Official Brawl Thread (no need to start more)

[Shelly]

Does this mean Malik will get more playing time????

[Supergirl]

I think it is appalling the Isiah Thomas is even attempting to justify his players' actions, and I think it speaks volumes about who he is as a coach and a person - someone with no value system to impart on his players. And that shows by his team's shoddy record.

Nuggets don't have to justify playing anybody they want on the floor. It's their ing team, they can play whoever they want. It's questionable coaching to play your starters when the game is won - but that's the coach's call. There is no excuse for reaction violently. You go out there any play your best, regardless of who is playing.
And like I said, that at ude starts at the top down - with the coach and the ownership.

Meanwhile, Carmelo Anthony has now separated himself from any of the league's elite in a negative way by acting like such a knucklehead. I always knew he lacked something that some of the great ones lack - now I know what it is: brains. You don't put yourself in a position to potentially be suspended 20-25 games when you're the team leader. The Nuggets have likely taken themselves out of playoff contention.

[romsey31]

I really doubt that as Denver players didn't go into the stands with the sole intent of fighting fans. They were in the first few rows fighting eachother.

The difference is New york fans arent re ed like Detroit fans, no fan tried to get involved.

[Kamnik]

I think it is appalling the Isiah Thomas is even attempting to justify his players' actions, and I think it speaks volumes about who he is as a coach and a person - someone with no value system to impart on his players. And that shows by his team's shoddy record.

i couldnt agree more

i watched his post game comments-it looked like me he had some nervous bad feeling about it (imo it could be very possible that he ordered a "hard" foul)

Isiah Thomas is a coach without class whatsoever

[boutons_]

Watch Stern come down on all the instigators and contributors like 1000 lead-filled obsolete synthetic basketballs.

Anybody hear when Stern will hold his press conference?

[ata]

Excelent reading: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...yhoo&type=lgns

...
Just when you thought Zeke couldn't embarrass this franchise any worse, just when you thought he couldn't let down this city any more, just when you thought building and coaching a dog team wasn't enough, there is this: a whiny coach making excuses for dirty fouls and poser players.
...

[romsey31]

"By leaving 4 starters in with a 20-point lead and a little over a minute in the game"

Very similar to Larry having the Piston starters playing in the last couple minutes while they were blowing out the Pacers.

You got it wrong...Pacers were blowing out the pistons...and all starters for both teams were still in the game.

[Kamnik]

Excelent reading: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...yhoo&type=lgns

i actually feel bad for the Knicks fans.... for the last few years actually


QUOTE "It's all gone in New York now – the pride, the respect, the dignity. This isn't just a bad team; this is a bad act. A once proud franchise and fan base brought to its knees as its pathetic coach makes excuses and whines for mercy. "

[mountainballer]

agree to all who argue that it is the Nuggets call if they play their starters at the end or not.
unwritten law, gentlemens agreement or whatever....what a nonsense.
maybe a coach thinks it would be good for the confidence to blow out the other team at their homecourt, as mentioned, he might be wrong, but it is his call.

what kind of a moron Thomas and some of his players are (Robinson) when defending the foul of Collins and whole actions by blaming the nuggets for playing starters at the end of a won game.
Collins fouled Smith obviously with the intention to hit him the worst possible way, also accepting a potential serious injury to Smith.
I think Smith is also a big headcase, but that he jumped at Collins is more than understandable. some people argue, that Spurs players wouldn't react like any of the involved players.
hm....they for sure would not do what Carmelo or Anthony did, but do you see all of them just shrug in the second after the foul?
then Robinson went after Smith as if Smith had just fouled Collins and not the other way.
again, I don't try to defend Smith, but in the action I can see why he didn't want Robinson to attack him several times.
Robinson is really completly nuts. what a punk.

the punch of Carmelo was another story. absolutly stupid. (even if it looks as if Collins has said something to Carmelo before the punch)
(btw. who tackled Jeffries when he tried to go for Carmelo. was it Camby? can't say if it was accidently or a super fast reaction)

[SequSpur]

The reason why the Suns, the Nuggets, the Mavs and the Kings play their starters in a blow out is because they only win their championships in the individual stat column.

A little fight here and there is good for the NBA. It was getting kind of boring.

[greenroom]

The reason why the Suns, the Nuggets, the Mavs and the Kings play their starters in a blow out is because they only win their championships in the individual stat column.

A little fight here and there is good for the NBA. It was getting kind of boring.

I am willing to bet that if this happened to Tim Duncan you would have the same reaction as you had in Denver/New York from the Spurs.

I am willing to bet also that if someone did that to your friend sor family that you would also not just stand pat and say that is ok.

[romsey31]

The reason why the Suns, the Nuggets, the Mavs and the Kings play their starters in a blow out is because they only win their championships in the individual stat column.

A little fight here and there is good for the NBA. It was getting kind of boring.

