Dwight Howard is a Mercenary & Cheap Shot Artist

Dwight Howard's play has been dirty & cheap. But where's the league been? (ESPN Screenshot)

Let me start this off with an apology to you, the loyal Red Sox fan. I will get to the Sox resurgent play, which culminated last night with a very impressive sweep of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, however - it's going to have to wait another day, for all I see is red after witnessing the gang rape performed by the black & white on our green last night. Watching the Celtic's in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Orlando Magic has left me in a wayward trance, and I can't get the frustrated stench of crookedness away from my mind.

My Father and Tommy Heinsohn may be the only two other people on this planet who are as biased with the Celtics as I. That said - the officiating of the "refs" in last nights game went past the line of atrocious, and entered into a pathetic realm of gross mis-justice that only Somali Warlords and Boston politicians could possibly understand. It wasn't even laughable, and has made me all but lose my sense of humor with the NBA. Rooting for the Celtics in the 2010 NBA Playoffs has been a rewarding experience, however, it's also been a path strewn with nasty disgruntlement.

 The Heat series is where the biasness towards the Boston Celtics began. We had to sustain an innumerable amount of "superstar" calls that were received by Dwyane Wade, but in general that's not what sticks out to me in that series. What does is the one game suspension KG received for throwing a half-hearted elbow at Quentin Richardson, which didn't even really connect with his ugly mess of a face. In David Stern's new NBA, playoff basketball is no longer allowed to be physical and fun like it was in the 80's. You must protect the superstars of the league at all costs, they're going GLOBAL afterall! Kevin MChale would have been banned from the league and fined $17,000,000 for his foul on Kurt Rambis under Stern's sentient watch. A technical at best should have been given to KG in that instance, especially with his veteran/superstar status. But here's where the crux lies, KG - Paul Pierce - and Ray Allen are not part of David Stern's plan for global domination. They're not the future of the NBA - where everyone does fun dances before a game and are constantly smiling. Plainly put, they're no longer marketable, all they want to do is win, which is good for nothing in this brave new world.

 I'm not going to even get started on recanting the Eastern Conference Semifinal match-up against the Cleveland Lebron's. But that too is a large (the largest?) part of this equation, and is a big factor behind the referees screwing the Celtics harder then a skinny kid in jail. I think the rope-a-dope move we pulled on the league during the regular season left Stern and his cronies George Foreman stunned. The efficiency with which the Celtics were playing in the playoffs was majestic, and watching Rondo elevate to elite status has been a joy. Still, I've been using that suspension on KG as a watermark for how physical you're allowed to be in the 2010 NBA Playoffs. There were some shady calls and physical play in the Cleveland series for sure, but there was no stench of dirty play, the Celtics just broke the Cavs will and kicked their asses. This Magic series has turned into something wholly different and foul though - an ugly brand of basketball with no justice.

 Which leads us to the third player in David Sterns holy trinity of players whom are destined to lead the way in the NBA's global push, and that's Mr. Dwight David Howard. Earlier in this series I dubbed him with the name of "Smiley Jokey Fun Man" - and since then he's shown that his good guy image is just a front. This fraud is the biggest cheap shot artist in the NBA. In this series alone he's elbowed and forcibly smacked in the face every Celtic starter except for Ray Allen. He pushes players down (hard) after the play, and follows through with his fouls with a calculated intention to harm. He's undeniably the strongest player in the league, and these cheap shots aren't just a result of that, they're consciously being done by him. He's not an untrained pit-bull, viciously attacking opponents blind. He's a trained pit bull who's heard the kill phrase muttered from his owners mouth, and he's going for blood. Based on the plethora of cheap shots prior to him KNOCKING OUT Big Baby, that chicken wing of an elbow cannot be considered incidental contact. You also can't use the old adage of it's just "Playoff Basketball" - because we've already seen in the Heat series that you're not allowed to be overtly physical in the 2010 playoffs, just ask KG.

So here's the question:

After the Celtics got up 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals did Stern slam his palms on his New York City desk and scream, "Enough!" Was there then a memo sent down to the refs asking them to call it tight one way, and not so much the other? Was there also a nod and a wink given to the Magic that they could "open it up" a bit?

 Is this really that far fetched to think? Am I just another crazy conspiracy theorist Boston fan? I am a fiercely loyal and biased man as I've already stated, but I mean Jesus Christ man, they already have Van Gundy's brother in the ESPN/ABC booth - why not put the full court press on both the Celtics and their fans. Think about it - how much money does the league make with each playoff game that's played? If a Boston Celtic player did any of the "hard fouls" (actually, often a foul isn't even called...) that Howard's been heaping down on the Celtics the outcry and swift action from the league would be immediate. But no, Superman is marketable, and therefore there's nothing but crickets from the league. Meanwhile last night, Kendrick Perkins gets a foul called on him when he touched no one, and as he's walking away, with his   back turned completely to the ref, he complains in a very non-intrusive manner - Then BAM - he gets his second technical foul of the night called on him, which will also now lead to a one game suspension for Game 6. And Baby, I wouldn't expect to see him on the court either. So that's the league taking away two of our big men. Are you <bleeping> kidding me? The Celtics need to put a tape together of Howard's extra curricular activities in this Series and hand it to the league, and also give that tape to the Media, because we know neither ESPN nor ABC is going to show it. I want equal justice if nothing else.

