With only an hour to go before Lasers-Bulls Game 5, the NBA has provided the TNT crew with some vital material for their pregame show.
As suspected, Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw have been suspended for Game 5 of the Western Finals for leaving the bench during the skirmish lasterday. Robert Horry got two games for the hip-check that started everything.
This is truly a shame, and we’re guessing even Spurs fans are gonna feel a little guilty about it if SAS wins this thing. You don’t want to play a team at less than full power, especially when your guy is the one who started the whole thing.
THAT SAID, the NBA is backed into a corner. They made the rules, and even though there’s no argument that can be made that Amare or Boris were doing anything, they’ve gotta stick with them, otherwise armageddon will begin.
Luckily the next one is in Phoenix, although the homecourt isn’t that big a deal to these teams, cause they’re like, real and stuff, and not the Cavs and Nets.
(Chris Broussard says the NBA needs to get rid of this rule and just do everything on a case-by-case basis, and we kinda agree, even though we know that Broussard is nutty.)
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I think we have to blame this one on Orange Roundie. He has an axe to grind with Steve Nash…you know, for accusing him of cutting Nash’s fingers and complaining so loudly that the “Fool Stern” had to change back to the leather ball. I’m telling you, I think Roundie paid Big Shot Rob to throw that hard foul. The intent was to hurt Nash by injuring him, but even though the elbow didn’t hurt Nash physically, it did hurt Nash overall, as his team has no chance to win this series with Amare and Mr. Chicken Cordon Bleu out of the lineup. You might want to ask your Orange friend where he was when all this happened…
Very possible, although I am told the Roundie has much bigger things on its agenda at the moment!
What a joke! By enforcing the rule in this manner, the NBA is only encouraging the “thuggish” behavior they are trying to prevent in the first place. In the Western Conference Finals, we’ve seen the league continuously ignore many calls they could have enforced “to the letter of the law”. Apparently, now they find it perfectly acceptable to penalize two players for what they might have done, and not do the same for other players that HAVE done questionable things. It’s obvious the Spurs are playing especially dirty, as is evidenced by just looking at the condition of the Sun’s star player, Steve Nash. However, the Suns have also played dirty, especially Bell. Nevertheless, the punishment does not match the crime. Jumping off the bench during an altercation, while illegal, certainly does not warrant practically giving away the Title to a team that has flagrantly injured the other team, got off lucky on previous calls, and played some seriously dirty basketball. Not only is the rule plain stupid, the commissioner is being extremely biased by enforcing something to the “letter of the law” when previous reviews of the Spur’s (and some of the Sun’s) behaviors have warranted nothing more than a slap on the wrist.
My 7 year-old son and I were just watching the Suns/Spurs games when the Jazz weren’t on, but now I have the daunting task of explaining to my son how what is supposedly a “fair game” can reward a team for one of their player’s thuggish behavior while one of the nicest players in the league is pushed down repeatedly, and his team-mates seemingly try to “come to his rescue”. I’m disgusted with the NBA; this is supposed to be a family-friendly game, not a thuggish battle of testosterone worthy of the WWF.
Cav,
I honestly think Stern is going to figure out a way for your boy LeBron to win the championship this year. Honestly, it would be perfect. Bron wins this year, then both his prized possessions (Wade and LeBron) are set up to carry the league for the next 10-15 years. I’m telling you, Stern’s like Vince McMahon, he’s always orchestrating how things will turn out. Your thoughts? And where the hell is the BDP?
I dunno if I could be happy with it with the lack of effort and all this year, but I suppose it’d be fitting. I liked when LeBron pretended he was angry about Sasha getting taken out by Mikki Moore – that’s the kind of passion we need to pretend we’re seeing!
BDP has actually been around the past couple days – I think he showed up in that movie thread.
Cav,
I don’t mean to be nit picky, but don’t you mean lasternight?
Nah I think it only works for the daytime.
Maybe, yesternight?
Here, I’ll use it in a sentence that you would be able to use tomorrow: The Eastern Conference held a playoff game yesternight and the home team didn’t show up.
Hmm I like that, but I didn’t make it up, which presents a problem.
Take it.
I’ll crush everyone here in 1 on 1. I bet that ordeal was conveniently lost in the “server move”
so, let me get this straight. you take one of the classiest, most humble and finessed players in the nba, (who happens to be a two time mvp recipient, and who, by ALL ACCOUNTS is just the NICEST guy) and you body check him into a sideline table like it’s the final seconds in the stanley cup playoffs, (GAME SEVEN!)and you suspend two players who simply rise to the defense of their star player and team captain? yes, this is a sad day for the nba, and amare stoudemire and boris diaw in particular. i’ll bet they have regrets. lots of ‘em. it’s all about the follow through, boys. where’s marty mcsorely when you need him?
The NBA: “I love this game, but not anymoreâ€
With the wonderful handling of the officiating in the NBA in general I believe its time for the fans to take action. For those who watched the Suns / Spurs series I must say that it had the worst officiating in the history of professional sports. At least in the opinion of myself and many others. I could give a laundry list of examples but this isn’t a gripe email. The fact is that to win a championship in the NBA you must not possess skill, speed, or ability. You must possess thugs to hammer better players to the ground. You must beat the crap out of your opponents, and you must use third string players to hammer superstars in front of their bench. This is what makes a champion in the NBA. Sad but True.
The rules are enforced to favor the teams that approach this style of full contact basket ball. I’m not watching basket ball, I’m watching the old Arnold Schwarzenegger movie The Running Man, except the good guy looses.
I personally am going to boycott the NBA until further notice. This is no longer a game of skill that centers around putting the ball in the basket. It is a boxing match that centers around the strategy of how to most effectively hit and assault the other team. My personal message to David Stern… “I love this game, but not anymoreâ€
Boycott the NBA. National “Boxing†Association
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