Suns Stoudemire and Diaw

[HUSKER 37]

I wonder what the ramifications would be if the Suns decided to forfeit game5 in protest..Imagine the lost revenue for the NBA..It would be Hilarious, but the game is still too winnable to give it away.

[HUSKER 37]

Oh yeah..

In case you didn't see the story:::

 

Stoudemire, Diaw suspended

Doug Haller

The Arizona Repbulic

May. 15, 2007 04:01 PM

 

The NBA today suspended Suns forwards Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw one game for leaving the bench during a skirmish that took place during the closing minutes of Game 4 in San Antonio.

 

Stoudemire and Diaw will not play in Wednesday's Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals at US Airways Center.

 

The best-of-seven series — already known for its physical nature — is tied 2-2.

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Horry was suspended two games. The Spurs veteran started the scuffle with a hard foul on Suns guard Steve Nash with 18.2 seconds left in Phoenix's 104-98 win Monday.

 

Horry received a 1st Flagrant Type 2 foul and was ejected. Stoudemire and Diaw left the bench, they claim, for different reasons. Stoudemire said he was walking to the scorer's table to check into the game. Diaw said he was just checking to see if Nash was OK.

 

"I don't think I really came off the bench," Diaw said before the suspension was announced. "I just wanted to see if Steve was hurt."

 

NBA rules state that during an altercation, "all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench. Violators will be suspended, without pay, for a minimum of one game and fined up to $35,000. The suspensions will commence prior to the start of their next game."

 

The suspensions leave the Suns shorthanded and without their leading scorer. Stoudemire has averaged 23.5 points and 10.3 rebounds against the Spurs, despite recent foul trouble limiting his minutes. He was the only Suns player to participate in every game this season, regular-season and playoffs combined.

 

Diaw has averaged 6.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 22.8 minutes. Along with Leandro Barbosa, he is often the first Suns reserve off the bench.

 

Suns coach Mike D'Antoni wasn't immediately available to comment on the suspensions.

 

After practice earlier Tuesday, D'Antoni said he wasn't sure who would join his usual eight-man rotation if Stoudemire and Diaw can't play. James Jones or Leandro Barbosa could join Nash, Raja Bell, Kurt Thomas and Shawn Marion in the lineup.

 

"I'm not there yet, I don't even want to think about it,'' he said. "Somebody's going to log some minutes, I know that much.''

 

Possibilities include Pat Burke and Jalen Rose.

 

Rose, a veteran with Finals experience, hasn't played in the Western Conference semifinals, but played nine minutes in Game 2 against the Lakers.

 

"Everybody feels ready, but until you get out there .. you have to wait and see,'' Rose said.

 

[cmb23]

I wonder what the ramifications would be if the Suns decided to forfeit game5 in protest..Imagine the lost revenue for the NBA..It would be Hilarious, but the game is still too winnable to give it away.

 

It's a joke that they got suspended. I'm all for keeping the game thug-free (yeah, that's possible), but they barely went past the coaches line. Then you see Stoudamire stop himself before someone pushes him back down the bench.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I wonder what the ramifications would be if the Suns decided to forfeit game5 in protest..Imagine the lost revenue for the NBA..It would be Hilarious, but the game is still too winnable to give it away.

 

It's a joke that they got suspended. I'm all for keeping the game thug-free (yeah, that's possible), but they barely went past the coaches line. Then you see Stoudamire stop himself before someone pushes him back down the bench.

Yeah I think it was a B.S. suspension as well.

[Pedro Guerrero]

If you don't want to get in trouble then follow the rules don't leave the bench area. This happened to the Knicks a few years ago and if I'm not mistaken they ended up losing the series after it.

 

Nash put a little bit of flopping into the hit as well. He got hit good but the drop to his back was a complete act. You would think a former hockey player would be used to get cross checked. I wish someone would knock Nash down like that every game. Not that he is not a good player I just can't stand watching him play. I feel the same way about him as I did Stockton.

[HUSKER 37]

If you don't want to get in trouble then follow the rules don't leave the bench area. This happened to the Knicks a few years ago and if I'm not mistaken they ended up losing the series after it.

 

Nash put a little bit of flopping into the hit as well. He got hit good but the drop to his back was a complete act. You would think a former hockey player would be used to get cross checked. I wish someone would knock Nash down like that every game. Not that he is not a good player I just can't stand watching him play. I feel the same way about him as I did Stockton.

Seems like Nash DOES get knocked around like that every game..At least in THIS series.

And This rule is assinine..There needs to be room for interpretation.

Diaw is probably the only player that's less likely to enter a fight than (I) am..And even I took a couple of steps toward the TV to see if Nash was still alive...

 

That was an unnessecary flop, though..Probably just frustrated with all the no-calls.

It was a great trade for the Spurs: Robert Horry straight up for Stoudemire and Diaw.[/

 

It was a great play by Horry to bodycheck Nash into the scorer's table and the league rewarded it accordingly. In fact, all NBA teams should employ this play for these situations. Send in the goon at the end of the game to clothesline the other team's superstar in front of his bench and see how many of his teammates manage to stay in their seats...

 

The rule was created to deter out-of-control melees. But clearly, in this instance, it failed as a deterrent. Two of Nash's teammates sprang to his defense after seeing their most valuable player nearly get beheaded as he tried to dribble out the clock.

 

Did they punch anyone?

 

 

Did they shove anyone?

 

 

 

Did they escalate the situation?

 

 

 

They were merely turned around by the Phoenix coaching staff and led back to the "vicinity of their bench."

 

But the penalty was as severe as if they had just come out swinging. Which sends an inane message: If you've already left the bench, you might as well get your money's worth and land a few haymakers on the guy who just cheap-shotted your teammate

[Pedro Guerrero]

I think they will look into this rule after the season now.

[HoustonHusker]

let's see....

 

it's NOT ok to walk ten feet away from the bench to make sure your teammate is alright....

 

 

BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT....

 

it is ok to.....

 

- knee someone in the junk

 

- clothesline someone when they're going in for a layup (jackson vs. okur)

 

- clothesline someone cause you're going to lose and your feel good story is going to end (baron davis vs fischer)

 

i want to know how the spurs are thugs and the suns are crybabies when the warriors bitch and moan more than norm stewart after EVERY freakin foul (deserved or not) and constantly commit third degree assult on people. how are they the darlings yet the spurs are detroit '89 the II

 

another reason the nba sucks, and i love watching yao and t-mac

 

david stern's whining on the dan patrick show just shows how much of an :asshat he really is.

[kiresports]

The Suns kick ass. I really hope that they win the Championship next year. Nash is only getting older.