No doubt

[wildbill2u]

Thomas, by contrast, might be facing more than accusations. You can be sure the league will investigate suggestions that Collins' hard foul on Smith came via mandate from the Knicks' bench.

That sort of directive would be difficult to prove, but ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan reported Saturday night that Thomas, according to a member of the Nuggets' organization, warned Anthony not to venture near the paint not long before Collins' foul.

Isn't this the second time that Thomas has been accused of fomenting violence from the bench this year?

[BUMP]

i find it funny that the Knicks said that they had to "defend their house"

its your job to stop the other team. they're acting like dunking on a fastbreak is a crime. maybe you shouldnt turn the ball over. you defend your house by winning not clothslining someone. nothing they can say is a legitimate excuse. the knicks backed themselves into a corner with no way out

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Man, Carmelo doesn't even get back that fast on defense.

[wildbill2u]

I dunno ; bit it ended Rudy T's career as a player ; that was a violent punch
Maybe it's a good thing Melo didn't his Collins hard

I think he got suspended for the rest of the season.

Frankly, I think Washington got a raw deal on that. Many of you have probably never seen the video, but as I remember it, during the fight Washington was sort of backed up alone on the court away from the fight, but on the alert for anyone approaching. Rudy started running over at him from about 15-20 feet away. Washington caught the movement toward him out of the corner of his eye, pivoted around and threw the punch. Rudy ran right into it at full speed which also helped make it more serious.

Now presumably Rudy was just going to be a peacemaker, but how did Washington know that? What he saw was another superbly fit, trained athlete, 6-6 and over 200 lbs, charging toward him in the middle of a brawl. He had a split second to react.

His split second reaction was to throw a punch and protect himself and his space. I can't fault him for that. I probably would have done the same. It was not done with malice or in any way an aggressive move TOWARD Rudy. Rudy put himself in harm's way. If he had stayed on the bench it would never have happened, but everyone sympathized with him because of the severity of the injury.

I know that Washington later apologized to Rudy and his feelings of remorse probably drove him for the rest of his career. Frankly, Washington was never the same player in my opinion, just like Rudy.

[LEONARD]

Basketball fights are so lame...I'd love to see some of these guys that act like badasses thrown into a ring to show what they can do...

[angel_luv]

I missed most of the footage. Malik wasn't at all involved, right?


Except for Malik and Marbury and Curry ( if he is still there), I don't know anything about the Knicks team.

But I have thought Denver was a bunch of thugs since the 2005 play offs. It's no shock to me that they were involved in a brawl.

[wildbill2u]

I am willing to bet that if this happened to Tim Duncan you would have the same reaction as you had in Denver/New York from the Spurs.

I am willing to bet also that if someone did that to your friend sor family that you would also not just stand pat and say that is ok.

No, you'd probably have some of our drunk fans out on the court 'punching for Timmy' while some of the Spurs sat on the bench laughing and rating the punches thrown.

Texans don't have many fans worried about their Armanis.

[exstatic]

Man, Carmelo doesn't even get back that fast on defense.

At least Karl now has a teaching tool for him.

"Hey, Melo, just pretend that you sissy punched someone, and are trying to GTFO of there..."

[GrandeDavid]

i just saw it. Melo slapped him, it wasnt a punch

only 5 games i reckon , maybe 10

Punch or slap, he fueled a fire that was seemingly calming down. That deserves harsh consequences.

[IX_Equilibrium]

Carmelo is a little for sucker punching and then running away.

[Walton Buys Off Me]

I love how Carmelo throws a punch, then runs away.....typical basketball player.

The Nuggets and Knicks defined bush-league prior to this 'attempt at a brawl', now they just look like WNBA teams.

These guys- especially the punk-ass ho Anthony should be suspended for not knowing how to fight.

[Obstructed_View]

I am willing to bet that if this happened to Tim Duncan you would have the same reaction as you had in Denver/New York from the Spurs.

I am willing to bet also that if someone did that to your friend sor family that you would also not just stand pat and say that is ok.

You have no idea what you are talking about.

The Spurs had their second leading scorer taken out for the season on a cheap flagrant that basically cost them a shot at a championship. That same offender committed a flagrant on Malik Rose in the same series, and there was still no fight. In 2005 Manu got elbowed to the ground in the playoffs by three guys that were humiliated that Manu was ing owning their little asses. He got up and made his free throws on the way to knocking them out of the playoffs.

And again, for the logic impaired: Isiah did not empty his bench in the game. What he did was put Collins in the game for Marbury just before the flagrant.

And yes, Carmelo's sucker punch while simultaneously backpedalling is the pussy move of the season. I hope he gets a dozen games for that.

[jn77]

Malice at the Palace..........What will this be called?

Makes me wonder what they would call a fight at the AT&T Center? Not that Pop would let that happen!