Olynyk and Smith suspended, Perkins fined.

[LooseCannon]

The league is sending the message "there are consequences for being involved in an injury to a star or a teammate of LeBron's even if it's an accident".

If KO had been involved in an injury to sayyyyy Donatas Motejunas...this never happens.

I don't think that's the message being sent.  I think the actually message is "We punished Olynyk so please, please, please Cleveland, don't retaliate against Olynyk next season and create a potential Malice at the Palace sort of situation."  Which makes the league look weak.

[Chief Macho]

Smith throws a spinning backfist that knocks a player almost unconscious and sprains his acl and its two games? 

[nickagneta]

I didn't expect Perkins to get suspended.  His offense was only rated to be a flagrant 1.  Suspensions tend to be handed out if you do things that rise to the level of a flagrant 2.  If something that would have been a flagrant 1 earns a suspension, it's usually because the refs failed to rule it flagrant, so it's to make up for that.

They actually retroactively upgraded his flagrant 1 to a flagrant 2.

I thought if after league review a flagrant one was upgraded to a flagrant 2 then because the player didn't get tossed out of the game he had to be suspended for the next game? Am I wrong or did Perk get treated special with no suspension? Or did the league not change the flagrant?

[Endless Paradise]

The only thing a flagrant 2 mandates is an ejection. If a flagrant 1 is upgraded to a flagrant 2, I believe you incur a harsher fine, but that's the extent of your "added" punishment.

[Roy H.]

I didn't expect Perkins to get suspended.  His offense was only rated to be a flagrant 1.  Suspensions tend to be handed out if you do things that rise to the level of a flagrant 2.  If something that would have been a flagrant 1 earns a suspension, it's usually because the refs failed to rule it flagrant, so it's to make up for that.

They actually retroactively upgraded his flagrant 1 to a flagrant 2.

I thought if after league review a flagrant one was upgraded to a flagrant 2 then because the player didn't get tossed out of the game he had to be suspended for the next game?

That has always been my understanding.  If you avoided an ejection, you had to be suspended.

Either that's a standard practice that isn't really a rule, or the flagrant wasn't upgraded.

[SparzWizard]

Rick Carlisle fined $25k for criticizing a ref. Perkins fined $15k for the intent of setting a hard pick to trip Crowder before throwing a punch at him.

Shows where the NBA priorities are at.

[Eja117]

The league is sending the message "there are consequences for being involved in an injury to a star or a teammate of LeBron's even if it's an accident".

If KO had been involved in an injury to sayyyyy Donatas Motejunas...this never happens.

I don't think that's the message being sent.  I think the actually message is "We punished Olynyk so please, please, please Cleveland, don't retaliate against Olynyk next season and create a potential Malice at the Palace sort of situation."  Which makes the league look weak.

If they want to stop retaliation then they have to go after retaliation. Perk you're out three weeks. JR you're out 4. Then retaliation stops happening.

Instead they just sent the message "Perk. You're good. Crowder. Sucks to be you. KO....we thiiinnnkk this will help you".   But KO isn't even suspended for the next time he plays the Cavs. Just whoever he plays.

[Endless Paradise]

Either that's a standard practice that isn't really a rule, or the flagrant wasn't upgraded.

It's the former. A few examples of flagrant 1s (or even non-calls) being upgraded without an accompanying suspension:

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/9000704/metta-world-peace-elbow-kenneth-faried-upgraded-flagrant-2-foul
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2041076-nba-fines-josh-mcroberts-20k-upgrades-foul-against-lebron-james-to-flagrant-2

[esel1000]

Double standard, Dirty Wade should have been kicked out of the league years ago if a player always gets suspended for injuring other players... he didn't get any punishment for destroying Rondo a few years ago, but KO gets a suspension on an act that isn't even clearly intentional?

Only 2 games for JR? The NBA just helping Lebron like usual... awful

[PhoSita]

Stupid that they'd suspend KO, and laughable lack of severity in the punishment to LeBron's teammates.

But is it surprising?  Sadly no.

[jpotter33]

 This is a total PR/cover my arse type of move. They didn't want to suspend JR, fine Perkins, and then not give KO anything, so they suspended him one game. Absolutely ridiculous. I'm glad Love is out the whole next series. That's karma paying the Cavs and the league back for their star treatment here.

Also, this is the same exact thing as the Smart nut shot incident. If the league thought it was intentional, then it deserved way more than a one game suspension. If they didn't think it was intentional, then it shouldn't have been anything. A one game suspension just doesn't make sense outside of a total PR move. This league is S - O - F - T!

[fairweatherfan]

Perkins should've been suspended (really he just should've been ejected but if not, suspended) but after seeing the replays and frame-by-frames of the Love injury, I have no problem with Olynyk getting suspended too.  The injury may have been a fluke but the play went well beyond ordinary arm grabbing and locking. 





He doesn't just have it tangled, he's gripping it with the off hand and wrenching it back (probably partly because of Love's momentum to be fair).  Don't think Olynyk meant anything malicious, but put more into it in the heat of the moment + probably hearing an awful lot of "play mean" speeches over the course of the series.

[Tr1boy]

how about fining love for what he did 1st

It will be interesting to see what happens when KO and Love meet next

[Tr1boy]

Perkins should've been suspended (really he just should've been ejected but if not, suspended) but after seeing the replays and frame-by-frames of the Love injury, I have no problem with Olynyk getting suspended too.  The injury may have been a fluke but the play went well beyond ordinary arm grabbing and locking. 





He doesn't just have it tangled, he's gripping it with the off hand and wrenching it back (probably partly because of Love's momentum to be fair).  Don't think Olynyk meant anything malicious, but put more into it in the heat of the moment + probably hearing an awful lot of "play mean" speeches over the course of the series.

I know it's not really funny but those pictures are hilarious. 

Maybe KO practices MMA on the side or something

[Beat LA]

What a joke.  Personally, I was wondering why it was taking the league so long to suspend Smith, and now I know why.