Birdman Suspended: NBA Upgrades Chris Andersen Foul To Flagrant Two

The Birdman has been suspended. The NBA announced today that it was upgrading Chris Andersen’s Flagrant One Foul on Tyler Hansbrough during game 5 to a Flagrant Two Foul.

The Birdman will be suspended for game six of the series.

The play in question came with about 9 minutes left in the second quarter. The Miami Heat had just scored a bucket and both teams were heading toward the other end of the floor. Andersen checked Tyler Hansbrough to the ground, which may have warranted a Flagrant One on its own, and then continued to yell at the Indiana Pacers player. Andersen then shoved Hansbrough and then resisted the referees effort to break up the scuffle.

The refs gave both players technical fouls for the play and Andersen an additional Flagrant One foul. The NBA has reviewed the play and has decided that the dirty play deserved a Flagrant Two and a suspension.

A statement on NBA.com reads: “Miami Heat forward Chris Andersen has been suspended one game without pay and had his Flagrant Foul One upgraded to a Flagrant Foul Two, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations. Andersen knocked Indiana Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough to the floor, escalated the altercation by shoving Hansbrough, and resisted efforts to bring the altercation to an end. Andersen will serve his suspension on Saturday, June 1 when the Pacers host the Heat in Game 6 of the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.”

Andersen may not be apart of Miami’s “Big 3” but he has been an extremely valuable player for the Heat in this series. He’s been hitting just about every shot he takes and has provided some solid defense against the Pacers’ big men.

Here’s a video of the play. Did the NBA make the right call by suspending Chris Birdman Andersen?