Will Rondo or Hinrich face suspension for Game 7?

CHICAGO -- It had all the potential to be the ugliest incident in this physical, tense series. The Celtics' Rajon Rondo, already at the center of a controversy stemming from his blow to Brad Miller's head at the end of Game 5, got tangled up with Kirk Hinrich while trying to rebound Stephon Marbury's errant 3-pointer with 28 seconds left in the first quarter Thursday night.

Rondo threw Hinrich into the scorer's table, one of those "wanton acts of violence" commissioner David Stern is always talking about. Hinrich, tough as nails, popped up and bolted toward Rondo. With his arms close to his chest, Hinrich shoved Rondo, who appeared to raise his right arm or elbow in an attempt to swing at Hinrich. He never connected, either because he thought better of it or because referee Ed Mallory had grabbed his arm. We won't know Rondo's take until Saturday; he was the last player out of the showers in the Celtics' locker room and did not speak with reporters.

"I was just boxing him out and he tried to throw me to the side," Hinrich said. "I pushed him, so I guess they looked at it and gave him a flagrant and gave me a technical. I just shoved him."

Crew chief Joe Crawford reviewed the replay and assessed a flagrant foul, penalty one to Rondo and a technical foul to Hinrich. A flagrant two would've resulted in an automatic ejection and a Celtics loss that wouldn't have taken three overtimes. Rondo had 19 assists and no turnovers in the Bulls' 128-127 victory, and he was pivotal in the Celtics' 23-3 run that began when he subbed back into the game with Ray Allen with 10:16 left in the fourth.

Hinrich said Rondo didn't punch him, but it will be another busy day at the league office sorting out this incident. No suspensions are expected, largely because both players stopped their aggression after the initial collision and took no escalating action.

"It’s playoff basketball and you're going to have run-ins like that and it happens," Hinrich said. "... I kind of shoved him and then I don’t know who stepped between us. I'd have to look at it. It kind of happened real fast. I don’t think he threw a punch at me. It’s one of those things where you get caught up in the moment and you try to catch yourself and bring yourself back down."

A couple things...1. Dwight Howard was suspended for a little elbow to the head...could the guy have been seriously injured by that? Hardly...other than the guys ego by being hit like that. 2. Rondo is a punk kid who can't play decent defense so trips, hits, and throws guys. He's done this now 3 yes, 3 times in this series. He grabbed Heinrich's arm..and literally threw him into the scorers table. Now seriously NOBODY with a brain can sit there and say that is not worse than Dwight Howard's elbow. And Heinrich could have gotten hurt by that. If he does NOT get suspended if I was D. Howard I would be pissed beyond recognition because of the double standard. Dwight Howard is an all star...Rondo is some punk player who plays on a team with 3 all stars that make him look good...period. That aside, yes for Celt's and maybe Bulls fans it would stink not to have Rondo there for the final game but you know....sometimes in life you have to face consequences for what you do and you grow up. Maybe getting suspended and possibly costing his team a chance at a repeat title will be what Rondo needs to grow up and learn that he's not playing a pick-up game at his local gym where he is free to act like a punk, but a professional sport. Suspend him.

