Easy call

[az1965]

Letter of NBA law defies its spirit

By Tim Keown
Page 2

Your move, NBA. Are you going to suspend Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw for leaving the bench after Robert Horry checked Steve Nash into the scorer's table? Or, in an unlikely fit of common sense, are you going to assess the situation reasonably and throw down some show-trial fines and be done with it?

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AP Photo/Lm Otero
After Robert Horry leveled Steve Nash, will the NBA level the Suns by suspending Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw for leaving the bench?


It's not a matter of understanding the rule. Clearly, the rule states that any player leaving the bench to join an altercation is to be suspended for a game. At least.

But we're talking about two of the Suns' best players who left the bench and never mixed it up. We're talking about the best playoff series going -- probably the best one we'll see, period.

You want to hand it over to the team that committed the cheap shot? That's what a suspension of Stoudemire and Diaw will do. The NBA is faced with flexing a little on an unnecessarily inflexible rule or running the risk of allowing Horry to win the series with a cheap, flagrant foul on one of the league's marquee players.

Diaw and Stoudemire should have known better, no question. Still, their franchise guy was down. They didn't know whether he was hurt, or how badly. They reacted, then unreacted, with the idea of sticking up for Nash.

Adding to the emotion is the behind-the-woodshed treatment Nash has received the whole series, and it's not surprising their first thought wasn't, "Oh, golly, I better stay here and let the authorities handle it."

So tough call, NBA, but not really.

Think of it this way: You're never going to have a league of competitive guys who don't react by heading toward Nash in that situation. And you shouldn't want one.

 

[Toothbrush]

That was well written.

 

[AZ Shocker]

- Level headed people rule. See the big picture is what is needed here. Don't reward "thuggery" and cheapshots.

It's amazing there is even concern about Amare and Diaw possibly be suspended. I didn't see one of them take out and cheap shot Tony Parker into the sidelines. Wow...I didn't even see Amare or Diaw go onto the court and join the pushing and shoving. Sure they stood up and took a couple steps, but it sure didn't look threatening what so ever. Has anyone considered that both Amare and Diaw were worried about Nash and were coming to check on him? I mean he is their team leader and two-time MVP that the league is now trying to bury.

I'm trying to remember if Amare or Diaw has a history of fighting in their NBA careers. You know what...uhh-uhh.
...and why is the NBA considering suspending them???

 

[tobiazz]

But we're talking about two of the Suns' best players who left the bench and never mixed it up. We're talking about the best playoff series going -- probably the best one we'll see, period.

This series is a battle, but the Warriors-Dallas series was classic. In five years, I could see myself sitting down to watch that one again. Hell, I could watch it again right now. I could go the rest of my life without seeing this scrappy series again, however.

 

[Gaddabout]

I could go the rest of my life without seeing this scrappy series again, however.

Certainly nothing elegant about it, but in terms of teams playing fundamental basketball, it's light years ahead of the GSW/Dallas matchup.

For better or worse, the Suns have surprisingly been able to match the Spurs tit for tat in fundamentally sound defense. Both teams move the ball very well most of the time.