So in conclusion, it sucks to be a fan and watch your team lose a playoff game. But the problem I have is that the Celtics didn't lose a playoff game to the Orlando Magic last night. They lost a playoff game to the league, and now possibly two with Game 6 looming sans our big men - where Howard will be allowed to maul whomever he pleases like some drunken werewolf. I fear there may be nothing we can do about it. Hear this though, the series is about to get a whole lot bloodier - the Magic can't concuss two players and foul as hard as they have without repercussions. Oh yes, it's about to get bloody, and the Magic are going to see what it's like, when the Champ starts swinging back.

Comments

[Kris]

oh-so-luckily, that 2nd tech is rescinded. just when I think the basketball fates are turning away from us, the clouds part, and a tiny rayray of sunshine emerges...

PERK ANGRY!

[TERRY]

VERY VERY ""HAPPY""!!!

[Derek Hixon]

Also - it was only last year that Dwight was suspended for a Game 6 after throwing an elbow at someones head, Smiley Jokey Fun Man has a history of this garbage. What. A. Fraud.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLhMNDgSEas&feature=related

[Chris Hixon]

Great minds and brothers in this case think alike. Epic blog DMan and spot on with the officiating and NBA Czar, Stern. The only thing not mentioned in your entry today, is the WWF elbow pad that Smiley Jokey Fun Man wears. I am certain that he wears this to protect himself from injury...er...or is it to wield his elbow in the post like a weapon of mass destruction to inflict serious bodily injury on his unsuspecting opponents in the post! I wonder how willing he would be to swing his arms like a caveman if he didn't have the benefit of that protection? The NBA and Dufus Stern should ban that thing before someone gets very seriously injured or killed. I don't think that is a stretch either. Did you see Big Baby last night? Dude is 6' 6" and as big as a house and he went down like a ton of bricks. When he tried to get up at the behest of his coaching staff, I had horrible visions of Hank Gathers. The way he was stumbling and that look in his face were scary. The only classy guy from the NBA last night, was that referee who raced to his aid before he smashed his melon on the floor. I agree with you - The Celtics need to create a Howard Reel and send it to the NBA for fines and disciplinary action. If the NBA doesn't act, then I fear an even worse incident and the blood will be on their hands. Go C's!

[EJ]

Dude. Not to get you ticked off at me... but what it reads like, to me, is someone is a bit nervous about the sudden change of events here... and the real possibility that two of your teams can lose after being up 3-0. I'm not a big basketball fan. I barely watch unless its the post season... and even then there are few teams I root for besides the Suns... or anything team with more than one white player on it. It's not racism... it's just who I can relate to. Just my opinion... anyway. But Howard is playing physical... I didnt think that elbow was cheap. And to my knowledge, either did any analyst(possibly outside of Boston), including the "greats." So I dont know whether you're pissed cus Big baby was wobbling around like a a fool who took a chin shot from Mike Tyson circa 1986... or what.
I honestly feel there is a real possibility you guys will lose this series. If it goes 7 it's over. Better hope you win 6.

And by the way. The Celtics dont fall into the "anti Boston" category for me. I coudnt care less f they win... and quite frankly.. if it was Celtics Lakers... no way I root for the Lakers. I despise that Hollywood glam team. So I'm not saying this with any bias.

Should Howard have neatly folded his arms down and said sorry guys. No... hes a big man impsing his will for once... and if your're in the way... dont be in the way.

[Derek Hixon]

@Chris - that's a good point that he wears that elbow pad, when he's constantly throwing bones it becomes less of an injury deterrent, and more like a weapon.

@EJ - Obviously am nervous. But Game 4 the Magic won, Celtics played very sloppy. But Game 5 was bogus. Perk's ejection was ridiculous and we didn't have him the entire second half. They rescinded the call today, but all that does is allow him to play in Game 6, it still killed us in Game 5 - they can't give us that back.

And Dwight's not playing hard, he's playing dirty. I've watched every minute of this Series (and the one last year) and he's continually elbowing people (KG took one to the back of the head in Game 4, no call), raking people with his fingers across the face, and pushing people to the ground.

He knocked out Baby's teeth and him - it's getting dangerous. He was suspended last year in the playoffs for throwing elbows (See above YouTube Video), so his past is cemented. I just want to know why KG gets a game for a half-assed elbow this year, and Dwight gets nothing for the same (I say worse) behavior over and over again. The Baby elbow was mos definitely not the first of the series, and it won't be the last.

PS - Thank God you're not a Faker fan too! Jack Nicholson is like the anti-christ, a Yankee and Laker fan, lol.

[Derek Hixon]

Game 4: Dwight Howard elbows KG - KG gets technical foul, Howard gets nothing. Makes sense to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL0TA-49g1g&feature=watch_response

[Chris Hixon]

EJ - love the banter and comments and appreciate your take. I might even agree with you if Howard's body (no pun intended) of work didn't dictate otherwise. As my bro has pointed out, Howard has a real history of this. That is fact. Also, if you really watch the tape of the Big Baby Hit, I don't think it was intentional to hurt him, but he intended to come down real hard and if he didn't have the WWF gear, I don't think he would. Also, the KG hit Derek mentions is one of many great examples of his play that goes beyond playoff agressive and crosses the line to dirty. Believe me, back in my day when I laced 'em up, I was an aggressive player and I sure knew when my aggression crossed the line to dirty. So does Howard. Mama didn't raise no fool. Anyways, C's in 6 and Howard can enjoy his summer and UFC fighting.

[Cheap Lakers Tickets]

Lakers are such a good team that few others can actually claim to match them for consistent skill and talent every single year.

[Ahmed]

Ur one pathetic man
I can make an encyclopedia about KG's ugly play ..
Its funny how people close their eyes when it convenient ..

[Generic Viagra]

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