Mark Williams Doesn't Believe His Suspension is Deserved

The NBA isn’t as physical as it used to be. In the past, it was common to see players go at it, sometimes even throwing punches. Then there was the Malice in the Palace. After that, the NBA cracked down on its rules, creating a sort of zero-tolerance policy around fighting. 

The change has made it much rarer to see players fight on the court. It hasn’t eradicated it, though. Which is why when Jose Alvarado and Mark Williams got in a tussle that actually included punches, it was pretty surprising. 

As a result, Alvarado was suspended for two games, and Williams was suspended for one. 

Williams didn’t agree with the punishment, telling reporters, "I don't know what I'm supposed to do in that situation. He grabbed me, pushed me. I don't think what I got is just. I'll appeal it, but it's over; we're past it."

Sure, Williams wasn’t the main instigator of the fight, but the punishment seems justified. In today’s NBA, if you throw a punch, no matter the reason why, you’re going to get at least a one-game suspension.

Williams ended up missing the Phoenix Suns vs. Washington Wizards game, but it didn’t matter much as the Suns handled the Wizards easily. In his first game back, against the Cavaliers, Williams actually had one of his worst scoring outputs of the season. He was 0-for-3 from the field and ended the game with two points, nine rebounds, and two assists. The Suns lost the game 129–113. 

The Suns have some pretty tough games coming up on their schedule, so hopefully Williams can get back into rhythm soon.