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The NBA shoots an airball on Artest [PERMALINK]
The NBA must be trying to give the underdog and overmatched Celtics a leg up on winning one game in their series with the Pacers by suspending Indiana's Ron Artest for Game 2 Tuesday night.
The NBA dinged Artest for leaving the bench during an altercation in Game 1, when his teammate Jermaine O'Neal was thrown to the floor by Brandon Hunter of the Celts. O'Neal jumped up and barked at Hunter, who responded with a priceless dismissive smirk, by the way. Artest, on the bench at the time, jumped to his feet and ran toward the dust-up for about four steps, then suddenly turned around and sprinted back to his seat.
So the NBA's rule against leaving the bench to join an altercation worked. Artest remembered the rule and, rather than joining in, went back to the bench where he belonged. Why suspend him then? The NBA didn't say in its announcement of the punishment, but league discipline czar Stu Jackson later told the Indianapolis Star that the decision was "straightforward" since Artest "clearly came on the floor."
Before the suspension was announced, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle had said, "If it's judged on intent, he won't be suspended. If it's judged technically, he will."
So it was judged technically, and that's dumb. Next time, when Artest or anyone else instinctively takes a couple of steps toward a teammate in an altercation, why should he stop and go back to the bench? That's what the league wants him to do, to stay out of the ruckus. But at that point, he'd have little to lose. If you're already suspended, you might as well go help your pal.
Artest, named the league's Defensive Player of the Year Monday, got robbed on this one.
Tuesday night update: The Pacers beat the Celtics in Game 2 without Artest, 103-90.
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Once more for the folks at home [PERMALINK]
Kudos to the ESPN2 crew covering the Boston Marathon Monday for its up-close-and-personal view of men's winner Timothy Cherigat of Kenya. A hand-held camera hovered nearby as he took some sips from a water bottle in the moments after he crossed the finished line -- and zoomed in for lingering close-ups as he repeatedly vomited. Way to get that story!
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About the writer
King Kaufman is a senior writer for Salon. Visit his column archive.
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