11/05/24
April 08, 2010
Carmelo Anthony collapses on the floor in the middle of a game, and play goes on: Strange incident in Oklahoma City. More details.
posted by phaedon to basketball at 06:01 PM - 12 comments
Luckily Anthony was okay. I can't decide who was more incompetent the refs of the Nuggets for not noticing their player on the ground.
posted by bperk at 06:19 PM on April 08, 2010
I think he fucked up his spin move and decided to flop it. God only knows why the refs didn't stop the game or his teammates didn't call a timeout. Maybe because it was so obvious that he was depleted, and not injured? The rest of it is just an act to save some face. That's just my opinion.
posted by phaedon at 07:04 PM on April 08, 2010
Whenever I see a player go down and stay down like that all I think of is watching the replays of Reggie Lewis going down against the Charlotte Hornets. In the case of when Reggie fell, there was a Charlotte player (David Wingate I think it was) who had played in high school with Reggie that was running along side of him, so he got someone attention right away and play was stopped.
In this case, I think because Anthony has a bit of a reputation for being a diva, everyone assumed the same thing as Phaedon and that is why play continued on around him. Perhaps Anthony will take this as a hint of his reputation within his team and around the league.
posted by Demophon at 07:50 PM on April 08, 2010
But I think it's fairly clear that Anthony was either severely shaken up to the point where he wasn't aware of his surroundings, or was completely knocked out for a brief period of time.
Thankfully, Anthony was alright, and ended up returning to the game a short time later. But the referees probably should have stopped play once Denver had regained possession, just to avoid even the possibility of something more serious happening to a player who was visibly injured
If a player isn't "aware of his surroundings" or "completely knocked out", then the medical staff is a bunch of idiots for letting him return to the game.
They should have insisted that he remain out of the game for precautionary reasons.
If he was really hurt, it's the smart thing to do.
If he was faking it, then it's the best punishment AND they can cover for him.
posted by grum@work at 11:48 PM on April 08, 2010
That just looks like Anthony was faking it, and just held it too long. By the time he realizes the whistle isn't coming - he just continues to act like that in some vain attempt to prove it to who, the crowd?
Well, maybe he just fainted. That can happen, and it's hardly damaging. Just a little control-alt-delete. System reboot.
Naw, he's just a terrible, yet totally committed, actor.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 12:07 AM on April 09, 2010
grum, I think your approach would have been the best alternative for responding to this as it occurred. But that doesn't change the fact that the length of time the refs, his teammates, et al allowed the game to go on with him lying there was completely irresponsible in the first place. Worst case for the refs would have been to dole out a warranted Technical for delay of game or something arbitrary (if he truly was lying there "faking it") ... but to let play come back down the floor with him still lying there just looks bad on everyone.
It does look like he did get a surprise tweak or twist to his neck there. How many times have you seen a guy land funny on an ankle or something and need to stop play? Hundreds of times for sure. And nobody made a fuss. This was just odd all around.
posted by Spitztengle at 01:09 AM on April 09, 2010
There is no question that play should have been stopped. Faking it or not, precautions should be taken. His teammates willingness to play on and almost trample him is interesting.
But I think the announcers got it right. Looks to me like he pinched a nerve in his neck.
posted by BoKnows at 03:00 AM on April 09, 2010
After what happened to Carlos Delfino this year (getting his neck stepped on), it was irresponsible to let play continue, especially when the ball came back to the Nugget's end of the court.
posted by drezdn at 08:11 AM on April 09, 2010
Clearly, his own teammates thought he was faking it at the time, or they would have called timeout as soon as they got the ball back. Referees have to make a judgment call. Unfortunately, too many players would end up playing possum so if they instituted a rule requiring the refs to stop play everytime someone was on the floor.
posted by graymatters at 08:56 AM on April 09, 2010
I would posit that Kevin Durant hip is a pretty solid object, and Anthony whacked his head on it. You can see him grimace right after contact is made and he goes down, and I don't think Carmelo is that good an actor.
One of the refs, whether he believed it was an act or not, should have walked over and assessed the situation more directly. I'm all for making a flopper look like a fool, but I really think Anthony was down for medical rather than cosmetic reasons.
posted by wfrazerjr at 09:09 AM on April 09, 2010
Clearly, his own teammates thought he was faking it at the time, or they would have called timeout as soon as they got the ball back.
Clearly, you're not familiar with the boneheadedness of Mr. Earl Smith.
posted by tron7 at 04:12 PM on April 09, 2010
Crazy video. That's some brilliant awareness on the part of the refs, the Denver players and Denver's coaches for not calling timeout.