JR Smith

[Lee]

We all knew the moment when JR would do something stupid was about to come. Didn't expect such a bad timing though considering the Love injury. F*ck....

I am not sure it is as stupid as we think. He didn't know Crowder was that far off, he wasn't trying to hit in the face. Its basketball, under the basket elbows happen all the time. I am not mad at JR, he was playing to compete. Playing Hard and got caught up in a situation.

Now, I am not naive, this will probably be a 5 game suspension, reduced to 3 or 4 after appeal. Sucks, but its now time to see what we are made of as a team.

 

[brownsbuck6]

BTW, just to reiterate my previous point.... PRECEDENT MATTERS. It's ALWAYS used in determining punishment and if you want to talk about someone having standing to act legally, suspending someone for some random amount that is wholly outside of established precedent is EXACTLY how you bring on legal action. Even if the league tried to lay a heavy hand here, JR and the Player's Union would get it reduced in arbitration or in court.
Jermaine O'neal was able to get his suspension reduced form 25 games to 15 games FOR FIGHTING FANS due to a District Court determining the punishment "excessive". Don't think for a second that the same wouldn't happen if you just randomly throw the book at one guy. Anyone who has ever been in a position of disciplining employees knows, precedent matters and you can't just randomly treat two employees differently without making yourself legally vulnerable.
http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/notebook-oneals-suspension-reduced/

BTW, this applies with Olynyk as well. The league can't look at either case emotionally. I think they'll review the play and if they determine it to be "unnecessary and excessive" they'll award a Flagrant 2 and have Olynyk sit the first game next year.

For everyone arguing one way or the other about punishment of either guy, keep precedent in mind. Many here want Olynyk hammered (and some even Smith) well beyond normal punishment but you can't have unpredictable, uneven, arbitrary punishment without bringing competitive balance into question. The owners, coaches, players need to know that punishment will be meted out with an even hand.

Because otherwise the NBA would be the NFL in regards to random punishments. This is all true - the NBA has always been pretty good about even handed punishments that are in line with prior circumstances. It's exactly why Smith will get one game, and probably deservedly so, but any more than that is just absurd when looking at even just this season's suspensions.

 

[Scar4343]

Idk what you saw but jrs looks worse than all of those. And I'm on his side

I think someone wildly swinging their arm blindy behind them isn't the same as lining someone up and about breaking their ribs in the air(Bynum) at the end of a game you're getting blown out in(not a basketball play) or lining someone up and putting an elbow/forearm in their throat as they're running towards the basket(Pittman) or getting in a prolonged fight that includes punches and then going after the player after getting ejected and even later trying to get into the locker room(villanueva). Those are the ones that stand out as clearly worse as each player knowingly and intentionally went after the guy.

I think the Rondo one is worse because punches were thrown and it could've escalated badly in a malice at the Palace fashion when it ended up in the stands.

I could see the K-Love one being comparable since I don't think Love meant to step on his face but I'd rate it worse because Scola was defenseless, laying on the ground. If JR gets 2 games, this is the closest incident I've seen that would be precedent for that.

I don't know how anyone could say the Artest situation was comparable. For one, the severity of the blow is far different even if you're in the "closed fist" crowd. Don't believe me? Next time I'm back in Ohio I can come over and elbow you in the side of the head like Artest did and you can backhand me in the face blindly like JR. Also, while JR has a history, it doesn't include a long, long rap sheet that includes the longest suspension in NBA history for on-court conduct and an incident that gave the league it's biggest black eye since Kermit Washington.

I stand by 1 game for JR and 1 game for Olynyk. 2 games max for JR.

 

[amurderofcrows]

I am not sure it is as stupid as we think. He didn't know Crowder was that far off, he wasn't trying to hit in the face. Its basketball, under the basket elbows happen all the time. I am not mad at JR, he was playing to compete. Playing Hard and got caught up in a situation.

Now, I am not naive, this will probably be a 5 game suspension, reduced to 3 or 4 after appeal. Sucks, but its now time to see what we are made of as a team.

IMO, JR could get suspended for more than one game, BUT, any games assessed over one should be served at the beginning of next years regular season.

 

[Scar4343]

Because otherwise the NBA would be the NFL in regards to random punishments. This is all true - the NBA has always been pretty good about even handed punishments that are in line with prior circumstances. It's exactly why Smith will get one game, and probably deservedly so, but any more than that is just absurd when looking at even just this season's suspensions.

If he gets more than 1 game, it will be 2 and there is some precedent for that. It also could be justified due to being a repeat offender if they want to factor in the Terry elbow from 2 years ago. Although that play(on Terry) wasn't exactly egregious and used to be accepted practice for getting space from a guy that was in your jersey.

It'll be 1-2 games but since he was ejected and there was no after effects from the play(most multi-game suspension involve a larger brawl or some action after the fact, not a single play on the court), I'm going with 1 game.

 

[Scar4343]

IMO, JR could get suspended for more than one game, BUT, any games assessed over one should be served at the beginning of next years regular season.

