From Deseret News archives:

Warriors' Davis says media overreacted to Fisher incident

Published: Wednesday, May 16, 2007 12:43 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
A defiant Baron Davis on Tuesday accepted the punishment the NBA handed down to him for an incident in Sunday's Game 4 with Jazz guard Derek Fisher — then had the audacity to blame the media for his troubles.

League disciplinarian Stu Jackson tagged Davis with a post-game flagrant-2 foul, which would have meant automatic ejection had it been called during the game, but carries with it no automatic suspension — leaving Golden State's starting point free to play in Tuesday's Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinal series.

"I think it's fair. I didn't intend to hurt nobody out there — especially a good friend in Derek Fisher," said Davis, a former teammate of Fisher's with the Warriors. "But it's playoffs. There is a lot of contact going on. And I think a lot of times the media and people who have nothing to do with the game overreact, because they're not in it."

Davis avoided significant punishment despite claims by the league during the regular season that it was cracking down on shots to the head.

"It was a relief," Davis said, "but I didn't think that I was gonna get suspended anyway. I didn't feel that I should be suspended anyway."

Story continues below
Davis appeared to clock Fisher in the side of the head — elbow, forearm and shoulder have alternately been described as the offending body part — as the two collided late in the Jazz's Game 4 victory.

Fisher gave Davis the benefit of the doubt afterward, saying that even if it was a cheap shot he did not think Davis intended to hurt him.

Davis on Tuesday thanked Fisher for his remarks.

"I appreciate Derek Fisher being a man and standing up and speaking out on it," he said.

Fisher on Tuesday reiterated that he had no reason to believe Davis was trying to injure him.

"I think the game is played at too intense of a level and too emotional of a level to be able to, after a game, go back and judge what a guy's intention was at one play during the point of a game," he said.

Fisher even suggested he preferred that the league not suspend Davis.

"I don't really get into playing NBA security and deciding on suspensions and those things — fines, or whatever," he said. "I've never gotten into it.

"There have been some physical plays and things that have been questionable in terms of intent (during the series)," Fisher added, "but I've just always been one of those guys that have felt like, at this level, when you're trying to become the best ... I want to play against the best team and the best players out there, so that when I win a championship there won't be any excuses."

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

Gifts for gamers

There are some games I love not on your list. Arkham Asylum for one.

Daughter: Mitchell fed me my pet

Our parents made my brothers help kill and clean our rabbits before we ate...

Why would you keep it open? I would understand if there was a lot of amazing...

The government will run our health care well? Read Reader's Digest, November...

BCS stable at top, Y. up to 14

TCU stomped on the MWC so they are naturally ready to crush Florida, Alabama...

Jazz win 6th in 7 games

could you understand Dave Locke any more than my mom does and she is not even...

Notre Dame fires Weis

Attending the ND/BYU game 3 years ago in south bend, a couple of things stuck...

I missed the game, actually i heard a little bit of Locke on the radio (man...

Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal

quotes were good: Article was dumb and unnecessary.

Understanding translation process

I believe the art depicting Joseph looking at the plates may possibly be...

Advertisements