Sunday, May 30, 2010

Solvenia rivalry in the NBA playoffs


In the playoffs where the players play a lot more aggressive and with emotion things can get a little ugly sometimes.
In the Lakers/Suns series that ended yesterday there was more to add to the rivalry of the two men from Solvenia, Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic and Suns guard Goran Dragic.
It started in game five when Vujacic finally step up his defensive game, which he loves to play the pest and get under the skin of his defenders. He shut down Dragic, whom was frustrated after the game on how Vujacic closed him out.
During the game at Staples center there was some words exchange by the two and pushing. The two got technical fouls, which for Dragic was his first in his career.


After the game (see video) Vujacic tells the reporter how Dragic pushed him, but he did not retaliate on the matter.


He presses on how he didn't know Dragic when he was growing up in Solvenia and refers him to the kid on the other team. Granted the two are only about 2 years apart.
It is rumored that Dragic said the fact Vujacic left the Solvenia basketball to play else where was a bad choice and left bad terms with the team.
In yesterdays game six there was another incident in the fourth quarter were Dragic scored over Vujacic and went up to him and exchanged words again, Vujacic retaliation was not a good choice as he lifted up his arms and elbowed Dragic given Vujacic a flagrant-one foul that will be looked at more from NBA officials.

That altercation almost cost the Lakers the game as it became momentum for the Suns and a six point play and bringing the Suns within reach of a possible win.
Dragic went on a run of his own and stayed in the game where he had 12 points compare to the three he had the previous game.
Both players say there is don't know each other and not friends that's it, but the way they both went at each other tells a different story.
Fortunately for the Lakers they held on to the victory and Vujacic and the rest of the Lakers are looking for a repeat of the championship.
This rivalry though will continue to grow as long as both players stay healthy and stay in the league.
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

3 comments:

  1. That's so crazy. My wife and I were trying to figure out why these two hated each other so much. We thought it was over a woman.

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  2. Sasha handled it well. Haters be hatin. lol

    Honestly Dragic was a BIG drama queen, and I'm just glad Sasha shut him up. ;]

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  3. hahah yeah it was bc of that drama with them being from the same country!

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