They won't be suspended. They took Amare's coming off the bench as him checking in so that's why he was there I think they said.
What an ending. Manu missed the easy one and Finley had the look at the end. Game 5 should be exciting, I hope Amare and Diaw can play.
The suns can do without Diaw but if Amare is out they are in trouble. Hopefully that is true as I'm sure Stu Jackson will study that tape deeply. Nash was relentless tonight. Hopefully he isn't worn down for next game.
mavsfan you are so dumb, if anyone but Horry gets suspended then I'm going to find Stern and kick his face in.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ May 15 2007, 12:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>They won't be suspended. They took Amare's coming off the bench as him checking in so that's why he was there I think they said.</div> Give me a break, you HONESTLY buy that? Amare was stomping his way over to the altercation, he crossed "the line" and stepped onto the court and was pulled back by coaches/teammates. His intent was to go over to the altercation, did you see his face when he was stomping over there? I feel sorry for you if you genuinely believe that he was going to check it. Stern won't buy that, and he shouldn't. EDIT: The TNT crew was just laughing and making fun of that excuse too. Come on ASU.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Something-To-Say @ May 15 2007, 04:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>mavsfan you are so dumb, if anyone but Horry gets suspended then I'm going to find Stern and kick his face in.</div>As Shaq says. "It's the law" There is no other way around it. I feel bad for the suns organization but based on the history of that rule, there has never been a time they ignored it.
"The Suns have finally grown up." ~Steve KerrThat was the story of this game. Down by 11, the Suns roared back and won the game by defense and precise offensive execution in the halfcourt sets. With Nash and Amare leading the way, and the role players stepping up big, the Suns did something that has been rarely seen these past 8 years...the Spurs were thoroughly outplayed, outhustled, and outexecuted in the final minutes of the game. With this win, the world is witnessing the Suns becoming a well rounded team that can play defense, can hustle and play through adversity, and still have the most potent offense in the league. It is also becoming clear how valuable Amare Stoudemire is with the team. Even though he played pretty poorly despite scoring 26pts, he became a rebounding force and was the only guy Nash was able to go to down the stretch. He must stay out of foul trouble for the Suns to win this series.No one should be suspended. What Horry did cancel's out Amare and Diaw getting a tad bit close to the action. Let this series play out.If this goes to 7 games, it looks like we have a nice little rivalry starting up.
It will be sad if Amare is suspended for doing nothing but taking 2-3 steps on the court from the bench while Bruce Bowen has been taking cheap shots all series long and gets away with not even a slap on the wrist :no1:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticBalla32 @ May 14 2007, 09:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'> Give me a break, you HONESTLY buy that? Amare was stomping his way over to the altercation, he crossed "the line" and stepped onto the court and was pulled back by coaches/teammates. His intent was to go over to the altercation, did you see his face when he was stomping over there? I feel sorry for you if you genuinely believe that he was going to check it. Stern won't buy that, and he shouldn't.EDIT: The TNT crew was just laughing and making fun of that excuse too. Come on ASU.</div>I just didn't see that, but mavsfan was right. I don't think it would be right at all to suspend those two guys at all though, especially since they really didn't do anything compared to Bowen and Horry. It is a rule, but I don't know it they would take control of a whole series like that. And doing so would also once again give the NBA Finals some terrible, terrible ratings. I don't know if they'd want that. It would also shorten what will be the best series of the playoffs.
Well if Amare and Diaw get suspended because of Horry I hope we can go after a Burke for Duncan trade.Kidding...slightly....
Reading the posts on the Suns board I go on... Diaw was behind Amare and right when the little scrum broke out he stayed back, so I don't think he'll be suspended. I'm worried about Amare. I really don't think it's right but a suspension is possible. Maybe with Amare gone Diaw will become old Diaw and lead us to victory with the home crowd behind us! ....I doubt it, but I believe.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ May 15 2007, 05:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Reading the posts on the Suns board I go on... Diaw was behind Amare and right when the little scrum broke out he stayed back, so I don't think he'll be suspended. I'm worried about Amare. I really don't think it's right but a suspension is possible. Maybe with Amare gone Diaw will become old Diaw and lead us to victory with the home crowd behind us! ....I doubt it, but I believe.</div>Barkley took 2 steps and got suspended. They are anal about that rule. Stupidest rule in the nba right now.
Well, I don't know if they want to do this. They could always use what I said for Diaw and the Amare checking-in thing as an excuse. I just read something about the Kings players earlier this year not getting suspended for leaving the bench area...they have an excuse to use so hopefully tomorrow I don't get an "Amare and Diaw Suspended" text from Suns.com
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ May 14 2007, 10:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Suns will win game 5 though since we all know Pat Burke is the Duncan stopper.</div>Yeah I know. He's a pretty clumsy fellow too. I hope he doesn't accidentaly fall on Duncan's knee and then suddenly headbutt Parker on his way up.That would be EXTREMELY unfortunate and not fair to the Spurs team.
