The Debriefing: Rules Are Rules, Even Dumb Ones

Posted May 15, 2007 9:00AM By mjd (RSS feed)

We're about to be treated to 24 minutes or so of Pat Burke on Wednesday night. The NBA has a dumb rule, they're going to have to live with it, and it's going to cost us 1/7th or more of the best playoff series that will take place in 2007.

You've seen the play by now, probably a dozen times. I think ESPNews is just going to run it on a continuous loop until 7 p.m. or so. I'll summarize briefly if you missed it. Robert Horry suffered a bout of temporary dementia and believed he was Ray Borque for a second, and he bodychecked the closest Canadian to him. It happened to be Steve Nash, who went flying into the advertising boards along the scorer's table. In Horry's defense, the Spurs did need to foul. They didn't need to maim, though.

But forget about the actual hit. It's not the kind of "tough" play I was taking about about yesterday, although I would argue that it never would've happened had the Suns shown any willingness to clobber someone before that. But that's a whole other discussion.

What is significant, however, is the decision the NBA's going to have to make regarding Boris Diaw and Amare Stoudemire leaving the bench during the ensuing scrum.

Here's the rule:

c. 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.

Not a lot of gray area there. There was an altercation, Diaw and Stoudemire were not participating in the game, and they did not remain in the vicinity of their bench.

Stoudemire says he was getting up to check in to the game, and I hate to call someone a liar, so let's go with "fibber" instead. It was rather odd to see a man at the postgame press conference, sporting a "Black Jesus" tattoo on his neck, and telling blatant, obvious lies. You just don't see that every day. I hope there's a tattoo artist in San Antonio tonight who can do a quick touch-up on "Black Jesus" to change it to "Black Fibber" before Game 5.

If you watch what happened, you see Stoudemire's body language, watch his eyes, and see how he reacts. Sorry, but I'm not buying it, Black Jesus. You were no more getting off the bench to check into the game than Boris Diaw was getting off the bench to invade Germany.

I just don't know how the NBA could justify not suspending them. Say they announce sometime today that Diaw and Stoudemire aren't being suspended, and Gregg Popovich asks for an explanation. What do you say to him? "Oh, we didn't feel like enforcing this one"?

If the NBA doesn't enforce the law here, then they pretty much give license to any other player to jump off the bench and run into a fight. I don't see the league putting themselves in that position.

And if you're sitting there thinking that Stoudemire and Diaw didn't do anything wrong, and that a suspension would be unfair, and that the whole thing is Robert Horry's fault, and no one else should be punished ... Hey, I'm with you.

But the concept of fairness doesn't apply here. This is a rule, the players know it, the coaches know it, and it has previously resulted in idiotic suspensions for guys who did less than Stoudemire and Diaw. That's the reality.

Unless I'm wrong, and I really hope that I am, the end result here is going to be a Game 5 that's more of a novelty than the heavyweight fight it should be. Which brings me back to Pat Burke, the only big the Suns have left to put into the game.

What are they going to do, put Burke in alongside Kurt Thomas and play the Spurs at their own game? The Suns might as well go gimmicky. Put five guards and Thomas on the floor, run like hell, and try to take 100 shots. Screw it, be the Warriors for a night. If that's the way it goes, the most likely outcome is that Tim Duncan scores 114 points and the Spurs cruise. But you never know.

It's a travesty that that these are our choices, as opposed to what should be another installment in a legendary series. Boris Diaw, Amare Stoudemire, and every single one of us are about to be screwed by a dumb, dumb rule.

Words That Came Out of Someone's Mouth

"You have to figure, [Vince] Carter and [Richard] Jefferson have to pick up the scoring with Mikki Moore out of the game."
- TNT's Dick Stockton, without any sort of sarcasm or irony, in an unintentionally scathing critique of Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson

For the Scrapbook I

"Man, I've got the HIV, and my wife stayed with me. You must have really screwed up."

For the Scrapbook II

I look at Lawrence Frank and I just think "greatness." Or dork. One of the two.

Yesterday's MVP

Mikki Moore, offensive house of fire. Mikki was 11-of-14 with 25 points. I'd still like to see a little bit of rebounding ability (Ilgauskus and Gooden combined for 21, Moore and Jason Collins combined for 6), but we're not going to get the chance to put Mikki Moore here often, so why not. He was the best player in that game last night. Yes, even better than LeBron who was let off the hook only because Vince Carter had a slightly worse 4th quarter than he did. In fact, that entire 4th quarter was a crime against basketball.

Honorable mentions: Daisuke Matsuzaka, Greg Maddux

Yesterday's Sad Sack

Vince Carter. I hate to pile on Vince, but he was very Vince Carter-ish down the stretch last night. What I don't get is how you never hear another player say anything bad about Vince Carter. Everyone in the league says he's got a lot of heart, he's a great guy, etc. I'm not saying it's not true, I'm just saying ... Vince Carter should introduce us to that Vince Carter sometime. I'd love to meet him.

