I viewed the tape and I believe that he really didn't really mean to hurt him. He caught up in the moment

People would forgive MWP if he stopped and checked up on Harden but he didn't. He almost got into another fight with another OKC player. MWP is the king of clowns. What if Harden was knocked cold and fell on his head and died on the court? You don't side-swipe people on their head with an elbow. Not cool.

If you look at his face while he was celebrating his dunk it changes from "Aggressively pissed" to "Off the wall pissed" once he feels the body contact HE initiated with Harden. He then decides to c0ck his elbow back to deliver the strongest blow possible, before finally striking. It is pretty obvious that he knew what he was doing... Sure it was in the heat of the moment, but that is no excuse.

jrodmc wrote:
Anyone trying to defend, victimize or otherwise excuse this idiot are really the ones who need help.
Fill another cell and see how long the Acts of Peace fly on the inside.

I guess this is aimed at me- right, so I need help do I? Why exactly? I'm a qualified psychotherapist, I work with people with mental health issues on a daily basis. I get annoyed at the way people stigmatize and dehumanize people with mental health issues, and exaggerate how dangerous they are (which also tends to have a racial bias).

MWP has never seriously harmed anyone- never. That's a fact. He does have some self control- he's strong enough to kill someone if he'd ever wanted to. Kevin Love stomped on someones face- why do you not consider him dangerous or an animal?

He's got a temper problem. A bad one. I played ball with a guy like that. It was rough at times and not exusable, but it didnt characterize him as a human being.

Im sorry, but what Artest did happens all the time in the NBA, he just connected. JR Reid when he was a Knick ended AC Green's games streak when he knocked his tooth out with an elbow. EVERY player uses their elbows to create space. They are literally throwing elbows at other guy's faces. Why? Because you get the phuck out of the way else that thing hurts! I know the Artest elbow was after the play, and thats why he will get a 5 game suspension.

Arest wasnt even facing the guy. Man... guys whip their elbows all the time in the league. If you get hit? Well, you shouldnt have been there.

Look... I just watched it again. It was shady to say the least. The real problem was it landed. I guess Harden forgot to duck.

Love's face stomp? 10x worse but he's a soft white guy so its probably just a one-off.

Some guys dont deal with competition well. Artest is one of them. No excuses, and non needed... he's paid for his transgressions and will pay again this time.

earthmansurfer wrote:Fishmike - normally when I see elbows being thrown, which is every game, it's more of a body twist with bent elbow. What artist did was not that. His was more of a martial arts like stab. Hard to describe but much more violent imo.

He will probably get 5 games and I would not be shocked if it was more. He is lucky he didn't catch a more vulnerable part of the skull, like the side. He really could have killed him if it was to the temple.

I watched it for the 10th time.

Why after a guy throws down a big dunk and is pumping his fists is Harden sticking his face in Ron's grill?

Im not defending Artest. It was dirty, shady, all that... but lifetime bans? The Knicks of the 90s did the same stuff, all the time. But when your hitting the Bulls its ok. Man remember how Phil Jax used to whine about it?

Please.. its sports. Its heat of the moment also. Not like he waited for Harden, then came after him with a 2x4, then choked him and had to be separated. Oh wait.. thats Spree and we love him.

The worse thing about that elbow was it connected.

fishmike wrote:

earthmansurfer wrote:Fishmike - normally when I see elbows being thrown, which is every game, it's more of a body twist with bent elbow. What artist did was not that. His was more of a martial arts like stab. Hard to describe but much more violent imo.

He will probably get 5 games and I would not be shocked if it was more. He is lucky he didn't catch a more vulnerable part of the skull, like the side. He really could have killed him if it was to the temple.

oh I agree... your 100% right. But guys here are putting Artest's elbows up there with baby killers and Nazi skinheads. It was a shady move yea, but the drama seems overboard to me, thats all.

I watched it for the 10th time.

Why after a guy throws down a big dunk and is pumping his fists is Harden sticking his face in Ron's grill?

Im not defending Artest. It was dirty, shady, all that... but lifetime bans? The Knicks of the 90s did the same stuff, all the time. But when your hitting the Bulls its ok. Man remember how Phil Jax used to whine about it?

Please.. its sports. Its heat of the moment also. Not like he waited for Harden, then came after him with a 2x4, then choked him and had to be separated. Oh wait.. thats Spree and we love him.

The worse thing about that elbow was it connected.

Knicks did not do the same thing. Let's get that straight I don't ever recall any Knicks of the 90s do what Artest did.

Papabear wrote:Papabear Says

I viewed the tape and I believe that he really didn't really mean to hurt him. He caught up in the moment

I agree 100% and I think the backlash he is receiving is a little too much.

TheSage wrote:There is a difference between and elbow to the ribs or chest and one to the head. He needs help and some time on the couch of a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist (medication might be indicated)..