Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics has been suspended without pay for one game for striking the Miami Heat’s Quentin Richardson in the head with an elbow, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations. Richardson has been fined $25,000 for his role in the altercation.
The incident occurred with 40 seconds remaining in the fourth period of the Celtics’ 85-76 victory over the Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Saturday at TD Garden.
Garnett will serve his suspension Tuesday when the Celtics face the Heat in Game 2 at TD Garden.
RealGM Wiretap Link
Quentin Richardson on the incident
"I just get surprised by people's actions when I know them better than that," Richardson said. "They're not those characters they portray. They're not who they say they are. Garnett and Pierce, they're good basketball players, and that's about it."
Richardson apparently thought Pierce was acting, telling teammate Jermaine O'Neal as much. As it was, Pierce remained in the game.
"I said to Jermaine, 'He's OK, because I knew nobody touched him. Is he taking another break like he does so many times? Sometimes he falls like he's about to be out for the season and then he gets right up.' That's all I said."
Asked about the tone of the series, Richardson said, "I don't like them, and they know it."
South Florida Sun Sentinel
More from Q-Rich on Pierce's and Garnett's Oscar worthy performances
Garnett ”is an actress and so is Paul,” Richardson said. ”I was going to take the ball out over there. That was what I was trying to do. I told our trainer Jay [Sabol] that [Pierce] is cool and he’s doing what he always do, lay down like it’s a season-ending injury, then he gets up and he’s miraculously fine. He gets a breath, takes his time or whatever and he did the same thing.
”It should be a suspension [for Garnett]. We’ll see. That’s up to the NBA. But I’ve seen things like that in the past and people get suspended. I was cool. I was going to try going at him, but with me being restrained, that’s what it was.”
Kevin Garnett's response to it
I just saw ‘Q’ standing over him, talking nonsense,” Garnett said. ”I just asked him to give him some room. Before you knew it, mayhem started. I know these two have competed against each other in the past and they have history of bumping heads a little bit. The only thing I tried to do was tell [Richardson] to give common courtesy for an injured player. That’s all.
”I have no beef with ‘Q.’ I know him personally. I thought what he did was a little disrespectful by standing over a guy that was hurt, just talking nonsense. Before you knew it, it just all broke out. I have to use my head. The only thing I saw was Paul was hurt, and that was the only thing I cared about at the time. I don’t remember air-boarding anybody. I just remember people grabbing me.”
Yahoo Sports
The incident Q Rich was referring to
Can't say I disagree with Q here. Pierce looked like he suffered a serious shoulder injury last night and then came back looking like nothing happened.
that's a good post. pierce's acting is just exceptional. even his own teammate KG fell for it. why was Ray in a movie before but not Paul?
ReplyDeletePierce was still polishing up his skills at Kansas taking acting courses.
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