No. 5 Seed Utah Jazz Vs. No. 3 Seed San Antonio Spurs for the Western Conference Finals

Did anyone see Stern's interview on PTI the next day? He held firm to the letter of the law line. What cracked me up is that he said the letter of the law and the spirit of the law were the same. Say what? The spirtit of the law is to stop third person in on the fight acts. Noone came close to the fight, the assistant coaches had the players wrapped up pretty quickly. I think Boozer called it right, when he was interviewed the other day, by saying he thinks next year the rule will be changed to say: if someone comes off the bench and engages in a fight he'll be suspended.

Congratulations... wrote:

The bottom line is that the NBA front office ruined the series that probably decided the 2007 championship.

And it looks like some rather prominent sports journalists tend to agree...

The headline on the ESPN.com front page is an instant classic:

Spurs Advance*

Congratulations... wrote:

...to the Spurs. A victory over the Suns was gift-wrapped for you by the blatantly one-sided rulings from Stu Jackson and the NBA front office.

OK, explain how a one-game suspension caused the Suns to lose four games.

Not four, just the two biggest ones.

voice of reason wrote:

OK, explain how a one-game suspension caused the Suns to lose four games.

The "voice of reason," huh? More like the voice of a biased, manipulative troll.

OK, explain to me how the suspension was NOT the turning point in this series. Let's see, the teams are rather evenly matched, with the series tied at 2-2, and the NBA front office decides to suspend the Suns' first-team All-NBA center for the next game in Phoenix.

That wouldn't have ANY impact on the overall outcome, right?

First of all, I believe that Stern made the right call doling out the suspensions. The rules are black and white, and when you allow the gray area to sneak in, you generally open up a pandora's box that you can never close again. The same is true when it comes to making hard decisions in the political or economic realms. However, I do not see how ANYBODY can be rooting for the Spurs at this point. The suspension likely did turn the series. At the very least, we would likely be looking at a game 7 in Phoenix. I would definitely give Robert Horry the MVP award if the Spurs do go on to win, not for his play, but for that cheap shot on Nash. Dirty team the Spurs.

Congratulations... wrote:

If "they had no choice," then why wasn't Duncan suspended for doing the exact same thing earlier in the series?

This is a very valid point. I only now just read through this entire thread. Duncan should have been suspended, just as Stoudamire was (and rightly so). BTW, I believe it's a stretch to say the front office "gave" the series to the Spurs. They still might have won anyway, though it would had to have been in seven games, not six. But they are a rotten team anyway you look at it.

*any way

Tim Duncan=MVP

Arn't you the same guy that was mad about the Longhorns beating the Trojans? Are you anti-Texas? Duncan stepped on the court but not during a fight=no suspension...Your allstar stepped onto the court during a fight=suspension. Argument over. Big shot Bob was clutch again. You call the Spurs a dirty team even though Manu played the entire serious with a black eye? He must of hit himself. Only one bad dirty play in the series and that was by Robert Horry.

There was no altercation on the play that Duncan stepped on to the court. It was just a hard foul. There has to be an altercation on the court for the rule to be in affect. (At least that's the way they explained it on an ESPN morning talk show?)

I've been an NBA fan for years, but I'm among many who are losing patience with the league. Quit apologizing for Stern. He was great for the NBA, but the guy has amassed too much control over the league. Every season, Stern makes some outrageous and arbitrary rule/suspension in an effort to prove he's in charge. From the dress code, to the overly harsh punishment of the Pacers and lack of punishment of the Pistons following the brawl, and the unprecedented suspension for Carmelo this season, it's obvious that Stern has lost touch with the fans. It's time for him to go. He hurts the NBA.

The bench rule had it's place during the Knicks/Heat era, but several playoff series have been negatively affected by a stupid interpretation (2 ways in the same game this year!) of the rule since its implementation. The NBA had what could've been an all time classic series and they hide behind an archaic rule like it's a law? How about calling all the owners? If the bureaucracy was in the way, why didn't the league change the rule this week? Rulings have been reversed. The league reinstated one of the T-Wolves forfeited draft picks. I think every owner, even the Spurs, would've agreed and encouraged Stern to allow Stoudemire and Diaw to play for the good of the business and fans.

You're being a crybaby. The only way you can tolerate seeing your team get knocked out of the playoffs year after year is to tell yourself that there's a 'conspiracy' to keep the Suns out of the finals. Ridiculous!

I'll grant you that the Stoudomire/Diaw suspensions MAY have changed the outcome of the series, and you could even argue about whether or not that particular rule makes sense, but these players are aware of the rule and they know that for the NBA hasn't waivered on it for over a decade. You should be upset at Stoudomire and Diaw for costing thier team... Or at Steve Nash for his ridiculous over-the-top, grab-your-face-in-pain, convulsion-feigning, flop after Horry's elbow check.

In any case, we're going to win the championship again and you're not, so quit your bitchin' and take it like a man.