According to David Aldridge, the NBA has handed Metta World Peace a seven game suspension, WITHOUT PAY, for his physical infraction against Oklahoma City Thunder guard, James Harden.
The longer it took for them to make an announcement, the worse I thought it would be.
Seven games is a lengthy punishment. Is it fair? I won’t say, but considering World Peace’s past incidences (as Ron Artest) it was hard to believe that he would get off lightly.
Metta has been quietly going about his business this season, averaging 7.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and .617 from the stripe. What you don’t gauge from those numbers is his defensive presence. He is a hardwood nuisance, and the Lakers are going to miss him.
The League doesn’t care about that, though……
A statement from Commissioner David Stern is as follows:
The concussion suffered by James Harden demonstrates the danger posed by violent acts of this kind, particularly when they are directed at the head area,” NBA Commissioner David Stern said. “We remain committed to taking necessary measures to protect the safety of NBA players, including the imposition of appropriate penalties for players with a history of on-court altercations.
I get it. Head injuries are no joke. They can be career and life threatening.
Personally, I’d like to think that Metta got carried away and swept up in the moment, but as Eddie Murphy once said, there are “consequences and repercussions.’ Elbows are hard and now , so is the disciplinary action taken.
What becomes of the Lakers playoff hopes? Is it ALL up to the Mamba?
