Danny Ainge: Cheating To Win
Two weeks ago, while the Celtics were destroying Miami in Game 2 of their first-round series and the announcers were telling stories to kill time, Reggie Miller recounted an incident from his playing days: While an opponent was shooting free throws, Jamaal Tinsley strategically tossed a towel in the air over on the Pacers’ bench within the shooter’s peripheral vision, drawing a technical foul. Reggie said he’d never seen that happen before or since, and wasn’t even sure it was a rule.
Earlier this season, I actually saw Mike Bibby do the same thing during a Hawks/Raptors game and noted it in Smack, as Bibby appeared to help Hedo Turkoglu miss a clutch free throw in the fourth quarter. That time, though, either the refs didn’t catch Bibby, or they just decided not to slap him with a tech.
Coming off last night’s Celtics win over the Cavs, where one or two free throws either way wasn’t going to decide anything anyway, Boston GM Danny Ainge is now being accused of doing the towel trick. Cameras caught Ainge — sitting right behind Cleveland’s basket in the second half — flipping a white towel while J.J. Hickson was shooting free throws in the third quarter. Ainge also stood up during times when Cavs players were shooting free throws.
“That was interesting to see that happen during the flow of the game, from Danny Ainge,” said Cavs coach Mike Brown. “If it’s it within the rules, hey, at this time, you do whatever you can to win. As long as it’s within the rules.”
It’s not that big of a deal; NBA players deal with all kinds of distractions at the free-throw line, from thundersticks to bikini posters. But those are fans and people in the stands. Among players, there’s the unwritten rule of the playground that you don’t do stuff from the bench like scream in a shooter’s ear, but in the playoffs, apparently the rules don’t matter as much. But then again, Ainge is only an ex-player now.
It is funny that Ainge would be the culprit in this case. Just the other day I was watching a Mariners game where the announcers were talking about baseball players who also played basketball. Ainge’s name naturally came up, and M’s play-by-play guy Dave Sims busted out laughing that Ainge, “was just so annoying” and how he was one of the most hated players in the NBA.
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May 4th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Bizz says:
So it’s an issue to toss a towel, but not an issue to scream and waive balloons back and forth really fast while a guy is shooting from the line? It’s an issue when a non-player with a paid ticket attempts to distract a shooter, but a non-issue if it’s a fan with a paid ticket?
Give me a break. This is just more excuses coming from the city of Cleveland. Noah was right. What’s so good about Cleveland?
May 4th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Bizz says:
So it’s an issue to toss a towel, but not an issue to scream and wave* balloons back
May 4th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Lol ooohhhhhhhh ok so this is cheating..
getting away with goaltends and travels is perfectly legit.. as long the refs allow it right..
Riiiiiggggghhhhhtttttt.. thats my bad.. i was a little confused..
May 4th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Austin Burton says:
@LakeShow84 — But it’s not like players go out there planning to travel or goaltend. There’s a difference between getting away with something and planning bush-league tactics.
May 4th, 2010 at 4:43 pm
Big T says:
Where is this rule?
May 4th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Hucklebuck says:
Ainge is ok to do it because Robert Horry once threw a towel in his face as he was subbed out of the game when Ainge was the coach of the Suns after Barkley left for Houston.
May 4th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
larryp says:
Austin,
You are not clear at all and I am afraid mistaken. You state that Ainge was under the basket. He was. If you watched the game you could see him sitting in the stands in the 1st row under the basket and many many feet away from the bench. Then you write that it was a techincial and unsavory to thorw a towel while on the bench.
Aigne was jsut acting like any other fan trying to distract a free throw shooter in the seats behind the basket. He was not on the bench.
May 4th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
LakeShow84 says:
@ AB
you know Ainge is a fan of the game at heart..
i doubt he bought those seats and texted everyone saying
“wew boy im right behind the basket! bet i make someone miss!”
Come on now lol i wouldve done the same thing.. you probably as well lol we all fans of the game when it comes down to it..
Bush league?? maybe.. game effect?? Hardly.. Petty on both sides?? YEP
And if you know you aint going to be called for goaltends and whatnot and you CONTINUE to go at it all with the same approach then yes i consider that and you a cheater..
period..
shit i get away with it once?? ima try it again.. and if i get away with it AGAIN?? Shit im going after EVERYTHING..
May 4th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
ENEW says:
Really?
Looks like we need some other Celtics stuff to discuss.
