Kevin Garnett and Antonio McDyess Do Something, But It's Not Fighting

Video is always better than words. I gave an admittedly biased account of this skirmish earlier, but now you can see for yourself. Tell me: did Mark Madsen flop? Because it sure looks like he did to me.

The real purpose of this post, believe it or not, isn't to poke fun at Madsen, but rather to point out he updated his blog after the game:

Sometimes emotions can flare in close games and that's what happened in tonights game against the Detroit Pistons at home. Right now I am in pain because Kevin Garnett got ejected and there is some speculation that the league might come forward with a disciplinary action for those of us involved. I still have not seen a replay of the incident and I didn't see the first part of the tussle because I had my back turned while I was getting up.

When you get a group of 6'10" 260 pound grown men competing hard in games emotions and testosterone can run high with all of us. We were all out there competing and it got a little bit physical and then it was over. It doesn't make any of it right, but that is the reality of the situation. I am hoping that the NBA chooses to issue fines as a form of discipline for those of us involved instead of any sort of suspensions for the players. KG is the spoon that stirs the pot for our team and Antonio McDyess is an important piece for the Pistons and has been ever since he arrived. I don't think tonight's incident was a fight and in my mind, being ejected is punishment enough in terms of lost minutes. Both KG and Antonio McDyess are class guys and in my mind this incident is over.

I don't think Madsen has to worry about any fines -- last I checked, watching from the ground while your teammates fight your battles isn't against the rules in the NBA.

Unfortunately, although the players managed to avoid trading blows doesn't mean things avoided getting ugly -- McDyess claims a fan sitting courtside across from the T'Wolves bench challenged him to a fight and used the "N" word. From the Detroit News:

"That really made me angry and I thought about going after the guy," McDyess said. "I mean, if we get suspended and thrown out, why can't the fan get thrown out if the referee is listening to that. But I just walked away, I wasn't going to do a Ron Artest."

Ironically enough, McDyess will face the Kings tomorrow, with Artest making his first appearance at the Palace since the infamous brawl of 2004.