Raja Bell suspended 1 game

[Squeaks4]

The NBA announced today that Suns guard Raja Bell will be suspended for Thursday night?s game in LA. Link to story

Link to footage of play

(yes I realize the title is 'rajagay.gif' but it was done by a LA fan so what do ya expect)

Now don't get me wrong, I am a huge Suns fan but I do understand this was a dirty play and regardless of what happened earlier in the game or series he needs to keep his cool and not react like he did.

However, both Kobe and Phil said after the game that they do not feel Raja should be suspended and Phil went on to say

(On whether or not he expects Raja Bell to be suspended)

?No. Why? I don?t think it?s anything beyond (a flagrant). It might have been a flagrant foul, but I don?t think it was at the level of a punch thrown. But we want him out there. We want their full team out there to play. It?s the only way to do it. You have to earn what you win.?

and Kobe had these comments

(On whether he thinks Bell will be suspended)

"I hope not. I hope not. I didn?t get a chance to see the foul, but as a competitor playing in these big games, you want everybody to be there. You want to compete against their top players. That being said, I don?t know what the league is going to do. We look forward to the challenge on Thursday.?

With both Kobe and Phil not wanting a suspension do you feel the NBA should have done it anyways?

And beyond this incident the series between Phoenix and LA has been very physical and there have been many hard fouls from both sides. I understand this was the most sever one but Raja has been elbowed all series and has never gotten a 'T' called in his favor.

I want to hear what everyone else has to say about this...

[lost_limey]

I think the suspension's harsh, but I can see why the league decided to do it. Of couse the fact that ratings for an LAL-LAC series would be higher than PHX-LAC has nothing to do with it, no sirreee, nothing at all...

[DEAD!]

I actually taped the 4th quarter of the game. I'm not sure why though.... I think 1 game is enough. It did "look" worse than the Artest elbow on Ginobli but nowhere near the crotch grab in the DEN/LAC series. Had it been Ron Artest committing the clothesline, he would have had a much longer suspension than Bell.

[NJTank]

It looked bad so I think you almost need to give him a game.

[See Red]

I think you have to suspend him for the game. There's absolutely no doubt that it was intentional and clotheslining somebody is a dangerous play.

It was also a stupid play... do you really need to give Kobe extra motivation to torch you?

[HatCityEnforcer]

Right call if you ask me...

Bell gave Kobe a horsecollar that Roy Williams would have been proud of on that play...as much as I don't like Kobe, ya kinda can't do that.

[sugarloaf]

Gotta suspend Raja and I'm glad they did. It's unfortunate to Phoenix but Raja meant to throw Kobe down, that's obviously. There's a difference between accidental flagrant fouls and intentional dirty flagrant fouls.

[Squeaks4]

Gotta suspend Raja and I'm glad they did. It's unfortunate to Phoenix but Raja meant to throw Kobe down, that's obviously. There's a difference between accidental flagrant fouls and intentional dirty flagrant fouls.

I agree, but why not suspsend Kwame Brown after he slamed Diaw to the ground then stood over him? You can't expect the Suns to get thrown to the ground, elbowed in the face, and get hit by forearms to the face and not respond. Gotta call it both ways.

[sugarloaf]

Gotta suspend Raja and I'm glad they did.  It's unfortunate to Phoenix but Raja meant to throw Kobe down, that's obviously.  There's a difference between accidental flagrant fouls and intentional dirty flagrant fouls.

I agree, but why not suspsend Kwame Brown after he slamed Diaw to the ground then stood over him? You can't expect the Suns to get thrown to the ground, elbowed in the face, and get hit by forearms to the face and not respond. Gotta call it both ways.

Maybe because the Raja situation got more attention and the league likes to make examples of people.