Great having three days for the Celtics to rest, tighten up the game plan and gear up for a great Friday night showing.
Loved Mike Brown’s press conference last night.
May 4th, 2010 at 5:18 pm
Austin says:
Hmmmm….the only thing suspicious is the smell of fear coming from Cleveland. Total desperation. Good stuff!
May 4th, 2010 at 5:38 pm
Rafa23 says:
LMFAO
booo, the poor Cavs get cheated out of the playoffs. poor king(has he won anything?) gets cheated by ainge.
give me a break. players scream at opposing shooters from the corner ALL THE TIME. thats basically a non issue and just a funny story.
Its everything,but NOT cheating. WTF
May 4th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Zack Hess says:
While I agree that Hickson is an NBA player and gets paid a lot to deal with this kind of stuff every night, it doesn’t take away from the fact that if that really was Ainge, he’s a douche. I know they won by like 20, but that’s still weak. You’re a fucking GM with a suit on. Sit behind the bench or in a box. Get the fuck outta here
May 4th, 2010 at 6:02 pm
brado says:
You’ve got to be kidding me. This is a moot point. Focus on what happens on the floor. We’re just grasping for excuses if we’re focusing on the antics and actions of players on the bench. They should have every right to act similar to fans. If that phases an opposing player then so be it. These are professionals, they should be able to “overcome” these obstacles.
People don’t like Ainge because he’s a hard worker. That’s the only reason he played professional ball, he had a crazy work ethic.
May 4th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Royal says:
I think all Cav’s are gonna pinch eachother to death if the cavs lose again this year
May 4th, 2010 at 7:49 pm
Royal says:
*Cav’s fans……
May 4th, 2010 at 8:12 pm
Celticsdada says:
Austin Burton = Cav’s and Lebron’s Dick rider
May 4th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
Joe Cooley High says:
I suppose nobody else got the Eddie Guerrero nod in the headline?
May 4th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
sans says:
If Ainge was not near the bench then nothing happens.
This rule is disconcertion: Rule 9, Section 1, Article 5–No opponent shall disconcert the free throw shooter.
The NBA is different from HS obviously, but this rule holds true through Division 1 basketball. The technical on Bibby is related to bench decorum.
Typically if a player disconcerts the shooter and the shooter misses, then you warn the team for a delay of game penalty and have the shooter reshoot the freethrow (like a lane violation). If it happens more than once it is an immediate delay of game technical. It can be a technical.
Of course so can flopping (but if you call flopping as a technical–as I have–you will end up losing some games because no one else calls it that way [10.3.7.F--faking being fouled]). That’s all the Johnny rule book I have in me today.
May 5th, 2010 at 1:02 am
rapTOr says:
the celtics are also notorious for standing up and shouting at opposing players who take corner 3′s infront of their bench, which I think is just as good as cheating. If your not on the court, just stfu. Dont be sore losers and cheapen the game…2009 Finals, anyone?
May 5th, 2010 at 8:37 am
JAY says:
Just wanted to add another perspective to the argument…
What do you think would have happened if it were Cuban who did the same thing?!? I’m pretty sure a tech and a heavy fine would have been laid.
May 5th, 2010 at 9:48 am
fallinup says:
I’d say it actually mattered if Hickson wasn’t a career 67% FT shooter. Which BTW, for that game he shot 71%. It kinda makes the Ainge thing not a big friggin deal.
It didn’t effect the outcome of the game. It didn’t get a tech when it happened. So really, it’s much ado about nothing.
May 5th, 2010 at 9:53 am
fallinup says:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFmaMQTFMNs
And it would also matter if friggin Hickson had missed a shot. This is a NON STORY.
May 5th, 2010 at 9:53 am
fallinup says:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFmaMQTFMNs
And it would also matter if friggin Hickson had missed the shot. This is a NON STORY.
May 5th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
abcdefg says:
Had Danny Ferry thrown a towel up during let’s say Brandon Bass’ free throw, Dime would have hosted a celebration party!
RIDE BRON BRON + THE CAVS HARD DIME, RIDE THEM HARD!!!
May 6th, 2010 at 11:47 am
KBlair says:
I don’t get why people are making a big deal out of the towel toss thing. How is that different from the fans waving those things when a player shoots FTs? He didn’t throw it *at* a player, or on the court, so I don’t understand why he’s at fault. But that’s just me.
May 6th, 2010 at 11:08 pm
bola says:
silly stuff! ……………………………………………………