A Top 10 hit list in NBA history
With a fight already going on at midcourt of a 1977 game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston, the Rockets' Rudy Tomjanovich ran in to try to play peacemaker. Instead, he got one of the worst shots in sports history — a right hand from the Lakers' Kermit Washington, forever known around the NBA as "The Punch." Tomjanovich was unconscious and bleeding, eventually needing multiple operations to repair facial fractures. He also suffered a concussion and other serious injuries. Tomjanovich returned the next season, though was never the same player again.
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Violence in NBA is a turnoff to me, I don't see BB as intended to be a boxing/wrestling sport, would love to see a return to emphises of skills other than brute force.
I'm surprised to not see included on this list the Hakeen Olajuwon punch taken by Billy Paultz. I know it going's back a bit, but it was a cheap shot if ever there was one. I don't remember it personally, because I wasn't born, but I still hear people talking about it, and how the punch ignited the Jazz to victory, while deflating the Rockets and their fans.
How is the Smith-Griffin play on here?? Griffin flopped like he always does and you put it the top ten of NBA history? What a joke
Ron Artest's name change leads to some ironic situations. "World Peace throws another punch!"
You forgot the dog pile where Danny Ainge tried to bite off Tree Rollin's finger after Rollin's tried to gouge out Danny's eyes.
Oops, correct that, Tree bit Danny.
I find it interesting that if you go back and watch each of these incidents on YouTube, you'll notice that whoever wrote the little snippets accompanying each photo on this story lifted heavily (i.e. plagiarized) from each announcer. Also, the Rodman kick to the groin of the cameraman was a classic.
Nothing on Karl Malone directly going after Isiah Thomas at the Delta Center and opening up his head? Look, I loved, love, and will always love the Mailman, but that was a horrible cheap shot in revenge for Thomas lighting Stockton up weeks earlier in Detroit. Come on D-News.
And no inclusion of the cheap shot from Shaq on Ostertag? Fred Flintstone cold on the floor was a classic!
What about Karl Malone knocking out David Robinson with an elbow? He was unconscious before he hit the ground, landing on his face. World Peace throws a viscious elbow, but it doesn't pack the punch that the Mailman's did. Karl was suspended and David accepted his apology.
Did anybody else notice how many of these involved the LA Lakers? Lakers fans wonder why people hate the Lakers.
AZnewser, I challenge you to find an watch the video of the Malone-Robinson play.
Robinson was on Karl's right hip, arm extended, trying to deny the ball. The pass went to Karl's left arm -- the opposite side Robinson was on. Karl whirled left -- away from Robinson -- and Robinson moved quickly from Karl's right to his left, directly into Karl's elbow as he spun. There was zero, ZERO intent or malice on that play. There was no way Karl would even know Robinson had moved from Karl's right to his left.