- Larry W. Smith/NBAE via Getty Images
We’ve all seen the video. Nenad Krstic threw some punches, tossed a chair, then got slapped with a suspension. And in a recent interview with HoopsHype, Krstic says he got what he deserved.
Do you think your punishment after the Greece-Serbia brawl was fair?
NK: I deserved it. But I didn’t deserve the talk in the newspaper. I’m not one person to get in fights on the court, but I was just trying to protect my teammates.
Like you said, you don’t look like a guy that’s going to get involved in fights. What happened to you there?
NK: Nothing. I think everybody who knows me knows that I’m going to have their their back if there is a fight or a problem or anything like that. I always have my teammates’ backs. So there was a fight, I saw my teammate lying down on the court and I tried to help. And they attacked me and whoever attacks me, I’m going to attack him.
You hear that KD? Nenad’s got your back, yo. But despite the fight being ugly and the chair toss certainly embarrassing, the brawl did show exactly that. Krstic will be there for his teammates. And that might be something that comes in handy this season as the entire Thunder roster has a big target on their backs.
People are going to try and rough up the mild mannered Kevin Durant. People are going to push KD, shove KD and maybe even a few will take a cheap shot or two. But if you do, you might just be getting a chair to the face.
@Grolgar
I bet you would run away like a sissy too!!! with a name like Grolgar!!! what does that mean?
*rarely get hurt
I think you guys are giving way too much credit for "saving" his friend. It is a basketball brawl. People (save Tomjanovich) get hurt in these types of altercations. It's not like Nenad's teammate was getting seriously injured or pummeled... I guess that's the difference. You see him as saving his teammate and I see him as cowardly punching/throwing chairs on people and then running.
I still support Nenad and am part of his posse, but he needs to be called out on this one. IMHO.
@Grolgar
Krstic didn't hit Big Sofo in the back of the head because he hate him, but because Big Sofo was kicking and stomping Teodosic who was down on the court. Krstic was also trying to pull Big Sofo away. He was defending his teammate.
How definition of coward is to go after biggest and meaniest guy around (Big Sofo and his 300+ pounds) - if he is coward he will not go anywhere near him.
Krstic obviously doesn't know to fight (his punches have been mainly funny), but he showed hart in defending his teammate. Up to the moment when he toss the chair his behavior was how I would want my teammate to behave (OK, little less funny punches, and more pulling him away will be better). Chair toss was completely out of character and he deserved punishment for that.
But if you look for coward in this brawl, you don't need to look far. Big Sofo was kicking and stomping on guy on the floor who is less than half of his weight, and who was playing in the same team with him previous few years. Ops, actually this is brave in your definition, right?
@justin
I don't think the expectation was for Nenad to fight Sofo, I think the expectation was for him to get his face pounded by Sofo. You know, like a real man would.
*is indicative
(let us edit comments!)
...and hating on nenad is an indicative of having small and insignificant genetelia.
nenad's a G.
@Mark!
Also what you dont see very well in the video, is the building is about to go detroit like its 2004. if nenad felt there were some fans that were about to jump him, then greek shaq makes another run at him, a chair toss is more explainable
@Mark!
I'm sure there would have been a bigger outcry of cowardice if Nenad just removed himself from the fray and didn't participate at all. I guess he's supposed to stand toe to toe with a guy twice his size to win the internet tough guy badge of honor!
The chair thing is dumb but expecting Nenad Krstic to fight Sofo is dumber.
@Steve H
I agree with you except for the stapler/chair thing. The chair toss still makes no sense to me. It wasn't like Baby Shaq was charging at Nenad and he picked up a chair and hurled it at him. Or bumped the chair and sent it into someone's head. A crowd of people intervened, and then Nenad inexplicably picked up a chair and hurled it into a crowd. It was bizarre behavior.
But I agree all this fuss over his cowardice is bewildering to me. Being an asshole and throwing a chair like a toadie trying to prove something? Yeah, assuming that's what was happening, that's intolerable. But the actions up to that point seem fine to me given the circumstances. You do what you have to do for your teammates IMO. I don't care if you're 7' or 5'
@Grolgar
I agree the chair thing was inexcusable, but your righteous indignation over this is laughable to me. Thanks for the chuckles.
@Grolgar
Gotta say, as a middle aged wimp myself, I entirely understand and sympathise with the whole running away thing. This isn't hockey- its a real sport where fighting is actually discouraged. Say you are at the office- and one of your buddies- lets call him Dave- is getting beaten up by Bob from accounting. I think it is half-assed honorable of you to step in and try to rabbit punch Bob a couple of times to get him to stop pummelling Dave. If however, Bob's pal "Big Lou" from accounts recievable starts coming after you, I also think it is entirely reasonable for you to run away, because everybody knows "Big Lou" is a frigging monster. And if, in the course of beating your hasty retreat, you bounce a stapler or some other piece of office equipment off of Big Lou's cro-magnon forehead, that sort of thing just happens.
Mark! :Who cares if he was running? He can’t take on Greek Shaq… does that make him a coward or a wimp or whatever?
Yes. That is the definition of a coward and a wimp. Don't hit someone in the back of the head that you wouldn't fight when they are facing you.
I'm not sure what you guys were watching? Twice Nenad hit people (once with his fist and once with a chair) and when they turned around he ran away. If you are going to hit someone that is not looking at you then you better be man enough to stand your ground when they turn around.
I don't think I've ever seen anyone fight with more cowardice than Nenad did.
Quit making excuses for him and let's move on.
@shiki=4 seasons
Didn't Serbia beat Spain last summer? If I remember right, Nenad outplayed both of the Gasols in one of their matches. He could outplay Marc, and if he gets enough help from Teodosic... it would be cool to see three Thunder players in the final.
I don't see what the big deal is with Nenad running away. His teammate was on the ground, he got in the fray and ended up pulling several Greek players away with him. He helped protect his teammates, mission accomplished right? Who cares if he was running? He can't take on Greek Shaq... does that make him a coward or a wimp or whatever? He did what he had to do.
I don't understand the chair throw though. From the video, it seemed like enough time and threat had passed, but maybe there was some audio or something missing. I'm skeptical on that end, especially since the PR control has been to kind of ignore that part of the brawl.
I hope KD meets Nenad in final.Beat Spain,Nenad
@Thunderhorn
If I'm not mistaken, didn't they let Coach K say that both KD and Russ were surprised by it? That was probably the best way to handle it.
So you're saying Nenad Krstic doesn't need a posse?
If by "have KD's back" you mean "hit someone from behind and run away like a sissy" then I think you are correct. Nenad will have KD's back.
I'm kind of surprised during this entire tournament we haven't gotten a response from KD or Russ on that fight/Nenad.