I’ve only been watching professional basketball for about 30 years, so I can’t speak about the whole history of basketball. But Los Angeles Laker Andrew Bynum’s flagrant, intentional foul on Dallas Maverick J.J. Barea in the final quarter of Game 4 of their series was, as commentator Mike Tirico said, “one of the biggest bush-league things I’ve ever seen.”
With the Mavericks up by 30 and about to sweep the Lakers out of the playoffs, Bynum slammed Barea in the chest with his elbow as the Maverick guard soared, completely unprotected, through the air for a lay-up. (Video after the jump.)
I’ve only been watching professional basketball for about 30 years, so I can’t speak about the whole history of basketball. But Los Angeles Laker Andrew Bynum’s flagrant, intentional foul on Dallas Maverick J.J. Barea in the final quarter of Game 4 of their series was, as commentator Mike Tirico said, “one of the biggest bush-league things I’ve ever seen.”
With the Mavericks up by 30 and about to sweep the Lakers out of the playoffs, Bynum slammed Barea in the chest with his elbow as the Maverick guard soared, completely unprotected, through the air for a lay-up. (Video after the jump.)
Referees immediately ejected Bynum from the game, but that’s not remotely enough. This was the Lakers’ last game of the season. Bynum knows that. He’s eliminated many other teams en route to back-to-back NBA Championships. Cheap thugs like this can’t handle it when somebody else gets the best of them. Lamar Odom was also ejected for a cheap shot on Dirk Nowitzki.
Hopefully the league will hand him a 20-game suspension to send a very clear message: Whether your season is over or not, you cannot get away with trying to injure other players. If they don't come down on him, and come down hard, other players will learn they can get away with injuring the team that just beat them with little consequence.
And if I were the Lakers, I'd cut him tomorrow. You can find someone else to contribute to the team, and this is simply not the behavior that two-defending champions should exhibit.
With the Lakers' quick fall from grace I have to wonder if any of it has to do with Kobe calling a referee a "faggot." Kharma's a bitch.
