It seems the NBA just wants Kobe Bryant out of the picture these days huh?

Yep, and Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson got fined $50K for it. Apparently, coach Phil jackson is sick and tired of hearing Kobe Bryant getting suspended for his now infamous ”flailing arm” so he came up with the idea that the NBA is conducting a ”witch hunt” against his star.

After getting suspended for landing his now infamous ”flailing arm” on top of the handsome Argentinian mug of San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, after getting suspended yet again for doing the EXACT SAME THING to Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Marko Jaric, Kobe Bryant almost got suspended for the THIRD time when he showcased his elbow this time to Philadelphia 76ers trigger-happy forward, Kyle Korver.

Talk about having one tough year eh? Yep, the Los Angeles Lakers leader, Kobe Bryant, has been seeing a lot of scrutiny lately, just like back in his days with Shaquille O’Neal in the last season of the fabled Lakers era. THIS TIME though, all that scrutiny was not coming from his own teammates, or the media, it’s coming from the damn league.

Apparently, the NBA was reviewing an incident involving Kobe Bryant and Kyle Korver during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 108-92 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers last week. Well, the NBA was finally done and the verdict? NO SUSPENSION.

But that didn’t stop Phil Jackson from running his mouth did it?

Kobe Bryant was leading the Los Angeles Lakers against the Sixers when he landed an elbow to Kyle Korver, extending it while trying to dribble away from the 76ers forward. No foul was called on the play. Oh yeah, it was Kobe’s first game back from the one-game suspension he received after his stiff-arm move on Marko Jaric.

The league does reserve the right to reclassify fouls or non-calls as flagrant fouls following a video review. But if this incident had been subject to a possible suspension, NBA vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson would have rendered a ruling before the Lakers’ next game.

Can Kobe Bryant lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA Playoffs? Who will win the 2007 NBA Championship? Here are some odds from Bodog:

Chicago Bulls 7/1

Detroit Pistons 9/1

Dallas Mavericks 7/2

Miami Heat 4/1 (boo!)

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for more NBA Basketball Odds and the best betting lines on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

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