Скачать или смотреть Ron Artest's Costly Flagrant Foul on Rip Hamilton (Game 6 - 2004 ECF)

June 1, 2004 - It's difficult to over-quantify the value of two points during Game 6 of the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals. In what was the lowest scoring conference finals game in modern NBA history, the Pistons battled back from an early 14-point deficit to tie the game for the first time all night with just over four minutes remaining. Then Indiana's season fell apart.

After a faux Rip Hamilton post up bumped Ron Artest in the midsection, Artest responded with a raised forearm to Hamilton's face, sending the Pistons guard down in a heap. In an era before video review, officials quickly assessed a flagrant foul to Artest—yielding two free throws and possession to the Pistons.

Hamilton cashed in both free throws and moments later, a Rasheed Wallace tip dunk put the Pistons up four, a lead that ultimately proved insurmountable for Indiana, leading to the Pistons clinching their first conference title in 14 years en route to winning their third NBA championship.

In 2021, Hamilton sat down for an interview with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on an episode of All The Smoke, taking a moment to discuss the exchange.

"I remember when he hit me with that elbow, he didn't even hit me hard, I just fell," Hamilton said. "I just laid on the ground like I got shot. And I remember Jermaine O'Neal was just yelling and screaming like, 'Ron, what are you doing?' And [Artest] was trying to explain that he didn't really hit me that hard. But he really didn't hit me that hard, I just got away with it at the time."

Rasheed Wallace's tip dunk:    • Rasheed Wallace Clutch Tip-Dunk in Confere...  

Box Score: https://www.basketball-reference.com/...

All The Smoke:    • Richard Hamilton | Ep 41 | ALL THE SMOKE F...