Horry, Stoudemire, Diaw suspended by NBA
InsideHoops.com NewsWire | May 15, 2007
Robert Horry of the San Antonio Spurs has been
suspended two games without pay and Amaré Stoudemire and Boris Diaw of
the Phoenix Suns have each been suspended one game without pay for their
actions in last night's game, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA
Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.
Horry has been suspended for flagrantly fouling Phoenix’s Steve Nash and
striking Raja Bell above the shoulders with a forearm. Stoudemire and
Diaw have been suspended for leaving “the immediate vicinity of their
bench” during an altercation. The incident occurred with :18 remaining
in the fourth period of the Suns' 104-98 win over the Spurs last night
at AT&T Center.
Horry will serve his suspension sitting out Games 5 and 6 of the
Spurs-Suns Western Conference Semifinal series, while Stoudemire and
Diaw will miss Game 5 tomorrow night at US Airways Center in Phoenix.
InsideHoops.com Editor Says: The league is just following the rules they set, so it's hard to blame them. But this is really lame. Robert Horry is a jerk for nailing Steve Nash the way he did. And Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw need to review the rules of the league, which are pretty clear: Don't leave the damn bench if an altercation takes place. (Note that "damn" is my own adjective, not the league's). I'm annoyed. This is a shame. But rules are rules. If something happens, don't leave the bench. Period. Though, in the ideal world if a player left the bench but didn't do anything and just returned to it, nothing would happen. The basketball world is hurt more by not getting to see Amare Stoudemire play Game 5 than it is by Amare wandering off the bench and then wandering back. But the rules exist. You follow the current rules. So that's how it goes.
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