Rockets/Suns Brawl

[Doobie]

Anyone catch it? Just saw the highlights on sportcenter, technically not a brawl but a small fight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo2JjLO-1kY

[Sam The Man]

Yeh I saw that. Funny how Shaq just came in and pushed everyone over, which was not a smart thing to do, T-Mac has some pretty bad back issues.
There wasn't much in that.

[NovU]

Barnes initiated the fight. I don't blame Rafer Alston since he got provoked and there were definitely needs to stand up for himself.

What's funny is the Great Chinese Wall falling after T-mac and Ronny Artesto wasn't even involved in a fight at all. ROFL. Good job Ronny.

[Null17]

Lol. Didn't think Nash would be involved.

[Angelo]

Id like to see shaq gone wild

FAMOUS word "HACK A SHACK"

it turned out to be "PUSH A TMAC"

[Dan's Brain]

I saw this topic headline before i watched the game.

First thought was that Artest was gonna be kicked out of the league.

And my second thought was that Matt Barnes would have been somehow involved.

[Valor]

Barnes

[mvpshaq32]

Love how Shaq just came in and started randomly pushing people, including the whole group of players and coaches near the end.

[Alejandrov011]

Shaq pushed 5 different players, 2 referees and 1 Coach in 1 attemp

[Patr1ck]

What was funny was how Steve Nash runs into the crowd and gets knocked down by Tmac the moment he gets there, then Rafer Alston starts pulling at his ar. Shaq pushes Tmac and then Yao, then pushes Alston to the sideline.

What the hell was Barnes thinking when he did that?

[JaoSming]

What the hell was Barnes thinking when he did that?

Slamball Defense?

[Andrew]

Caught the game yesterday so watched it all unfold. That was a cheapshot by Barnes, you can't blame Alston for getting fired up over that. Shaq didn't help the situation much but man, he sent everyone flying. Pretty well handled by the referees too with Alston and Barnes being the only players ejected and technicals on the rest. Too bad the fourth quarter was a wash.

[Mikki]

Hack-A-Mac lol

[Andrew]

Fight Fallout: Nash, Alston, Barnes Suspended

I guess it's following standard procedure but I thought the officials did a good job of handling the situation during the game, ejecting the right people and issuing technicals to those who were at the forefront of the scuffle. At most, I would have suspended Alston and Barnes but suspending Nash and not McGrady when their involvement was pretty much equal doesn't seem right to me.

[The X]

That's ridiculous. T-Mac should've definitely got a suspension if Nash did.

As for Barnes, I got no problem with it, he was just protecting Nash, who got nailed the other time down the court, he was just sending a message

[Modifly]

Nash came rushing in to Alston first, so I think T-MAC was kinda protecting Alston. Nashs's intention and McGrady's intention were different, that's why Nash got banned and not T-MAC I believed. From what I can see, Nash was trying to get a piece of Alston, but all T-MAC did was pushed Nash out of the way in order to protect his man. Artest really surprised me by not getting involved at all though. Nice job Ron.

[HeatThreePeat]

Man, you can clearly see at :06 Shaq charging in and shoving another player. That honesty deserves a suspension. And, the best they can do is fine him. Damn!

[Modifly]

I think Shaq should be suspended as well since his action didn't help ease the situation at all. Shaq getting involved and sending everyone flying wasn't necessary. It would have been better off in my opinion if he just simply separates them rather than pushing everyone in his sight. Wasn't really helpful.

[Andrew]

That's ridiculous. T-Mac should've definitely got a suspension if Nash did.

As for Barnes, I got no problem with it, he was just protecting Nash, who got nailed the other time down the court, he was just sending a message

Yeah, but at what cost? Sure, it's only a couple of games early in the season and I can understand sticking up for yourself or a teammate but I think the nobility of such gestures is exaggerated; two wrongs don't make a right and all that. I prefer the Dennis Rodman approach, back off and let the other person get ejected or taken out of the game because you're in their head, while you're still out there doing your thing. I think that's more useful to your team than being suspended a couple of games.

[Doobie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06RHN2RNlxQ

Remember this one??

[obliviousky]

lol. I love Shaq on this. Barnes is so retarded. Even if you are trying to send a message you can prove yourself by scoring on Houston like a mad man. Definitely a cheap shot. I knew Barnes saw that nash got hit from t-mac's screen before the brawl, but it was a clean screen. I hate it when the losing team starts a fight because they are pissed that they can't score.

[Andrew]

Having watched the scuffle again, I'm really puzzled as to how the NBA could suspend Nash for his involvement but not T-Mac or Shaq. Barnes and Alston being forced to sit is a no-brainer in situations like this but when it comes to Nash, Shaq and T-Mac it really should have been suspensions for all or suspensions for none. Oh well, what's done is done and it's early days in the regular season so the timing is certainly manageable.

[NovU]

After all it was phx that provoked the fight in the first place, so i think suspending Nash is deserving in some ways.

...... and that he's only Canadian... makes it easier for nba to ignore complaints and all...

[Andrew]

But it wasn't Nash who started the scuffle and his involvement was no different to Shaq or T-Mac. If Barnes was reacting to what Alston had done to Nash, the Rockets certainly had a hand in it breaking out. But what's done is done, whether we like it or not that's the ruling the NBA has made.