The Los Angeles Daily News is saying that the NBA is investigating the Trail Blazers’ use of pregame video featuring the altercation involving Trevor Ariza and Rudy Fernandez. Apparently there’s a rule, according to Phillip Jackson, that you can’t show video of flagrant fouls, hard fouls or altercations because it could incite the home crowd.

“That’s something that NBA clubs are not supposed to do,” Jackson said. “Showing that video before the game, that incites crowds. Portland took a big risk doing that there, that’s a fineable thing for the league.

“That’s something that they try to prevent in the spirit of good sportsmanship, but Portland has been like that. They created that situation. And I think Trevor was affected by it, unfortunately.”

Poor Trevor and poor Lakers. If the Blazers hadn’t played that video prior to the game, NOBODY in the building would have been excited or incited. It would have been quiet. Besides, Ariza got off real easy. The home crowd paid very little attention to him after player introductions, which is certainly fitting for a player of his limited abilities.

Jackson is quite the expert on that game, by the way, for a guy who didn’t even bother to attend the contest.

Tweet This Post

But I think the headline writer for this story got a little carried away wth that “Forget about that foul — he has” stuff. In the body of the story, I didn’t see anything that indicates Rudy has ”forgotten” about it. What he said was, he didn’t want to talk about it. It’s in the past. He’s putting it behind him.

But trust me, he hasn’t forgotten about it. The Trail Blazers haven’t forgotten about it. The fans who were in the Rose Garden that night haven’t forgotten about it.

Nor should they.

When the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Garden tonight for the last time in the regular season, it’s probably the responsibility of every fan there to remind Ariza — loudly and constantly — that they didn’t much care for the act that put the popular Portland guard in an ambulance. Isn’t that what fans are for? Just don’t throw anything or do anyone any physical harm, OK?

The Lakers’ annual visits to Portland are always fun. Much anticipated. Tonight, with all that is at stake with the playoff seedings for both teams, should be extra special. I would advise Portland fans that as angry as they are about Ariza, don’t be distracted — he’s merely the sideshow. The game is the thing.

And really, Portland has the Lakers’ attention now, after routing them the last time here. It’s going to be an extremely difficult game to win, even though the Lakers are playing the second of a back-to-back.

Blazer fans, this is like the playoffs — which is unfamiliar territory in recent years. Let me give you some advice: If you want this one, you better bring it tonight. And you better bring it hard.

Tweet This Post

Here’s the video of the entire incident (UPDATE: Thanks to a tweet from Ball Don’t Lie, watch for Kurt Rambis about 1:45 into that video, as he manhandles a towel kid in the lower left portion of the screen):

I was not sure it was so easy to figure it all out, even after all the replays. But I can tell you that on press row, the opinion was NOT divided about the severity of the foul. I talked to Jason Quick of The Oregonian, Kerry Eggers from the Portland Tribune and Brian Hendrickson of The Columbian. All of them believed it was a Flagrant Foul I, not the more severe Flagrant II, which was called. And I agreed.

Again, it was a tough one to call. The problem with the way the league seems to be calling these things is that it’s all too pragmatic and results-oriented, which encourages players to act as if they’re mortally wounded after hard fouls. It’s like, all of a sudden we’re at a soccer game. I’m not saying that’s what Rudy did this time — he didn’t. But in the big picture, it’s what happens. Guys go down and stay there, only to pop up later and play freely.

You push a guy and he doesn’t get hurt, there’s really no reaction by the referees. But you push the exact same way and the guy goes down and doesn’t move, it’s a big deal. I think the right thing would be to separate the deed from the results and call all actions consistently.

Trevor Ariza was going for the ball but caught Fernandez just right — getting his left arm and spinning him in the air so he couldn’t brace himself for his fall. I think the bad part of it was accidental. I know people believe that in a 30-point game, players should just relax on trying to stop dunks like this.

I disagree. The score shouldn’t matter. I don’t expect any team to quit playing hard before the game ends. In fact, I would hope– as you should, too – they’d continue to play hard.

It was an unfortunate incident, though, and the good news is that Fernandez seems to have not suffered a serious injury. And after the Lamar Odom foul on Brandon Roy last season, there is going to be even more bad blood tainting this series. Which is fine, too.

The next round against the Lakers, April 10 in the Rose Garden, is going to be even more fun now.

Tweet This Post