Actually the Kobe artest thing has been going on for a long time.
Looking back at some of the previous videos artest has thrown his
share of elbows and his aggressive style of defense promotes
an aggressive response.

Basket ball is much more that just making baskets. It's a mind game
and if you can get into the mind of the opponent then all the better.
So trash talking is part of the game. Always has been always will be.
Even Artest admits that's the case and expects it. He also expects to continue his
defensive posture and has said on more than one occasion that he fully expects
Kobe not to back down and he wouldn't respect him if he did.

Shane Battier set a perfect example during the interview today regarding what?
He understands just like everybody else that it's deep in the playoffs
and the lakers needed to take a stand and demonstrate that unlike last
year they intend to compete.

What we are going to see in the next game is a tight game by the refs
which was a common complaint by the players as a whole.

__________________
"What you hear in a great jazz band is the sound of democracy. “The jazz band works best when participation is shaped by intelligent communication.”
Harmony happens whenever different parts get to form a whole by means of congruity, concord, symetry, consistency, conformity, correspondence, agreement, accord, unity, consonance…….

Artest was tossed based on reputation and not his actions in that game. He did nothing worse than Rondo, Keyan Martin or even Rafer Alston, none of whom got tossed in their games. He was elbowed in the throat and got the foul called on him. That would piss anyone off. Even Kobe didn't think he should have been ejected.

Completely !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was frustrated watching it... how about being in the action?? I am Shocked he did not blow up.

First of all he Artest was not elbowed in the throat.
Go and look at the videos and the league decision
regarding the matter.

Artest was smothering Kobe under the basket
with his elbow and arm all over his back and a foul
should have been called. That's the way Artest plays
and about the only way you can get some clearence is to
deliver the message "BACK OFF".

It's the Playoffs, it's emotional, and the players
will tell you it's exactly what to expect when
the desire to win kicks in.

__________________
"What you hear in a great jazz band is the sound of democracy. “The jazz band works best when participation is shaped by intelligent communication.”
Harmony happens whenever different parts get to form a whole by means of congruity, concord, symetry, consistency, conformity, correspondence, agreement, accord, unity, consonance…….

This is just a pic of one frame of that incident between Kobe and RonRon but it goes to show what goes on in that play aside from Ronron's accusation of Kobe elbowing him.

Artest normally plays this way yet when someone has enough of it and dishes out an elbow to him that sends a message to back the f off he cries foul. Cry me a river.

Those who like Kobe will continue to like him and those who don't will continue not to like him.

The important part is that we will have potentially two good games tonight.
Yesterday's was a stinker.... shame on the Hawks, they are much better than what they have shown so far!!

The flagrant foul called on Ron towards Pau was complete BS. The league is pretty much getting out of hand with the calls they have been making. Fans from both teams are upset. That play should be reviewed carefully with that flagrant foul call being rescinded. Either way, the game has already been decided at that point.

It's still an exciting series to watch. I hope Yao gets better from whatever knee condition he has. Hate to see a player go down and being unable to play because of that.

It started promising... Now with Yao out it is hard to imagine the rockets being competitive. Cavs are stream rolling the Hawks. Denver is almost done with the Mavs. The only series left is the magic Celtics... and I'm not sure what to expect. Allen and Peirce need to get their act together otherwise it is over. Rondo can't carry the team by himself.

P.S. I agree, that call on Artest in game two is total BS.