from Zaza and Horford, even though I really Like Dirk their is no way he should have let what West did to him go, he should have at least cursed him out imo. If the Mavs lose everyone will blame it on Dirk, poor guy.

[E20]

What Pierce did would be considered repping East Oakland from around here, if he had this hands sideways that is when he had done it.

LMAO @ the usage of burgundy.

[Cry Havoc]

This thread got just plain stupid quick.

Yes, because throwing a gang sign in the middle of an NBA game is just the height of intellectual functioning. :wakeup

[resistanze]

Even Calderon is on that gangsta shit.

http://cache.viewimages.com/xc/72989840.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF193875DCB1DD8387ABB7B5C8C7AADDD038E A40A659CEC4C8CB6

[Thunder Dan]

just think, in like 2 years you can get Deshawn Stevenson to take your groceries out to your car

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

I hope one day I can write a description of a hand gesture.

"Bonner followed Garnett to midcourt, where he began yelling numerous expletives before holding up his right hand and forming a circle with his thumb and index finger, and using the index finger on his left hand to enter the circle repeatedly."

[xtremesteven33]

i wouldnt doubt if it was a gang sign. You guys dont realize that people who are either actors or athletes can be in fraternities or gangs. for example, Freemasonry (secret society), gangs (tupac, B.I.G). Its everywhere. The gang or secret socities like to be hideen in plain view. make sense? especially if they get exposure by a famous athlete on national tv.

[Fillmoe]

I still think its bullshit.... anyone have actual video of it?

[Fillmoe]

i mean seriously mikki moore does that shit all the time.... HES A BLOOOD!

[Fillmoe]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0VWBrr7Tuw0

you can see it here while hes running back on D....

[Cry Havoc]

Even Calderon is on that gangsta shit.

Dude is hard. Don't make him roll up on dubs wit' his posse fulla 9s.

[xtremesteven33]

i mean seriously mikki moore does that shit all the time.... HES A BLOOOD!


I think its apparent when its done out of the moment like a rush of adrenaline. or when its done like a threat. Paul Pierce did it obviusly like a threat. He knows he cant punch him, so he tries to throw a gang sign to install fear in him....its obvious man...

[rAm]

Don't players throw out that same gesture after they hit a 3? Symbolizing a 3 ball (3 fingers?). Thats what I always thought it was.

[Cry Havoc]

Don't players throw out that same gesture after they hit a 3? Symbolizing a 3 ball (3 fingers?). Thats what I always thought it was.

Not what Pierce said it was for.

[Fillmoe]

I dont want to bring out the whole race card but would it have been a different situation if a white player did this?

[xtremesteven33]

I dont want to bring out the whole race card but would it have been a different situation if a white player did this?



YEA of course but Pierce has a history of possible gang related incidents. remember when he got stabbed 11 times at a nightclub by some black guys?

pretty sure it was gang related.....

[Fillmoe]

YEA of course but Pierce has a history of possible gang related incidents. remember when he got stabbed 11 times at a nightclub by some black guys?

pretty sure it was gang related.....

Because there is tons of gang tension in Boston, right? I bet it had nothing to do with the fact that he is a well known basketball player, who could have been possibly carrying lots of money on him.

[Cry Havoc]

I dont want to bring out the whole race card but would it have been a different situation if a white player did this?

http://www.wild-bills.com/kings/jason_williams_01.jpg

[resistanze]

YEA of course but Pierce has a history of possible gang related incidents. remember when he got stabbed 11 times at a nightclub by some black guys?
:lmao

[Fillmoe]

http://www.wild-bills.com/kings/jason_williams_01.jpg

greatest player alive

[boutons_]

Are these fines removed from paychecks, before tax, meaning the clubs who cut the checks must be the fine collector?

or does the NBA send an invoice to guilty to be paid out of after-tax income?

Are such fines deductible by the indiviual as "business expenses"? :)

[peewee's lovechild]

remember when he got stabbed 11 times at a nightclub by some black guys?



He better get ready for some more of that.

[Fillmoe]

http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2008/04/29/1209470880_2063.jpg

david stern = blood!

[Fillmoe]

http://multimedia.heraldinteractive.com/images/a12a327907_pierce.jpg
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/9941/piercesignkf1.gif

after seeing it clearly and in the tone in which he did it... it is a gang sign.. LOL fucking idiot...

[Fillmoe]

B's up HOES DOWN!

[Fillmoe]

if that bitch cant swim.... she gone drown!

[Kori Ellis]

http://multimedia.heraldinteractive.com/images/a12a327907_pierce.jpg
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/9941/piercesignkf1.gif

after seeing it clearly and in the tone in which he did it... it is a gang sign.. LOL fucking idiot...


I asked someone who knows him fairly well. He said it's definitely a gang sign that Paul throws - Bloods - Inglewood Family. They support him back home.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2008/04/29/1209470880_2063.jpg

david stern = blood!

:lmao

[timvp]

http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2008/04/29/1209470880_2063.jpg

david stern = blood!:lmao

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/specials/playoffs/2008/04/28/players.fined.ap/index.html


Horford said he understood why the league came down so hard on Pierce.

"I knew he was upset after the play," the Hawks forward said. "I honestly didn't know what it meant. But the league wants to keep its image."

Pierce declined comment on the fine, though he indicated it would be appealed.


Horford comes off the better man. Pierce is a chump.

[it_dont_matter]

yx all i knxw is they drafted tx them tx play ball it shxuldn't matter if they C^uz xr slxbs let them dx wut suspposed and thats play and all talk shit yxu C^an't C Pierce or Steveson sx stxp C^UZ :frying:

[greyforest]

thread necromancy

[Lp26]

http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2008/04/29/1209470880_2063.jpg

david stern = blood!

Thank you to whoever bumped this.

Funniest thing ever

:lmao:lmao

[Leetonidas]

yx all i knxw is they drafted tx them tx play ball it shxuldn't matter if they C^uz xr slxbs let them dx wut suspposed and thats play and all talk shit yxu C^an't C Pierce or Steveson sx stxp C^UZ :frying:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/pwnjoo1/1238734017157.jpg