Guys with that much ability and heart don't let Eric Snow eat their lunch on the game's crucial possession.

The Evening's Agenda

8:00, TNT. NBA Playoffs. Chicago Bulls @ Detroit Pistons.
8:00, CBS. The 42nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.
9:00, ESPN2. 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Championship Rounds.
9:00, VS. NHL Playoffs. Detroit Red Wings @ Anaheim Ducks.
9:00, FOX. House.
10:30, TNT. NBA Playoffs. Golden State Warriors @ Utah Jazz.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)

5-15-2007 @ 9:02AM

Jamie Mottram said...

The line about Diaw leaving the bench to invade Germany is priceless. Well done, MJD.

5-15-2007 @ 9:45AM

Bruce Ciskie said...

The lesson here is obvious:

1. Do not leave the bench when there is even a minor altercation going on.

2. If you feel the need to violate rule #1, punch someone so you get your money's worth out of it.

The sad reality is that Horry, who instigated the whole thing with a cheap body check on a smaller guy, will probably receive the same suspension Stoudemire and Diaw receive for not doing anything outside of leaving the bench.

5-15-2007 @ 9:53AM

David said...

This is why Amare and Diaw should not be suspended. When they jumped off the bench, an "altercation" had not yet occured. Diaw immediately sat back down. In the meantime, Amare, already off the bench, began walking toward the scorers table, and he actually did check into the game. So if the fracus between Bell and Horry is considered an "altercation," Amare was in the process of checking in at the time, and therefore was a "participant" in the game. It's that simple. The NBA has an easy way to avoid suspending both Amare and Diaw. And considering that Horry caused the fracus, the NBA ought to err on the side of not suspending, under that rationale above. Suggest removal of this comment

5-15-2007 @ 10:09AM

Rob Insa said...

I don't think that Amare or Boris should be suspended. They didn't go out to esculate or provocate the situation.

I wouldn't think that San Antonio would want them suspended either.

This is shaping up to be a Great series. These 2 teams are the tops as far as how they both play their style of game. It would be a shame that this series be determined because of a questionable rule.

5-15-2007 @ 10:11AM

Reese said...

It's a fine line to distinguish.

Players must remain in the "immediate vicinity of their bench."

Thanks to the Phoenix coaching staff, the two players in question didn't get very far, and certainly not nearly as far as they would have liked.

I hope Horry is gone for the rest of the playoffs.

You wanna send a message, Mr. Stern?

That's IT.

If you "take out" an opposing player with a flagrant, malicious foul (In this case, probably because Horry had his knickers in a twist by the reality of a home court loss that tied the series at two instead of putting his team up 3-1), particularly when the game is no longer in doubt ~ you, my friend, ARE HISTORY.

Adding to the charges against Horry would be the 'bow he tried to use to ring Raja's bell. Of course, in his defense of himself, Bell was sent packing as well.

I like hard fouls and pressure dee as much as the next guy, but if Horry ain't suspended?

It's only gonna get uglier.

5-15-2007 @ 10:22AM

BraveSrRob said...

I know this is going to be unpopular, but I don't feel Horry should be suspended on this one. Yeah, he deserved to get ejected for the foul and because of when it happened, it didn't affect the game much. But I'm sick of this crap where hard fouls are flagarant and stuff that is flagarant becomess fodder for fist fights.

In the mid-nineties, what would that foul have been? Maybe a flagarant one?

5-15-2007 @ 10:24AM

Baron said...

THERE WAS NO ALTERCATION WHEN THEY LEFT THE BENCH. It's that simple. A "foul" is not an "altercation." True, an "altercation" evetually occurred when Bell got in Horry's face. BUT, by that time, Diaw was already back in line. And Amare was not near the bench anyway. Regardless of Amare's original intent (when again, doesn't matter because there was no altercation. He was probaby getting up as a natural reaction to help a friend/teammate who was just slammed against a wall) by the time the altercation occurred, Amare was near the scorers table as a game "participant." So the answer is EASY. NO SUSPENSIONS SHOUD BE GIVEN - Except of course for Horry.

5-15-2007 @ 10:41AM

Connie Hendrix said...

Did Arme start this with his complaining about Spurs players and team being dirty? Did this start "bad feelings"? No excuse but it is hard for me to think maybe Horry and Duncan was getting beat up under the basket and no fouls called. I can not believe a low post player as Duncan only went to foul line TWICE.

5-15-2007 @ 10:40AM

Jeff said...

