Originally posted by Joecool:Originally posted by blizzuntz:Originally posted by Joecool:Originally posted by blizzuntz:Originally posted by Ninerjohn:Originally posted by Joecool:Originally posted by Ninerjohn:Originally posted by Joecool:Harden started it and I hate the lakers. All Artest did was wrongfully finish it. You don't invade space like that on a dead ball. It happens to Kobe while in play but dead balls are a different story. Hardin was stirring s**t up like Zimmerman and Artest got pissed.
And I really like Hardin and hate the Lakers and Hardins sly little instigation should be taken into account for the ruling.
Seriously? You think Harden started it. LOL Damn. I guess they should suspend Harden longer than Artest then for instigating this altercation.
Sometimes I am amazed at comments that come from people on this board.
Forget the fact that it is Artest. Dude dunks the ball and is moving along the side bounds during the dead ball and an opponent moves toward him putting his hands on him as if too hug.
Harden should have been moving towards the baseline to help inbound or get back to set the offense. Harden had zero, zilch, absolutely no business to be around Artest.
Did I say the elbow wasn't bad? I said Artest wrongfully finished it which will be his punishment but Harden instigated something that could have been nothing. What if Artest would have simply shoved Harden away...that would have been Artest starting it also, right? [sarcastic]
You can't deny that Harden had no business moving towards Artest let alone holding him. Was he trying to inbound? No. Was he trying to get ready for offense? No, considering Artest was moving along the sideline getting back for Defense. Harden was not attempting to anything within the realm of playing the game. He was trying to agitate Artest and he did. His intentions toward Artest were negative.
In my opinion Harden did NOTHING wrong. Being close to a player and "invading their space" as you put it happens in every NBA game ever played. This is not about James Harden. He is not to blame for this violent and stupid act. This is about Artest and his inability to control himself on an NBA court. He needs to be severly punished. I am not advocating lifetime suspension or anything silly. 10 games is right in my mind.
It's a contact sport, cold clocking someone with a reckless elbow like that is ridiculous for any reason except maybe someone hitting you first.
No one is disagreeing with the bold. I'm just saying, Harden, during the deadball, was the instigator. That's all. It is a contact sport but people don't try to hug on a dead ball unless they are about to start something or want something to start.
I think you mean to say initiate cOntact, and not instigate getting hit with An elbow.
You are giving Artest too much of the benefit of the doubt by trying to reason that one player's conduct of playing with in the rules somehow warrants an elbow (which the NBA has zero tolerance for, even if the other person starts the fight).
I'm sorry but Harden initiated the incident.
Do you think Artest throws his elbow if Harden is farther than a foot away from Artest or Harden goes to help inbound the ball or he goes and gets set on offense? No. Which is why Harden's action initiated the entire event.
How Artest acted upon that is an entirely different debate.
I'm gonna say not only weak, but the NbA doesn't give a s**t if Harden initiated contact with a personal foul and Artest throws an elbow.
The funny part is Harden Didnt even commit a foul and somehow you are trying to convince me that he instigated everything.
Riiiight
