Judge rules O'Neal's suspension is over
Fri Dec 31, 2004 2:08 pm
Full story at ESPN.com
The NBA's statement (which I find somewhat amusing)
I still fear that the division between the player's union and the league is growing wider and wider. I've said it before and I'll say it again: if either side believes a lockout will garner any support from the fans or improve the league's image and standing, they are sorely mistaken. I believe another lockout, only five years removed from the last one, will hurt the league's popularity with its fans much more than the Pacers/Pistons brawl (though that's not to say the brawl was a fantastic event in the history of the league).
As far as the ruling goes, I agree with it. If the yardstick is Stephen Jackson's involvement in the incident and Vernon Maxwell's incident back in 1995 (which is what I personally feel it should be), 15 games seems quite fair for O'Neal's actions, which did warrant punishment but not the 25 games that were originally handed down.
The NBA's statement (which I find somewhat amusing)
I still fear that the division between the player's union and the league is growing wider and wider. I've said it before and I'll say it again: if either side believes a lockout will garner any support from the fans or improve the league's image and standing, they are sorely mistaken. I believe another lockout, only five years removed from the last one, will hurt the league's popularity with its fans much more than the Pacers/Pistons brawl (though that's not to say the brawl was a fantastic event in the history of the league).
As far as the ruling goes, I agree with it. If the yardstick is Stephen Jackson's involvement in the incident and Vernon Maxwell's incident back in 1995 (which is what I personally feel it should be), 15 games seems quite fair for O'Neal's actions, which did warrant punishment but not the 25 games that were originally handed down.
Fri Dec 31, 2004 11:55 pm
I think it was comletly fair and I fell the Pacers will finally start winning again 
Sat Jan 01, 2005 2:24 am
yeah, they won 3 in a row now...i hope they extend they streak..but their schedule for 1st half of january is everything but easy 
Sat Jan 01, 2005 3:30 am
with oneal back the pacers will be able to dominate the east again and heres why.
David Harrison has been playing absoloutly amazing latley, and with JO drawing double teams in the paint David will be able to get 10 points 10 rebounds a game, and JO will continue putting up 22 points a game or so.
Jamaal Tinsley proved he can score when he needs to, posting 33 points and 7 boards against chicago
Stephen Jackson will be playing with a chip on his shoulder when he returns and i think will put up similar numbers to the numbers he put up in atl (18 points 5 rebounds)
Fred Jones, Reggie Miller, Austin Croshere have all been playing well.
The pacers even without ron artest are a deep team, and i think they can compete with anybody in the league.
David Harrison has been playing absoloutly amazing latley, and with JO drawing double teams in the paint David will be able to get 10 points 10 rebounds a game, and JO will continue putting up 22 points a game or so.
Jamaal Tinsley proved he can score when he needs to, posting 33 points and 7 boards against chicago
Stephen Jackson will be playing with a chip on his shoulder when he returns and i think will put up similar numbers to the numbers he put up in atl (18 points 5 rebounds)
Fred Jones, Reggie Miller, Austin Croshere have all been playing well.
The pacers even without ron artest are a deep team, and i think they can compete with anybody in the league.
Sat Jan 01, 2005 4:56 am
Actually they can't compete with every team man.Teams like Spurs,Sonics,Suns are way stronger teams than Pac-mans.
No doubt-they will make playoffs,but i can see they fall out in the first round.
No doubt-they will make playoffs,but i can see they fall out in the first round.
Sat Jan 01, 2005 9:31 am
are you kidding the first round???
the east is extremley weak no way they lost in the first round.
Or the second for that matter, maybe maybe i could see them losing in the conference finals.
And they have beaten the t-wolves twice already this season, once in minnesota, and once without oneal jackson miller artest and foster.
and to say that they can even compete with the spurs sonics and suns is wrong. can they beat them in a 7 game series? i dont know, i hope so but i dont know
the east is extremley weak no way they lost in the first round.
Or the second for that matter, maybe maybe i could see them losing in the conference finals.
And they have beaten the t-wolves twice already this season, once in minnesota, and once without oneal jackson miller artest and foster.
and to say that they can even compete with the spurs sonics and suns is wrong. can they beat them in a 7 game series? i dont know, i hope so but i dont know
Sat Jan 01, 2005 3:13 pm
IndyPacers67 wrote:Fred Jones, Reggie Miller, Austin Croshere have all been playing well.
Reggie's play in particular has been nice to see. I have to admire the way he's been the face of the Pacers for nearly two decades, but has taken a back seat to guys like JO without kicking up a fuss. With the Pacers shorthanded, his numbers are right up around his career averages.