Kobe “kicked me in the neck,” says Tony Allen
Tony Allen
When I tagged Tony Allen to be Boston’s most crucial X-factor in these NBA Finals, I was thinking more in the momentum-building, sparkplug-scorer role, with some solid defense thrown in for good measure. I wasn’t expecting TA to become this year’s Raja Bell.
The Celtics’ backup guard hasn’t done much offensively (4.3 ppg, 4-10 FG), but continues to earn playing time for his defensive efforts against Kobe Bryant. Going into tonight’s Game 4, however, Allen is already taking his lumps and could be ready to pledge the fraternity of guys like Raja, Bruce Bowen and Manu Ginobili who would probably call Kobe a dirty player.
Sporting a swollen lip and eight stitches in his mouth, Allen described an incident during Game 3 that caused him to temporarily stop breathing:
“I slipped and he actually kicked me in the neck,” Allen told reporters. “That’s what he did. I ain’t too happy about that, neither. But he kicked me in my neck and it is what it is.”
Early in the fourth quarter, Allen fell down while in the process of fighting through a screen set for Kobe. As Kobe went up for a three-pointer, his foot caught Allen in the throat. Allen left the game momentarily, but came back later and will play tonight.
Allen didn’t specifically say he thought it was intentional, but Kobe’s biggest critics won’t pass up the chance to add it to the resume of questionable acts Kobe has put together over his career — like karate-chopping Manu Ginobili and Marko Jaric, or elbowing Mike Miller in the throat, or throwing punches at Reggie Miller. Somewhere, Chris Childs is laughing.
“I mean, he’s always trying to draw the foul and he kicks his legs out a lot when he shoots those long threes to get contact,” Allen said. “I didn’t give him no contact because I slipped. Thank God I slipped, because I probably would’ve fouled him, but I took a kick in the neck and I couldn’t breathe for a hot second.”
And just to clear things up, Allen doesn’t attribute his busted lip and stitches to Kobe.
“Let’s get this straight: Kobe didn’t bust my lip,” Allen said. “It was a kick in the neck. That type of stuff happens throughout the battle. You’re going to expect stuff like that: kicking, punching, scratching.”
Do you think Kobe is a dirty player?
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June 10th, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Dan says:
Before I even read this , I just wanna say the title is the funniest thing.
June 10th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
Matt says:
Hey Austin and the rest of the dime crew,
Here’s a fun Celtic video. I thought you might want to share it with some of your readers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjMpGms8vvg
Granted, I am a crazy Celtic fan, but I love it.
Enjoy.
June 10th, 2010 at 5:39 pm
Gil Meriken says:
Here is the incident in question.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km8PqTNy0sQ
Make your own judgment as to whether it was intentional, dirty, or a non-issue.
June 10th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
the antoine says:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_aLnfMG1-tgI/TA84E9Ne6ZI/AAAAAAAAAXo/kFYsrk5-IpE/s400/%21%23%21tony.jpg
that doesnt look dirty to me..
June 10th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
Gil Meriken says:
Better yet, do me a favor :pretend you’re shooting, jump backwards and land on one leg, your left leg. Tell me what your right leg and foot do.
June 10th, 2010 at 5:46 pm
the antoine says:
i wish i could karate while shooting a fall away jumper..
June 10th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
LakeShow84 says:
LMAO
Im sure instead of winning this Finals Kobe is worried about kicking a journeyman like Allen in the neck and making it known he cant guard him..
LMAO
June 10th, 2010 at 6:20 pm
Doug Christie says:
remember me? I used to be the real Kobe-Stopper…
June 10th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
ruben patterson says:
remember me… i was the original kobe-stopper.. haha
June 10th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
edub says:
I’m a Kobe fan, but that was intentional. It’s not like he hasn’t done it before.
Allen deserves it, he’s done his share of intentional headbutts…what goes around comes around.
June 10th, 2010 at 6:44 pm
Matt says:
Of course Kobe was trying to kick TA. It’s a means of creating contact to get the foul call. Jordan did it. Reggie did it. Even Ray does it. It’s a veteran move that also happens to be kind of dirty, since you are intentionally trying to kick your opponent.
