NBA Will Not Look Into Duncan & Bowen Stepping on to the Court The thing that Jalen Rose was talking about. http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/st...&dest=STY-89778 Suns notebook: League rejects Suns? argument Craig Morgan, Matt Simpson, Tribune The Suns didn?t lose Tuesday?s decision without at least making their own case. The Suns made sure that NBA decision-makers were aware that the Spurs? Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen left the bench in Game 4 of their Western Conference playoff series when teammate Francisco Elson dunked early in the third quarter and hung on the rim, only to have the Suns? James Jones inadvertently undercut him as he headed up court. Elson fell to the floor. According to the Suns, Duncan jumped off the bench and walked onto the court with Bowen following him to get him back on the bench. The Suns hoped ? without result as it turned out ? this incident either would discourage the NBA from suspending Amar? Stoudemire and Boris Diaw or else would get Duncan suspended as well. This was different, NBA vice president Stu Jackson said. Duncan ?should not have been on the court,? he said. But, ?There was no altercation.? D?J? VU Jalen Rose seemed to have a premonition on what the league?s ruling would be. Speaking about three hours before the NBA announced its suspensions, Rose recalled the time in 1998 when ? playing for Indiana ? ?I stepped onto the floor against Michael and the Bulls. ?The action was 94 feet away and that warranted a game suspension. That may or may not bode well for this case. ? At the end of the day, it?s no harm no foul to me.? MARION?S WORTH Shawn Marion got a taste of what it?s like to have plays run for him late in Game 4 when the Suns were running a pick-and-roll with he and Steve Nash. Marion was effective in the role, giving the Suns crucial baskets as they rallied for the win. ?It was nice to get some points and help the team,? Marion said. ?I take what they give me, and that?s what it?s all about.? Suns coach Mike D?Antoni said Marion was effective in the role because ?he?s a blur? compared to Stoudemire, who usually runs the play with Nash. But D?Antoni said Marion has too many other responsibilities to expect that play to be run consistently. ?You saw how much he gave us on the defensive end. He pretty much defended everyone, and that?s Shawn,? D?Antoni said. ?He?s capable of impacting the game in a lot of ways.? NASH?S REIGN ENDS Nash praised his close friend, Dirk Nowitzki, on winning the league MVP award: ?I?m extremely proud of him, happy for him. It?s really well deserved. ?I hope he has a chance to enjoy it regardless of their playoff outcome because he had a phenomenal year. He really deserves it.? So was Nash disappointed that his two-year reign as MVP was officially over? ?No,? Nash said. ?I feel pretty fortunate to have had any reign at all.? GUT CHECK Coaches are often forced to make decisions based as much on instinct as actual information. Two keys to the Suns? fourth-quarter comeback on Tuesday were D?Antoni?s decision to go small down the stretch and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich?s hesitance to reinsert Tim Duncan after he picked up his fifth foul. D?Antoni?s instinct was right and the Suns won; Popovich?s was wrong and the Spurs lost. Such is life when so many decisions are based on educated guesses. ?I hate that because you might screw it up,? D?Antoni said. ?My gut?s pretty good ? it?s getting bigger anyway. Those are tough moments. ?We all second-guess, because when you?re doing it you think it?s the right thing to do.? Offline | Online
