Dwight Howard Out for Game 6

After what was a blatant elbow and a bullshit game 5 thanks to the referee’s and their love for the home team Magic, the NBA has finally handed down the correct punishment in the form of a Game 6 suspension for Magic center Dwight Howard.  Early in the game while tangled with Slammin’ Sammy Dalembert, Dwight became a little unruly and swung a vicious right elbow connecting with the back of Sammy’s noggin.

The refs at the time called a technical, meaning that they did indeed see the play, but decided not to call the required flagrant foul and ejection from the game for any contact above the shoulders.   This is what the rulebook says (bolded):

k. A technical foul, unsportsmanlike act or flagrant foul must be called for a participant to be ejected. A player, coach or trainer may be ejected for:
(1) An elbow foul which makes contact shoulder level or below
(2) Any unsportsmanlike conduct where a technical foul is assessed
(3) A flagrant foul where unnecessary and/or excessive contact occurs
EXCEPTION: Rule 12A–Section V–l(5)
l. A player, coach or trainer must be ejected for:
(1) A punching foul
(2) A fighting foul
(3) An elbow foul which makes contact above shoulder level

Pretty happy the league stepped in here and made the correct call. I’m almost certain the Sixers would have won Game 5 had Dwight Howard been ejected early on. Magic swingman Courtney Lee will also be out for Game 6 after receiving another bow from his own teammate Dwight Howard later in the game.

Damn Dwight, keep dem bows to yourself homie.