Ron Artest suspended one game for striking Jose Barea

[sacredcow]

If people don't agree with the suspension then blame Artest for rushing the stands in Detroit and forcing the league clamp down.

[LAKERSRETHEBEST]

I was expecting Ron to be suspended after that incident so no surprise there. It was a really a boneheaded move on his part; the Lakers already lost the game and there was only a few seconds left and he goes and does something stupid like that which might hurt his teammates in Game 3.

I'm glad it's not a two-game suspension like Andrew received when he hit Michael Beasley.

[PP34Deuce]

Lamar Odom as a starter gives u more production than Artest. LA is not hurt from this lol...

[LAKERSRETHEBEST]

If someone has to take Ron's place, I prefer it be Lamar Odom. He's the only bench player who has contributed in this series....the rest are struggling.

[chazzy]

Barnes will probably start. The 2nd unit would be atrocious if they started Odom

[leopoldstotch]

the lakers are short on the depth chart as it is. losing artest is a huge blow. it's going to be a miracle if the lakers win tomorrow night. if the lakers win, i expect better numbers from odom and gasol.

[B-Easy8]

NBA has gotten soft that should have just been a flagrant foul nothing more. Doesn't deserve an ejection and definately not a suspension.

[Holy Random]

Last time I remember a player specifically going out of his way to foul a player hard at the end of a losing game, he got suspended for TWO games. (Horry hip checking Nash)

Artest and the Lakers are lucky they're only getting 1 game for this.

They only gave Horry 2 games because of how screwed over the Suns got losing Stoudemire and Diaw. If they didn't get suspended I'm sure Horry would have only gotten a 1 game suspension. They tried to make it seem like Horry was getting punished more when really it just screwed the Suns over.

One of the many reasons why it felt so good to see the Spurs get swept by the Suns last year and lose to the 8th seed this year. Finally justice is being served to them.

[OldSchoolBBall]

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up HELPING the Lakers. Artest has been abysmal on offense. I think Barnes will end up getting good amount of PT and put up 14+ points; Barnes is also a good defender (not Artest level, but he's also younger). The only way this helps Dallas is that they can now play Marion on Kobe for long stretches, because Barnes isn't a threat to post up and bully a defender for points, whereas Artest is. What lineup do you think LA will trot out on Friday? Fish/Kobe/Barnes/Gasol/Bynum and keep Odom on the bench or do they start Odom and go with the three-headed lineup with size/length that has never before been seen? if they do that, Mavs should play their quick players/shooters (Barea/Terry/Peja/Dirk/Chandler) and spread the Laker defense out.

[gilalizard]

Shouldn't a one game suspension be mandatory for Artest after he clearly intentionally clotheslined Barea late in the game across the head? To my knowledge, any intentional contact above the neck is an automatic suspension. Will Artest be suspended for game 3? Should he be, based on league rules/precedent? Discuss.

How many games did he get for kneeing LO in the balls on the same play?

[ICanDunk]

NBA has gotten soft that should have just been a flagrant foul nothing more. Doesn't deserve an ejection and definately not a suspension.

This.

[keepinitreal]

That shove on Marion was pretty messed up too... NBA has gotten soft, but there's a difference between a cheap shot and a hard "playoff" foul.

[creepingdeath]

Lakers fans ...

[Pinkhearts]

Sinjackal finally showing his true blue colours as a Laker hater after his Spurs are out. And some people think he is a rational poster ha

[InfiniteBaskets]

That shove on Marion was pretty messed up too... NBA has gotten soft, but there's a difference between a cheap shot and a hard "playoff" foul.

True. Where was this aggression from Artest when Barea was getting into the paint at will in the 4th?

If Barea drives into the lane and Artest wants to swing hard at Barea's arms, that's fine. But clotheslining a guy AFTER he already got fouled when the play is dead isn't a hard playoff foul. You could tell Artest wasn't maliciously trying to hurt Barea as a player, he was just trying to release some steam, on the verge of being down 0-2. But that play was not a hard playoff foul. Even in the 80s, people weren't smacking guards in the backcourt when they brought the ball up.