Tensions spilled over in a heated NBA altercation on Thursday, and two Australians were at the centre of it.
During the fourth quarter of Atlanta’s win over Orlando in Central Florida, Dyson Daniels took exception to a hard foul committed on Aussie compatriot Jock Landale.
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As Landale attempted to put up a close-range shot from underneath the basket, Orlando’s Goga Bitadze aggressively pulled the big Melburnian down in an intentional foul to prevent the easy basket.
But the way in which Bitadze aggressively yanked Landale around the neck didn’t go down well with the Atlanta players, with Daniels — most perturbed by the act — racing in to get in Bitadze’s face as several players from both teams got physical.
Long-time Hawks play-by-play caller Bob Rathbun and colour commentator Brian Oliver were less than pleased with Bitadze’s act.
“Landale gets thrown down, and look out! We’ve got activity under the goal. No doubt about it; the way Orlando plays the game, this was bound to happen,” Rathbun said.
Oliver said: “You knew it was going to come, Bob … dirty play by Bitadze … you knew it was coming the way that Orlando was playing, especially a level of frustration because they were down.”
Rathbun added: “That was a dirty basketball play, and the Hawks were upset about it.”
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Rathbun continued: “When we were here last year, they took two Hawks out on back-to-back plays. Enough is enough. Dyson was hot.
“Just an uncalled-for cheap shot by Bitadze … that is awful — you’ve got an airborne, defenceless player, and (Bitadze) just grabbed him around the throat and threw him down. Awful.”
The pulling force of Bitadze’s act caused Landale to fall backwards and land awkwardly on his ankle — returning to the locker room for medical assessment before coming back out to shoot his free throws.
Ultimately, after a referee review, Bitadze was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul, resulting in his ejection from the game.
The Hawks won convincingly 130-101 to move to 44-33 on the season, while the Magic slumped to 40-36.
Landale, who hails from East Malvern, joined the Hawks fray midseason after being traded to Atlanta from the Memphis Grizzlies.
The 30-year-old is averaging a career-high 22.3 minutes played for 10.6 points per game on 51.3 per cent shooting.