[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=”]
[/av_textblock]
[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Intentional or not?’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’18’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BOBBY MOTUS
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
Sunday, March 4, 2018
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
THE Golden State Warriors last Sunday struggled in the first half but employed an impressive offensive run during the third and fourth quarter on their way to a 32-point manhandling of the OKC Thunder. But that was not the main story.
Grabbing the attention from his more illustrious teammates, Georgian enforcer Zaza Pachulia again had the fans on debate mode when he seemed to intentionally knee drop on a fallen Russell Westbrook during a third quarter play.
Everything was replayed and had been written on that sequence that both haters and defenders of Golden State had differing opinions. Even a good number of the so-called âtrueâ Warrior fans chimed that what the 7-foot, 270-pound, 15-year veteran did was questionable when he just crumpled down on Westbrook.
Many people had labelled Zaza dirty because of the rough and tough plays that he obviously had gotten used to. But quite frankly, what is dirty play really? You can be dirty when you constantly trash talk and get into your opponentâs sanity (Kevin Garnett comes to mind). You can be cleverly dirty and get away with it most of the time, or you can be downright tough and dirty.
For all intents and purposes, what Pachulia is doing now is mere childâs play compared to the enforcers, big or small, of the bruising NBA of the 80s. What we have now are insanely salaried giant complainers who would put a 5-year-old to shame with their whining. They would drop down at the slightest nudge and throw tantrums at referees who ignore their flops.
The best combo teammates fitting the description of the clever and tough dirty are John Stockton and Karl Malone. Stockton can hit you with those sneaky hip checks, scratch or pull the hairs on your legs, which the referees normally donât see. Malone is a notorious elbow thrower that if you give a dollar every time his elbow connects, he would have equalled his career earnings.
Talking about vicious elbows, Dikembe Mutombo had injured at least 25 players with those things swinging. Courtesy of Deke, Michael Jordan had his nose bloodied and Ray Allen had his broken. Vince Carter had a concussion when his head got acquainted with the errant elbow, likewise Patrick Ewing and Larry Johnson. Yao Ming, all 7-6 of him, crumpled to the floor when his throat got hit. Several other players either lost their teeth or consciousness, had their mouths stitched, and experienced practically crude facial alterations.
The Warriors frontcourt combo of Draymond Green and Pachulia are the milder version of the Bad Boys era of Detroit starring Dennis Rodman and Bill Laimbeer. Rodman entered the gameâs hallowed Hall of Fame because of two things â rebounding and defense. He successfully did these over players bigger, taller and stronger than him by doing everything possible to be in a favorable rebounding position.
Laimbeer was the most physical player in the gameâs most physical era. He was so notoriously bad that a video game called âBill Laimbeerâs Combat Basketballâ was made for Super Nintendo. He did anything and everything possible to win and he had no remorse for it. He proudly wore the âdirtyâ badge and had two championship rings to show for it. Another Detroit Bad Boy was Rick Mahorn.
Charles Oakley and Charles Barkley, both rough and tough players, have a history of letting their fists do the talking but it was Oakley whoâs the enforcer type, especially during his time with the Bulls where he was Jordanâs protector and during his time with the Knicks enforcing his own brand of security detail for Patrick Ewing and Larry Johnson.
Thereâs all that noise about Zaza going under Kawhi Leonardâs foot, which resulted in aggravating his ankle injury in 2016. People should remember that the Spurs also had Bruce Bowen who had this habit of slipping his foot under a player making a jump shot. Heâs a very good defender but he always had this trick that makes players aware of the serious consequence.
When you know that you might land awkwardly with that foot sticking below you, you make sure that you land properly and as a result, your shot is altered. This is effective but dangerous, and Bowen had mastered this art.
I missed the tough guys of years past like the late Anthony Mason, Xavier McDaniel, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, and the recently retired Ron Artest, or MWP or whatever his name is right now and â yes, to some extent â Kobe Bryant. They donât whine like toddlers when someone falls over them âintentionallyâ but get up quickly and man up and do something about it and let the referees decide on the outcome.
Depending on which side of the fence youâre in, rough and tough plays could be viewed as intentionally dirty. Pachulia and Draymond and the current âdirtyâ players of today like Matt Barnes, Matthew Delavedova, Steven Adams, Kendrick Perkins, David West, Lance Stephenson, and DeMarcus Cousins, to name a few, all play hard ball and wonât be backing down from body-to-body contact.
We have exceptionally talented players today but most canât take a hard hit./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
