Riley/Potapenko "brawl" (was Walker / Potapenko "brawl")

[jmc@ptc.com]

Mark Piotrowski responded: 
> What happened (as I could see it from my barstool at the sports bar) was
> that someone on the C's shot the ball and Vitaly Potapenko went up for the
> rebound and sort of fumbled it.  Eric Riley (not Antoine) was BEHIND him
> and as the ball bounced up off of Potapenko's hands Riley tried to grab it.
> Potapenko also reached for it, so you have Riley over the top of Potapenko.
> Basically a jump ball.
> 
> However, since the ref hadn't yet called the jump ball, Potapenko (who
> looks like scary w/o the mask, but absolutely psycho with it) started
> twisting and turning trying to wrest the ball away from Riley.  I think
> Riley took an elbow or two in the upper chest but wouldn't let go of the
> ball.  After about 2-3 seconds of real physical wrangling (and I'm assuming
> a whistle, the sound was off at the bar) Potapenko let go of the ball,
> wriggled out of Riley's hold and it looked like he threw (and landed) a
> punch on Riley.  Up until that point I think Riley was willing to let the
> whole thing go, but you saw him really change demeanor when Potapenko threw
> the punch.

Mark, this description is right on the money.  This is exactly how it 
happened.  It looked like Riley was holding on waiting for a whistle for 
a jump ball, but the refs were late in blowing the whistle, and Potapenko 
went nuts and got mad that he couldn't get free from Riley's grasp. 

> I was really surprised Potapenko didn't get thrown out of the game or at
> the very least a Technical.  I was curious if the TNT people said anything
> during the replays b/c it really looked like Potapenko punched Riley in the
> jaw.  BTW it was real close to the Cavs bench and it looked like a few of
> them (brevin Knight and others) "left the bench".  I doubt there will be
> any significat fallout though, since the refs didn't seem to think it was a
> very big deal.

Actually, the refs gave offsetting technicals to both Potapenko and Riley. 
They also gave a personal foul to Riley, which could have easily been 
called a jump ball instead, depending on how much contact Riley had with 
the ball vs. Potapenko. 

Potapenko was the instigator and should have gotten the only technical. 

I think Riley has been getting a bum deal from the refs all season. 
They seem to call a foul on him if he even breathes on an opposing player. 

Jon Mc