Amare and Diaw

[onlooker]

Should these two guys be suspended for coming on the court after the Horry forearm shiver to Nash?

By rule, they will be sitting it out in game 5.
But how can you punish the Suns for the stupid foul by Horry?

[Dark Horse]

You can't reward Horry's provocation on a technicality. That would encourage other role players to commit such flagrant fouls when the game is already lost.

But the NBA probably will follow the letter of the law. Idiots.

[Dark Horse]

Everybody's asking why Robert Horry did that?

I go back to game three when he put his arms around Amare and pulled him down, trying to get Amare a foul. Horry knew exactly what he was doing then. Was Horry trying to provoke Amare again, at the precise point where the series had tilted into the Suns favor? Why else would you put a body check on Nash like that, when a normal foul suffices?

If the NBA recognizes this for what it was - a direct provocation -, it cannot in good conscience suspend Amare. Amare called the Spurs dirty after game 2. And he was right. Now let's see if the league recognizes that as well.

[rjt721]

They will both be suspended for Game 5. Too bad....the league is going to ruin a great series.

[Dark Horse]

I now don't think they will. They'd be crazy to practically decide a playoff series on a technicality, and reward an obvious Horry provocation in the process. This is a hard fought series, with blood freely flowing. Pencil pushers better stay far away.

[gridironguy]

The stakes are too high for the NBA to suspend to guys for walking towards an altercation. None of the guys (Amare, Boris, Shawn) threw a punch. It would be crazy for any of them to be suspended..

There's the "letter of the law" and the "spirit of the law".

Big difference.

I think the NBA will let this one go, just like they let the Bowen knee to Nash's groin, go.

[TheProphet]

I think Horry might be out if he is it is not a "HUGE" loss for the Spurs, but Amare is fine he didn't do anything. I thought it was cool when coach D ran to stop Nash he knew if Nash got to Horry he would be suspended next game or longer smart play by their coach.

[mockingboy]

All of the Phoenix coaches did an excellent job settling down their players. They stepped a bit to the court and all the guys in suits ran out to stop them.

Emotion runs high in these games and they were trying to stand up for their star player and two-time MVP.

it would be a shame if the league suspending Amare. RObert Horry should be suspended...he has been a sore loser for a lot of years.

[The Prick]

.

RObert Horry should be suspended...he has been a sore loser for a lot of years.

WHAT????? 15 years in the NBA, 15 trips to the Playoffs, 15 first round series victories, and 6 rings and Horry is a loser???? you have smoked yourself retarded.

[Tchocky]

Horry should be suspended for Game 5. The refs have been letting Bruce Bowen get away with murder. It would be cruel and overly litigous to suspend Stoudamire & Diaw for Game 5. It would be best not to suspend anyone. The Suns should win this series if none of their starters are suspended for the next game.

[Dark Horse]

Steve Kerr on Yahoo:

" ... if the league decides to suspend Diaw and Stoudemire, it may have to suspend Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen as well.

In a play that went entirely unnoticed until well after the game was over, both Duncan and Bowen actually left San Antonio's bench early in the second quarter after Francisco Elson and James Jones were entangled. Replays clearly show Duncan walking several steps onto the court as Elson and Jones appeared to be ready to get into it. Bowen then followed Duncan onto the floor, grabbed him and led him back to the bench. If the league does indeed follow the letter of the law, both Spurs players would also be suspended for Game 5.

I watched the video of this myself. Duncan and Bowen certainly cross the line, albeit not in a heated manner at all, and only barely over the line. And at the time they did, it looked like this might turn into an altercation. If anyone is going to use the "a rule is a rule and that is that" argument, this would certainly diffuse it. Which means, I guess, we are now 100% in the land of a David Stern judgment call."

[sdjoe]

I think Horry is out game 5 , Amare and diew out game 5 ,spurs win game 5 and the series , I miss the old NBA days where the players where tough didnt cry and the NBA doesnt fine or suspend you for any petty thing . Suspensions should only happen when there is a major foul or cheap shot (horry and bowen ) or if punches or elbows are thrown . Poor Suns

[wrongturn]

The rule should be changed to "player who leaves bench area AND touches any opponent players/staff will be suspended". This is more reasonable and has the same affect in preventing fights.

[babaoriley]

Horry, Amare and Diaw will all be suspended, in my opinion. It's quite tragic (for the Suns) but I seem to remember a Knick-Heat playoff fracas several years ago that saw Ewing, Starks and maybe another player or two get ejected for doing the exact same thing Amare and Diaw did. The Knicks ended up losing the next two games and lost the series after being up 3-2. Same thing will happen in this instance. Sadly, the NBA has no choice but to levy the suspensions, THEN change the rule. Precedent has been established and must be upheld, but the rule committee has to address this issue (along with the poor officiating and the current tanking system that essentially rewards teams for tanking games) after this incident.

[Dark Horse]

This link clearly shows Duncan and Bowen on the court during the 2Q. In fact, they are much further across the line than Amare ever was.

http://warriors.aolsportsblog.com/2007/05/15/tim-duncan-left-the-bench-too-will-he-be-suspended/

Based on this, there is no way that only the Suns players will be suspended, IMO. The best solution is no suspensions, except for Horry.

[Dark Horse]

NBA showed its true colors once again. I have money on tonight's game, but that will be the last NBA game I watch in 2007. This circus isn't worth following.