That'd be terrible precedent to set. What if someone clotheslines LeBron in Game 1 of the Chicago series with an elbow to the throat like Lance Stephenson got? Would you want them back Game 3 as long as they served the remaining 2 game suspension to start the season? Hell no.

You give out the punishment now and it's served now. In JR's case, based on precedent, it should be 1-2 games and a fine, at worst.

 

[Ruken]

Sorry guys, but this thread is embarrassing now.

The dude cold cocked a man. Sucker punched, out cold, knee broke, flatlined him. Bullshit he was boxing out.

More malicious than all of the other multi suspension games and the result remarkably worse. Some posters are seeing this as innaccuratrly and biased as the celts defending olynk.

Might want to reword this a bit, you're making it sound like J.R. smacking him is what caused the knee injury...the face is not attached to the knee.

Fitness guru my ass

 

[Binkster]

Now, I am not naive, this will probably be a 5 game suspension, reduced to 3 or 4 after appeal. Sucks, but its now time to see what we are made of as a team.

No offense, but there is no chance he gets 5 games.

That just doesn't happen in the NBA and in the playoffs, no less. Within the context of the play (multiple shoves in the back that went uncalled and jockeying for position) the punishment will be just. 1 game - no more, no less.

 

[czvo]

Where's the precedent for a multi-game suspension? At worst, I could see the NBA saying it should be a 3 game suspension but being dropped to 1 because of the officials not taking the steps to keep the game in line. But realistically, everything else this season has warranted a 1 game suspension. The playoffs doesn't suddenly make it worse. Crowder having a glass jaw doesn't make it worse. JR Smith's history doesn't make it worse.

For everyone that compares Smith to Artest, they seem to forget that Artest went into the fucking stands and was ALWAYS going to punished harshly because of it. Even with Smith's history, nothing compares to that.

Was it @Czvosec that wanted to do a $10 donation bet? I'll take you up on it.

Done and done. Really hope I'm paying up today, but I doubt it. That shot looks worse and worse every time I see it.

 

[WeinerSoBig]

I think DG will threaten to come down hard on the NBA if they don't go easy on JR. He's got a lot of amo to use to.... no review of Love's shoulder injury for a flagrant 2..... no foul called on Crowder which would have avoided JR getting ejected.... IT's incident while LBJ was trying to get the ball in bounds.... and the list could go on.

I honestly think JR will get 1 game suspension and the refs should also get fined and suspended. I put all the blame on the refs for what happened yesterday.

 

[theSTEREO.]

Sorry guys, but this thread is embarrassing now.

The dude cold cocked a man. Sucker punched, out cold, knee broke, flatlined him. Bullshit he was boxing out.

More malicious than all of the other multi suspension games and the result remarkably worse. Some posters are seeing this as innaccuratrly and biased as the celts defending olynk.

Yes, he lashed out. Wasn't inadvertent. It was dumb.

It will still be a one game suspension, max.

 

[col63onel]

I think DG will threaten to come down hard on the NBA if they don't go easy on JR. He's got a lot of amo to use to.... no review of Love's shoulder injury for a flagrant 2..... no foul called on Crowder which would have avoided JR getting ejected.... IT's incident while LBJ was trying to get the ball in bounds.... and the list could go on.

I honestly think JR will get 1 game suspension and the refs should also get fined and suspended. I put all the blame on the refs for what happened yesterday.

While I definitely don't blame the refs for all of it (JR is the one who did the deed), this general argument is what I'd use if I was the Cavs. Refs did a poor job of controlling the game.

 

[kidduck]

On NBA radio, Pelicans play by play announcer Joel Meyers is saying the league should really come down hard on
JR. He says 5-10 games and that that type play has
absolutely no place in the league. He also mentioned JRs' history as a factor. He calls it bush league. Meyers adds that JR is a good guy off the court, but shows no maturity on it.

 

[Pavlovic3Ball]

Yes, he lashed out. Wasn't inadvertent. It was dumb.

It will still be a one game suspension, max.

It was far from a smart play. But I still think it was worth it. Crowder had been testing the team all series. And basically called us soft to the press. I would
Have been upset had the team not retaliated for the Lovd injury. It may hurt us down the line. But I am just not sweating the overrated Bulls. A team that has been LeBron's cum towel for awhile now. JR is and will always be a dumb player. But I just enjoyed seeing Crowder get knocked out to really hate on him. Consequences or not, the Cavs stood up for themeseleves yesterday. My one concern before the postseason was them possibly being a little soft.

 

[Pavlovic3Ball]

On NBA radio, Pelicans play by play announcer Joel Meyers is saying the league should really come down hard on
JR. He says 5-10 games and that that type play has
absolutely no place in the league. He also mentioned JRs' history as a factor. He calls it bush league. Meyers adds that JR is a good guy off the court, but shows no maturity on it.

To be fair to JR, Crowder pushed him at least 3 times under the hoop hard. Not saying striking him was the appropriate reaction. But he was egged on big time. Either way, 0% chance he gets suspended longer than what Artest got for striking Harden. That was way worse an it's not even close.