NBA Playoffs Officially Over

There are still a few series to be played. Spurs and Jazz (as if that's a better matchup than the Spurs and Suns). Pistons and Cavs. Spurs, Pistons. Who cares?

What the NBA did to the Suns will remain the real story of the Playoffs, and the rest is a big yawn. Too late, doesn't matter. Spoiled by some bizarre application of rules that would suspend two key players from one team for their slight reaction to a body slam by the other team. Oh yeah, that other team happens to be the Spurs.

The Spurs are good, but their "win any way possible" approach is not much fun to watch. It's almost like you have to be a lawyer to win in the NBA - and the winning team knows the law a little better and knows the judge's tendencies, and that's just not what basketball should be about.

So I'm turning off the playoffs. Don't care who wins. I was impressed by the Nuggets and Suns though. I might go see either of those teams live, as long as they weren't playing the Spurs.

[Link - LA Times - Crimes and Punishment]

NBA Screwjob of Phoenix Now Complete

No players or coaches are allowed to say much against "the league" - the gestapo of NBA basketball, for fear of getting fined or benched (or deported?) but everyone hinted around the real issue tonight as a talented Phoenix Suns team finally ran out of gas and lost game 5, after having been forced to play without their 2 top centers Stoudemire and Diaw, who were suspended because of a mild reaction to a flagrant foul or two by Robert Horry in game 4. They left their bench area! Oh my! The Phoenix starters played 45-47 minutes each tonight and just didn't have the depth; nevertheless they almost had the game, but at crunch time a sneak play by Ginobli to pull Nash on top of him after a 3-point shot faked the referee into calling a foul. 3 made free throws later, San Antonio had almost caught up.

Could Phoenix feasibly go back to San Antonio and win game 6 and then go on to win the series? Yes, it's possible, but the damage is done and the unfair burden placed upon Phoenix boggles the mind and taints the '07 Playoffs for good. Only if Phoenix wins it all will there be any justice.

It's just a game I'm reminded, and so in the end there will be a "victor" and it could quite possibly be San Antonio, but it'll be an empty victory and pointless. The Suns are awesome!

[Scoreboard]

Spurs Make Mockery Of NBA Rules

NEW YORK, May 15 -- 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. source - NBA.com

Suspending Stoudemire and Diaw only rewards the Spurs and encourages teams like the Spurs to do the same - provoke the other team on purpose to try to get THEM suspended. For all we know Horry's was a planned play, and his bench had the heads up to not take the bait.

The Sun's coaches did a fine job of containing their players, and suspending them is unconscionable.

The NBA is rewarding the wrong team... now the Spurs get the main benefit... a huge advantage in game 5 - why? Because Horry committed at least 2 flagrant fouls in a row, and possibly on purpose, in order to use the league's stupidest of all rules against the other team.

NBA: get a clue - the Spurs are using your rules against you making you look ridiculous and they'll win the series in the end, because perhaps they are just wise enough to push the league's buttons. If Horry had done his job right they could've also taken Nash out of game 5 as well due to injury and then they'd sacrifice just one player scoring less than 5 points a game, for the top 3 players of the other team: a huge win for them!

Based upon this event, I would encourage all teams to send out your lower level players late in games, and try to injure and provoke the other team's stars, on purpose. It's just good strategy.

What if Stoudemire or any other player did need to check in? Should they remain on the bench and not check in with 2 minutes left in a 3 point game in order to avoid the appearance of doing something wrong?

NBA: Wake up!

[link]