Barnes, Alston Suspended Two Games, Nash Gone for One After Suns-Rockets Scuffle

On the TNT pre-game show Thursday, Charles Barkley noted how tame the Rockets-Suns scuffle Wednesday actually had been and insisted it wasn't a "brawl" or "melee" ... it was a "scuffle" because no one really wanted to fight. That jives with Brett Edwards' live feelings on the matter. Edwards referred to it as a "prolonged shoving match" and said via email he thinks Rafer Alston deserves a two-game suspension and Matt Barnes should be given one game off.

Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports the league has finally handed down fines and suspensions: Barnes and Alston will sit for two games apiece, Steve Nash is gone for one game, and Tracy McGrady and Shaquille O'Neal face small fines.

The Rockets have two good teams on the docket this weekend: San Antonio and New Orleans. Of course, the Spurs are depleted. Aaron Brooks has played well, and Houston won't see much of a drop against San Antonio. The Hornets are a different story: you might expect Houston to lose to N.O. regardless of Alston's status.

The Suns, on the other hand, might see an easy win turn into a bad loss with Nash's suspension. The Suns visit Sacramento tonight. Sure, Shaq and Amare Stoudemire should be able to go big against Brad Miller and Mikki Moore. But we're going to see just a little too much Goran Dragic for Phoenix's taste. Dragic has been one of the league's worst performers early this year, with awful shooting (sub-38%), bad turnover figures and (by anecdote) uninspiring defense. Leandro Barbosa will also be missing, as his mother has died in Brazil. Dragic, Raja Bell, Grant Hill ... not the most inspiring wing line-up.