Obviously, Kobe wasn’t trying to kick TA in the neck, since he clearly didn’t know TA was going to slip, but he probably was trying to kick him.
Either way, Kobe is roughly 1/8 as dirty as Fisher. Fisher seems like a great guy off the court, but on it, he is grabbing, shoving, and doing his best Stockton/Thomas impersonation (note: I am not saying that the Celtics always play cleanly, just pointing out my dislike of Fisher’s defensive style).
June 10th, 2010 at 6:46 pm
loganlight says:
Boo.
Not an intentional kick, but an intentional flail for sure. Kobe does it better than anyone in the league… he thinks it gets him calls, but that’s just his superstar status. He looks like an idiot doing it.
LL
June 10th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Lake Fan says:
@ Matt
Boston…always trying to one up on the Lakers in any way shape or form. Sorry, but the West was first to come out with so called anthems. Let’s get that straight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qLCZvKA7Gg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ8E-bWxs60
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z9sEuiSY_4
If you need more, I’ll be more than happy to provide them for you. Now that we have that out of the way…Tony Allen aka Poor Man’s Raja Bell aka I need a Doctor. You weren’t intentionally kicked in the neck. Quit being so dramatic like the rest of your squad. Is this the 2010 version of Paul Pierce? Mr. I need a Wheelchair?
Typical Boston fucks. It’s the playoffs! At least the Lakers arent swinging their elbows like KG did to Dwight or setting moving screens like Perkins and Mr Lick my lips and wiggle my tongue obese version of LL Cool J Baby Davis.
June 10th, 2010 at 6:53 pm
Lake Fan says:
Oh and btw…
“(note: I am saying that the Celtics always play dirty, just pointing out my dislike for Boston’s defensive style)”
June 10th, 2010 at 7:14 pm
Matt says:
@ lake fan:
The day a laker fan likes the celtics’ defensive style will be a sad day (I plan on ignoring 1991-2007).
Also, i never claimed that Boston coming out with an anthem is unique, just that I enjoyed it.
Of course the lakers set moving screens. At least according to Doc, an unbiased observer of course, who sent video of the laker infractions yesterday.
June 10th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
darkdefender says:
Tony Allen should be proud that Kobe Bryant kicked him in the neck.
Thats something he can put on his resume.
Thats something he can tell his grandkids one day.
June 10th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
rlf says:
Allen is trying to do what the other Allen and all the other Celtics are trying to do. Cut Kobe by doing under his legs. That’s what they’ve been doing. I don’t see the refs doing anything about that.
Doc complaining about illegal screens? His team LIVES for illegal screen. what the Celtics are, they are BULLIES. They want to dish it out and not take it.
Man up! The refs have been bad, but for both team. And to complain about illegal screens? that’s a new low for Boston.
June 10th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
rlf says:
Allen is trying to do what the other Allen and all the other Celtics are trying to do. Cut Kobe by going under his legs. That’s what they’ve been doing. I don’t see the refs doing anything about that.
Doc complaining about illegal screens? His team LIVES for illegal screen. what the Celtics are, they are BULLIES. They want to dish it out and not take it.
Man up! The refs have been bad, but for both team. And to complain about illegal screens? that’s a new low for Boston.
June 10th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
Gil Meriken says:
C’mon try it!
take a good jump backwards and land on one leg, your left leg. Tell me what your right leg and foot do.
June 10th, 2010 at 11:36 pm
LakeShow84 says:
End of the fuckin line after this game..
Fuckin crybabys got what they wanted this whole game.. Dfish in foul trouble and seemingly NO FOUL CALLS UNDER THE HOOP..
And they whole team talkin shit like they EARNED it..
CELTICS IS SO FUCKING WACK
June 11th, 2010 at 12:19 am
Captain Fantastic says:
no harm no foul
June 11th, 2010 at 5:35 pm
dagwaller says:
This is why whenever anyone says that they need to crack down on defensive flopping, I just laugh. I’ll take that serious when they crack down on offensive fouls like this.
Oh, his leg just incidentally kicked Allen’s throat? First of all, my ass. Second of all, there’s so much barely there contact that gets called FOR the offense that it’s ridiculous. That’s the real reason refs get busted on: prima donna players.