Yokito Reputation: 83 Level: All-Star Since: Jun 22, 2008	Posted on: May 1, 2009 2:28 am Score: 63 Will Rondo or Hinrich face suspension for Game 7? Rondo SHOULD get suspended -- But I don't want him to. I want everyone who can play to be on that court when the Bulls take them down. [ Reply to Comment ]
jetsrox Reputation: 88 Level: All-Star Since: Dec 7, 2006	Posted on: May 1, 2009 2:41 am Score: 11 Will Rondo or Hinrich face suspension for Game 7? Rondo had 19 assists not 19 points. [ Reply to Comment ]
Niwrad Reputation: 49 Level: Rookie Since: May 1, 2009	Posted on: May 1, 2009 2:50 am Score: 96 Will Rondo or Hinrich face suspension for Game 7? The league won't suspend Rondo for Game 7 because the NBA treats their stars differently. Fact is that if it was Tony Allen who threw Hinrich into the scorer's table, he would be suspended and tossed from the game. I want the best players on the court, but the Rondo thing is getting out of hand. He tripped Hinrich in Game 5 causing stitches, busted open Miller's mouth on that layup, then threw Hinrich into the scorers table and took a swipe at his head with an elbow. A fair league would suspend him regardless of the enormity of Game 7. But this is the NBA where gamblers can ref games. [ Reply to Comment ]
sandmanjcs Reputation: 15 Level: Amateur Since: May 1, 2009	Posted on: May 1, 2009 3:08 am Score: 79 Will Rondo or Hinrich face suspension for Game 7? We have to examine what happened with Dwight Howard in game 5 of the Philly-Orlando series. He committed a similar act, yes it can be argued that the elbow to the head is more dangerous than throwing someone into the scorers table, but they both were flagrant with intent to harm. Howard did not get ejected from game 5, but instead was suspended for game 6, so I think the same thing could definitely happen to Rondo, and it should! [ Reply to Comment ]
Ken Berger Reputation: 97 Level: Superstar Since: Mar 28, 2008	Posted on: May 1, 2009 3:19 am Score: 63 Will Rondo or Hinrich face suspension for Game 7? thanks. I knew that. [ Reply to Comment ]
GTharry Reputation: 92 Level: All-Star Since: Aug 24, 2006	Posted on: May 1, 2009 5:25 am Score: 62 Will Rondo or Hinrich face suspension for Game 7? no way their gonna suspend anyone for game 7...probably the most hyped up game this season. If thats a suspension that would be lame because you cant tell the players to hide their emotions...its playoffs son. [ Reply to Comment ]
Buiiock Reputation: 80 Level: All-Star Since: Sep 13, 2007	Posted on: May 1, 2009 6:09 am Score: 10 Will Rondo or Hinrich face suspension for Game 7? Garnetts not on the court you idiot... If he was the celtics would have ended this in 5. [ Reply to Comment ]
Honestly Reputation: 1 Level: Amateur Since: May 1, 2009	Posted on: May 1, 2009 6:33 am Score: 131 Will Rondo or Hinrich face suspension for Game 7? A couple things...1. Dwight Howard was suspended for a little elbow to the head...could the guy have been seriously injured by that? Hardly...other than the guys ego by being hit like that. 2. Rondo is a punk kid who can't play decent defense so trips, hits, and throws guys. He's done this now 3 yes, 3 times in this series. He grabbed Heinrich's arm..and literally threw him into the scorers table. Now seriously NOBODY with a brain can sit there and say that is not worse than Dwight Howard's elbow. And Heinrich could have gotten hurt by that. If he does NOT get suspended if I was D. Howard I would be pissed beyond recognition because of the double standard. Dwight Howard is an all star...Rondo is some punk player who plays on a team with 3 all stars that make him look good...period. That aside, yes for Celt's and maybe Bulls fans it would stink not to have Rondo there for the final game but you know....sometimes in life you have to face consequences for what you do and you grow up. Maybe getting suspended and possibly costing his team a chance at a repeat title will be what Rondo needs to grow up and learn that he's not playing a pick-up game at his local gym where he is free to act like a punk, but a professional sport. Suspend him. [ Reply to Comment ]
sac702 Reputation: 90 Level: All-Star Since: Aug 25, 2006	Posted on: May 1, 2009 6:54 am Score: 126 Will Rondo or Hinrich face suspension for Game 7? Rondo should get suspended for being a dirty player. He fouled hinrich hard enough he cut him above his eye and thyat play on Miller... Com'on!!! When was Rondo ever known for his shot blocking ability? Exactly! So what kind of play was he making on the Ball? None! All intentional! Don't think they're going to be so kind on the third one, but hey... Stern does protect Star Players and Rondo has emerged into a star during this series. Garnets absence has opened the court and game for Rondo. But that is another topic for another day. GO BULLS!!!!!! [ Reply to Comment ]
8Cowboys22 Reputation: 98 Level: Superstar Since: May 22, 2007	Posted on: May 1, 2009 7:08 am Score: 115 Will Rondo or Hinrich face suspension for Game 7? I don't think you will see any suspensions in the Rajon Rondo, Kirk Hinrich incident during the Bulls triple overtime thriller against the Celtics. The onlt way I see them giving out a suspension is if they take the cumulative incidents of Rondo and use that against him. Otherwise, it was a silly foul that could have spawned an ejection, but Joe Crawford made the right decision. You have to give Hinrich a lot of credit for saying he didn't think Rondo made a dirty play...and didn't think Rondo punched him. He showed a lot of class with his comment: "It’s playoff basketball and you're going to have run-ins like that and it happens," ...so if Hinrich didn't think it was anything outrageous, why should we? Great games bring a lot of emotion, and now, there will be more for game seven. So, I don't think the league can step in now and take one or both of those players out for game 7...it wouldn't be right. [ Reply to Comment ]

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