Valanciunas is a headcase

[white men can't jump]

We've had soft players and soft bigs for so long that now people complain when one of our bigs shows some fire.

Was it too much? Sure. But he's frustrated because he's getting an even shittier whistle this year than as a rookie last year. He's not even close to a headcase. Not to mention the frustration with his team/coach.

It's a good thing to see from a young player, and frankly the kind of attitude a lot of good bigs have had. Don't anybody sit there and tell me that guys like Karl Malone and Alonzo Mourning never threw an elbow out of frustration.

[MixxAOR]

he gave a little elbow bump to lowry on that same play. watch it, lowry was holding on to his face after

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_PpX...e_gdata_player

[stretch]

My read is totally different. JV was fouled and did not get the call and the swing, which was nowhere near connecting with Plumlee, was an exaggerated/frustrated "and one" gesture.

Jonas is no head case.

[Axel]

he gave a little elbow bump to lowry on that same play. watch it, lowry was holding on to his face after

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_PpX...e_gdata_player

This is a good shot of the play. After watching it a few times it seems less and less like a shot at Plumlee's head as much as it is a "get off me" rip through. If JV was trying to make contact with that he would have followed it up with something different than turning to get back on D, especially after the other Suns player (a Morris I believe) tried to body him up. JV makes the smart play and gets back.

Regardless, the title of this thread and the OP is a bit over the top. One aggressive play doesn't make a head case. Love got 2 games for stomping a dudes face. JV didn't make contact and the intent is debatable. Perhaps a nominal fine but no suspension.

[KHD]

I'd be more concerned if he actually was aiming to hit the guy and missed that badly.

[JimiCliff]

What we know:

- JV's is, generally, not malicious towards other players. At least, I've never seen a single instance of it, in the NBA or in international play.

- He's been growing more and more frustrated as the season's progressed. Emotionally, he's like a different player compared to last year (and, again, compared to his disposition in international play).

What we don't know:

- Exactly what kind of play had been leading up to that. Could very well be that Plumlee was asking for it - or the entire Suns front line was asking for it.

- If JV was trying to connect. Or even more to the point: if JV thought there was even a chance he would have connected. And I'm gonna say no on both fronts. I think this was purely a threat display. But again, this is something none of us can really know.

Big men swing elbows all the time. Howard, Chandler, Garnett - look it up. To suggest that Val is a headcase based on this and this alone is ridiculous.

[BobLoblaw]

This merits a serious suspension. At least 5 games.

[Masai Ujiri]

Lol if MWP did this you guys would all be calling for his head, cannot believe people are seriously trying to defend Val here.

[thead]

this is nothing...I once murdered a man because the refs didn't call 3 in the key

[Superjudge]

This is a good shot of the play. After watching it a few times it seems less and less like a shot at Plumlee's head as much as it is a "get off me" rip through.

Fucking exactly.

I wish people would calm the fuck down, gain some perspective and then post rationally before these fucking RIDICULOUS psychoanalysis type posts;

JV needs to gain control
JV is a head case
JV is a THUG!!!



I honestly don't think the guys who are posting this have ever, in their live splayed a contact sport passed the age of 12. What a sad, SAD bunch of responses.

[KHD]

I just don't really think that he was throwing an elbow. Seemed like some odd combination of an "and-one" celebration and trying to regain balance.

Watch the video and compare it to MWP, for a real elbow. Then compare it to Boozer's nut-punch on Danny Crawford (accidental). I dunno, I just didn't see it.

[Superjudge]

This merits a serious suspension. At least 5 games.

this post merits a serious banning, 5 days.

[Superjudge]

Lol if MWP did this you guys would all be calling for his head, cannot believe people are seriously trying to defend Val here.

LIKE WARM BUTTER IN JULY YOU ARE.

You're acting like President of the "everyone gets a medal" committee.

[enlightenment]

The gif cuts in way too late.
You didnt see the way he was tangled and trying to free himself. Notice how Plumlee is literally straddling JVs leg. As JV tried to use force and torque to move Plumlee from his position, Plumlee does a soft jump for the rebound and staggers back, this releases JVs force while struggling for position like a spring being released.

Obviously though, JV did complete the movement, and he has to be more under control.

[Axel]

I just don't really think that he was throwing an elbow. Seemed like some odd combination of an "and-one" celebration and trying to regain balance.

Watch the video and compare it to MWP, for a real elbow. Then compare it to Boozer's nut-punch on Danny Crawford (accidental). I dunno, I just didn't see it.

Plus comparing a 2nd year player with zero violations on record to MWP is completely asinine. It took years for Artest/MWP to earn his reputation.