"although I would argue that it never would've happened had the Suns shown any willingness to clobber someone before that. But that's a whole other discussion. "

That is an idotic statement. Cheap shots perpetuate cheap shots. You insinuate that the playoffs are not about basketball, but about retribution. I'll take that logic for a moment; Pop told Horry to cheap shot Nash such there would be bench suspensions. If that is the level that sportsmanship sinks to in the NBA, it is no longer of any value to the true fan of sport; it sinks to the level of the WWF.

5-15-2007 @ 10:47AM

Eb said...

Nash did a little bit of acting he did not hit him that hard. He should not be suspended for the rest of the playoffs. I think he should be suspended for at least 2 games. Raja Bell needs to be suspended for going after him and so does Nash. Stoudamire and Diaw I agree do not need to be suspended, but rules are rules.

Bell should have just stayed out of the mix. I know that Nash is his teammate, but Nash can handled his own. Bell will be suspended because he put his hands on Horry. Nash will be suspended because he grabbed Horry. And you cannot be made at Nash for responding, because I would have done the same thing even though I know he was not trying to hurt him.

Stoudamire and Diaw will be suspended unfortunately because rules are rules. If Barkley got suspended years ago they will also get suspended.

I am not mad at Horry, he just fouled him hard, it's apart of the game.

5-15-2007 @ 11:04AM

sizemore said...

I have to agree that BigShot Bob is expendable, although I really thought that Bruce lo-kick/hi-knee Jerk is the one that escalated everything (but is not expendable) so dropkick Bob from the series, make a stunning example of him. He can suck it up with all his rings already. Just because the Suns are soft and don't want to retaliate "although I would argue that it never would've happened had the Suns shown any willingness to clobber someone before that." NOW we punish them for coming off the bench because of the suckass rule??? SCREW THIS, they're out to maim and NBA ain't doing nothing about it. NOT IF THE NBA WANTS TO INCREASE THEIR VIEWERSHIP! THE BALL'S IN YOUR COURT AND MONEY TALKS, BS WALKS.

5-15-2007 @ 11:01AM

mcpayne785 said...

I think the league will exercise a little bit of equitable justice here and let amare's and diaw's transgressions slide.

5-15-2007 @ 11:02AM

Sandy said...

Does a Flagrant2 result in automatic suspension? I didn't think so, but I guess I'm not so sure.

Moe said...

Of course. It's all Amare's fault. This is getting beyond absurd. It's pathetic. It's his fault he complained. It's his fault the series is so rough. It's his fault Nash got gashed and hit in the nads. It's his fault the Spurs continued, until this last game, to get away with dirty play with absolutely no consequences. Everything Bowen has done is his fault. And now Horry's action is a culmination of Stat's out of control behavior.

Thank you for clearing that up. Unbelievable.

Here's a simpler explanation: Spurs go right up to the line of what is exceptable, and often cross it. Talk about the letter of the law ... they know it forwards and backwards. They live on plausible deniability, though viewing the entire body of evidence leaves very little to deny. I hope the league and the officials have had enough of it. They have been bending the rules the whole series to give San Antonio the benefit of the doubt. If they don't bend this ridiculous rule to give the Suns the benefit of the doubt, so be it.

The Suns have been playing through this garbage for 4 games. They're used to it and will still win game 5.

5-15-2007 @ 11:32AM

Jamell said...

Well its good to see all the suns whiner possee out in full force. The facts are Amare was standing off the bench not heading to the table to check in before the incident, then he ran towards it after the fact so he and diaw will be suspended unfortunately. LOL!! This happened to my Knicks also in the Heat series a few years back. But all is fair in Love of Basketball and War.

Joe Garstka said...

I would love to see some footage of the Spurs bench during this altercation. Also, it is intreasting to me that just one play before the body check Duncan checked back in. Why do you have your best player on the bench with under a minute left in the game. I am sure Duncan would have been a good NBA player and stayed in his seat during this ALTERCATION!

5-15-2007 @ 11:33AM

5-15-2007 @ 4:14PM

5-15-2007 @ 11:40AM

Napoleon said...

Even when the Suns try to get nasty- and someone had to get decked for that Cheap Shot Bob move- they do it wrong.

Phoenix Fiends For Fortson.

Still.. the series is tight, and the physical tone is well-established now. Phoenix must have someone on the bench who needs his job badly enough to goon it up.

You can beat the Memphii of the world playing small ball, but, at some point in the playoffs, you're going to run into someone who doesn't play small ball. When that happens, you're going to get your ass kicked, at best.

Phoenix may just win this series if the jumpers fall for them... but if I were Jerry Sloan, I'd be getting someone from the far end of the bench very angry at Canadians right now.

5-15-2007 @ 11:42AM

John said...

Hi, I love the Suns, and I'm a very sensitive, emotionally fragile metrosexual. My heart aches when the Suns players are pushed around. Waaaaa WAAAAA WAAAAAA WAAA