Hm... after watching the replay again of the Suns bench when the hit on Nash occurred, it seems Amare wasn't really checking in. He was still on the bench, with a towel around his neck... when the foul occurs, he jumps up and starts power-walking (for lack of a better term) towards Nash...But, if PHX keeps saying the right things, Amare might get away with it. I don't think he should be suspended anyway, but the NBA is strict with crap like this, so we'll see what happens.
Well really, how can you punish Amare for going to help his teammate and let a thuggish play win a series for the Spurs. Going against a rule would be bad, but would the NBA really want to condone thuggish play like this? Horry would be the MVP of the series for a hit that should be seen in a hockey game and Bowen is still playing even after doing worse things than Amare and Diaw.Jerry Colangelo, talk our way out of this please! JC is a very respected guy, maybe he can do something.I'm so nervous....I hope I don't get that text message tomorrow.
I doubt Diaw and Amare will get suspended. It's one thing to run off the bench and start getting into a fight, but another to just take a couple steps off the bench. Plus, it's playoff basketball and hopefully they have some sense to be lenient with this.
The NBA has really screwed themselves over in this series. They let the teams play physical and now it has landed them in a situation where they have to look past a rule or suspend several key players from both teams.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Let 'em play in Game 5By Steve Kerr, Yahoo! SportsSAN ANTONIO ? Down by eight points entering the fourth quarter of Game 4 on Monday, the Phoenix Suns faced a defining moment in their season, if not their legacy. Would they be able to overcome their reputation as a shoot-first, defend-later, style-over-substance team? Or would they dig deep, make defensive stops, overcome a rowdy crowd and beat a San Antonio Spurs team that was controlling the action with its trademark dominating defense? Phoenix answered the question by putting together a stirring comeback to win 104-98 and even the series at 2-2. The Suns did it with gritty defense, great rebounding and a late run fueled by Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. It was the type of game Phoenix hasn't been able to win in the past ? particularly against the Spurs ? and just may have been the breakthrough the team needed in its quest to win the franchise's first NBA title. But ? and it's a big but ? Phoenix may be facing suspensions to both Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw for Game 5 on Wednesday. Both players left the bench late in the game following Robert Horry's flagrant foul of Steve Nash. Under the letter of the law, each player would be automatically suspended for Game 5. In fact, the precedent that has been set by the league is that there are no exceptions to the rule. Leave the bench area and you're automatically suspended. (See Patrick Ewing, Knicks vs. Heat, 1997.) Never mind that Horry instigated the events with a dirty, thuggish takedown of Nash. Rules are rules, according to the NBA. However, 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. Stu Jackson will have a busy Tuesday trying to sort everything out. The right thing to do would be to reprimand the players who left the bench area with a fine but not suspended them. The series should be decided by the teams and the players, not by an inflexible rule. The NBA needs to show some guts, announce that no suspensions will be made and have the Spurs and Suns continue what is turning into a fantastic series. But I'm not sure if I see it happening. In the past, Jackson and David Stern have held firm on the rule, punishing players for merely walking onto the floor a couple of steps away from the bench. There has been no flexibility. But would the league really feel like it was doing the right thing by suspending all of those players for basically doing nothing? I understand the reason for the rule ? to avoid dangerous, bench-clearing brawls ? but in both of the events in Game 4, no fights were involved. There were only altercations that never amounted to anything. Jackson and Stern should take into account that not everything is black and white. They should be subjective in their ruling on this one, but again, they haven't been before. The late-game scene took away from a fantastic Suns comeback. After playing Duncan straight up for most of the series, Phoenix threw several double teams at him that kept Duncan off balance. As a result, the Suns were able to make key stops down the stretch. At the other end, Nash overcame eight turnovers by making huge plays with the game on the line, continually finding Stoudemire in the lane for easy hoops. Now the Suns head back to Phoenix with home-court advantage in hand, as they try to break through the mental barrier that exists for every team that has yet to win a title. To be a champion, you have to believe deep down that you're going to win, regardless of the situation. Monday's game took Phoenix one step closer to gaining that belief. But now the Suns ? and the Spurs ? will have to wait on the league's decisions regarding the possible suspensions. The only player who deserves a suspension for Game 5 is Horry. As for Diaw, Stoudemire, Duncan and Bowen? We'll see. Let's hope the league does the right thing and lets them all play. The basketball world deserves it.</div>All this talk about having to follow the rules, if Amare and/or Diaw are suspended for walking onto the court while not in the game then Duncan and possibly Bowen have to be as well.http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Aml3...o&type=lgns
