The reason that I feel like writing about this at all is that as the media cycle has come around on this Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Washington Wizards first-round matchup, and the prevailing opinion that Wizards forward Darius Songaila should not have been suspended for Game 6 has now become an unarguable fact in the media. I heard Steve Czaban talk about it this morning on Fox Sports Radio. I heard commentators talk about it during the Cavs' Game 6. I heard commentators talk about it during the Celtics vs. Hawks Game 6. It seems that everyone talking about this suspension is now referring to it as a great travesty - an injustice of epic proportions - the proof that the NBA is at worst fixed, and at best in favor of protecting their meal-ticket LeBron James to whatever lengths to ensure that he succeeds.

I have heard quite enough of this.

Yes, the NBA has a vested interest to protect LeBron James. As a fan of the Cleveland Cavs, I would argue that they didn't do a good job at all. All series long the Wizards talked about hitting LeBron when he drove through the lane. And the proof was there that the Wizards were no longer looking to play basketball. Instead they decided to commit fouls and try to physically intimidate one of the game's best players by hitting him rather than playing tough defense and double-teaming him.

What is the NBA supposed to do when a team like the Wizards is so blatant and unapologetic about their tactics? They don't have a right to beat up one of the game's best players and tell the world that they plan on doing it without some reaction from the NBA executive office. It isn't in the league's best interest to let any of this stuff happen. Ever since the Ron Artest fight in the stands, the NBA has been quite proactive about keeping fights under control and the Wizards basically said that they were going to push the limits of this series by hitting LeBron James when he came into the lane.

And this is where the Darius Songaila situation unfolds. The reason that the NBA suspended Songaila was because in their view he threw a punch at another player after the whistle. This is the NBA's definition of fighting. And just look at the replay. Songaila's hand comes up and hits LeBron James in the face after the play. They were tangled a bit, but his hand flies up and hits LeBron.