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You have to factor in that he's a repeat offender, and was the centerpiece of the worst moment in the history of the NBA.

If this had been someone with no history, maybe you can give them the benefit of the doubt and make them sit for 5-10 games, but not Artest er World Peace.

I like the guy as a player but it's clear that he isn't playing with a full deck.

The odd thing is ... I actually give him the benefit of the doubt for the Palace melee. The only thing he really did wrong there was charge up into the stands to confront a fan. If you watch the replay of that ... Ben Wallace give him a cheapshot, Artest does nothing. Everyone else starts trying to pick fights ... Artest lays down. The fan throws a beer at him. Artest runs up into the stands to confront him ... grabs the wrong guy, but throws no actual punches as he asks "Was it you??". The actual beer tosser starts trying to hit him, and that's were Stephen Jackson went ballistic. Artest still hasn't really thrown a punch, as he's pulled back down to the floor ... by Mike Brown of all people, as the group of them are getting pummelled by enraged fans. Once on the floor, some guy comes out of the stands to fight him, and that's the first time he really throws a punch (well within his right, IMO) and that's where Jermaine O'Neill goes ballistic. Of all the main "combatants" ... Artest really didn't fight that much. He just incited the crowd riot by going into the stands.

Don't know if you remember his "Flagrant Foul" against Rip Hamilton? I even give him the benefit of the doubt on that one. Rip comes up, and hip checks him in the groin. Artest sort of turns his head to the ref and puts his hand up as if to point to Rip, and Rip runs straight into his arm and flops to the ground. That sort of started the bad blood between the Pistons and Pacers.

But this Harden hit, I can't figure out. It just looks cheap and blatent. Like I said the only thing I can think of was that he was trying to elbow the guy out of the way ... and maybe his arm skipped off the top of Harden's shoulder and into his head ... but still. As far as he pulled his arm back to hit him, that was more than just a "get out of my way" elbow.

I think Artest has to be banned for good. He has just shown time and time again that he doesn't have the emotional stability and judgment to be on the court. If I'm Stern, it's not worth the risk of him going crazy and seriously injuring someone.

I'm ganna be really pissed if Harden can't go in the playoffs, and OKC falls to Miami without their 3rd guy...

Of course if the Lakers play the Heat in the Finals, and Artest throws that same elbow towards Lebron's noggin ...

I'd laugh....but I'd still say Artest needs to be suspended for a long time. And anyway, the way the media and fans blame Lebron for everything, he'd have to explain why he would head-butt Artest's elbow.

The guys on PTI pointed out that Artest has already been suspended by the league 13 times. Let me re-type that.....13 TIMES! Dude has to be gone for AT LEAST 7+ games in my mind (missing the entire first postseason series).

I dont even see how some are saying it was an accident or that he should be gone for 2-3 games. Blindness seems to becoming an epidemic.

I think the only people saying it's an accident are Artest, and Lakers fans that think they need him to win in the Playoffs...

Of all the times we could of used a Joe Buck over-exaggeration, this was it...

Kyrie is so good. I love watching him play.

Now shut him down for the rest of the season, please.

It's not even fathomable to me how you can lose by 30 to the Wizards once.. but you're gonna go and do it again 2 weeks later? You can't even call it tanking because they've had the worst record locked up for awhile now.

Charlotte is awful

Charlotte has it right...

Become SO awful, that you'd have to win 3 or 4 lotteries in a row to even be good...

They could have top 3 picks in the next 5 drafts...

I mean, Anthony Davis would probably leave by then... but still!

Best part of it all? If Charlotte loses to Orlando we get to see them go for history on TNT Thursday versus New York

Worst winning percentage ever?

Because the Cavs 26-game losing streak will have to extend to next season.

What's the Cavs losing streak have to do with it?

I was wondering what "history" the Bobcats could make on TNT Thursday.

And since the Bobcats have 21 loses in a row, that's put them very close to the Cavs 26 game losing streak from last year.

Since Tim Duncan's arrival in 97-98, Spurs have posted .701 winning percentage (828-352). It is the winningest 15-year span in NBA history.


GOAT Powerforward

I would agree if saying Tim Duncan is a PF wasn't a sham. They play him at the '5' on both sides of the floor and then just say he is a PF (which he hasn't truly played since David Robinson retired).

I still can't believe how little talent they have on that roster. this is the Bobcats. they have been drafting in the lottery since the beginning of their existance.

and yet, the 2 best players they ever had came in from trades (Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson) and they gave them up for guys who are not helping now.

even if they get Anthony Davis, they still have holes everywhere else. they have no assets other teams deem worthy enough of even late 1st rounders (maybe Bismack, maybe). Davis getting drafted there would feel like Tim Couch in '99.

I really don't want the Bobcats to end up with Davis or MKG. I want to see those guys succeed, and going to the Bobcats is career suicide.

I prefer MJ'd.

I really hope 3 teams out of the top 3 (one of them being us of course) get picked...

To see Charlotte be SO bad, and still only get the 4th pick would be HIGH LARRY US.

We've got a slim chance at #3 though.. so yeah..

Fun with meme's...

Lebron James Toy.
Stressing Over Finals?
I Did In Fact Move..
Dunk Contest?
Hey LeBron James!
Best.

Seems to me like he got off with a rather light punishment.I would have suspended him for the rest of the year.

NBA suspends Metta World Peace 7 games for elbow to James Harden - CBSSports
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/eye-on...to-james-harden

World Peace, meet Law and Order.

The NBA announced on Tuesday that Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace -- the artist formerly known as Ron Artest -- has been suspended for seven games after his vicious elbow to the head of James Harden during a Sunday game at Staples Center left the Oklahoma City Thunder guard with a concussion. The suspension will begin immediately and run into the 2011-2012 playoffs.

“The concussion suffered by James Harden demonstrates the danger posed by violent acts of this kind, particularly when they are directed at the head area," NBA commissioner David Stern said in a statement. "We remain committed to taking necessary measures to protect the safety of NBA players, including the imposition of appropriate penalties for players with a history of on-court altercations."

The Lakers have just one game remaining in their 2011-2012 regular season schedule: a Thursday night game against the Kings in Sacramento. Entering Tuesday's action, the Lakers were the Western Conference's No. 3 seed, owning a record of 41-24 and holding a 0.5 game lead over the Los Angeles Clippers for the Pacific Division title.

World Peace will therefore miss the game against the Kings as well as the Lakers' first six playoff games. If the Lakers do not play six playoff games, the suspension will carry over into the 2012-2013 season.

The elbow occurred during the second quarter of a 114-106 Lakers victory that went to double overtime. World Peace celebrated a dunk by pounding his chest before cocking back his left elbow to deliver a blow to the back of Harden's head. World Peace then squared up, as if to fight Thunder big man Serge Ibaka, before officials and teammates intervened. Upon video review, World Peace was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and immediately ejected.

Harden left the game immediately due to the injury and did not return. He was diagnosed with a concussion after the game and was listed as "day-to-day" by the Thunder on Monday.

In a brief post-game statement, World Peace apologized for the hit and said that it was "unintentional."

"I got really emotional, really excited," World Peace said. "It was unfortunate that James had to get hit with an unintentional elbow. I hope he's OK. The Thunder, they are playing for a championship this year, so I really hope that he's OK. I apologize to the Thunder and to James Harden."

World Peace was suspended one game during the 2011 playoffs for clotheslining Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea. In 2007, World Peace, then a member of the Sacramento Kings, was suspended for seven games after he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. In 2006, Artest was suspended for one game for throwing an elbow at San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili. Following the so-called "Malice at the Palace," a 2004 brawl between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons that spilled over into the stands, World Peace was suspended for the duration of the 2004-2005 season (72 games). Also in 2004, he was suspended for one game for elbowing Portland Trail Blazers wing Derek Anderson. World Peace was also fined multiple times early in his career for making obscene gestures to fans.

Just lose to the wizards tonight you fools!

I think 7 is a little light, I think 10 would have been better. If the Lakers can get out of the first round in 6 games, which they should be able to, it will seem like they weren't really punished at all. Heck if they win the first 2, it wouldn't surprise me to see them throw a game to make sure it goes 6 so they don't have to play game 1 of the second series without him.

I thought it was going to be more games simply because he should be on a short leash the rest of his career after what happened in Auburn Hills all those years ago.

I mean, whatever, it's the NBA so this doesn't surprise me.

I'm rooting for the Lakers anyway in the playoffs. Not that I hated them before, I never really cared one way or another but I would love to see Coach Brown jam it down people's throats.

I don't think the Lakers have a shot at the Heat, so I'm rooting against them. That's what the NBA playoffs really come down to for me.

Teams that have the best shot at beating the Heat:

Spurs
Thunder
Grizzlies
Celtics
Pacers
Bulls - not really, but I can hope. terrible matchup for Chicago.
Lakers - not enough depth, but they do have Kobe, Pau, Bynum. Gives them hope.

That's really the whole list for me. Pacers might be the biggest surprise on that list, but they do have the wing defenders and the bigs (missing the dynamic PG though which could kill them). I don't see how they generate enough offense, but maybe they get hot and it puts undue pressure on Miami? I'll also take Vogel over Spoelstra any day of the week.

Kyrie might not play tonight because of an "illness."

technically speaking we could still end up with the 3rd worst record.

all we need to do is lose out and New Orleans and Sac has to win.

that would help our top pick cause

well, if we lose out we tie with them. not sure what the tiebreakers are with Sac and NO for the lottery (i do remember that it's different than the playoff tiebreakers)

You know what the NBA should do to avoid tanking?

Have an NIT style tournament, maybe just single elimination, and the winner gets #1 pick, and then everyone else gets slotted according to record. That way Charlotte doesn't get the first pick but would be guaranteed no worse than 2nd.