Can any Spurs fans be honest about the suspensions?

Question

Anyone who downplays the importance of those suspensions is full of it. It is impossible to overstate how crucial it was to the Spurs advancing. And yet all I hear on sports radio & TV here in San Antonio is how the Suns should just accept it, they still could have won, stop whining, etc.

And before you morons out there freak out about me whining, know that I'M A LIFELONG SPURS FAN FROM SAN ANTONIO. I just happen to prefer honesty.

It absolutely sucks that the NBA stepped in and ruined this series, which had the potential to go down as one of the greatest in recent memory. Now it's just a black eye, an embarassment.

I know the Suns would have taken Game 5 with Stoudamire & Diaw, and right now, instead of all this bitching and moaning and wondering what might have been, we'd all be looking toward Game 7, expecting it to be the high point of the entire season, the real Final.

I'd gladly trade the Spurs advancing tonight for the chance to watch that game.

Anyone?

Alice-
The Suns aren't the only ones who lost on their home court.

The rest of you downplaying it need to recognize: in the NBA, the best are separated from the rest by millimeters, milliseconds, fractions - every little bit counts.

In any given regular season game, say there's 20 seconds left in any quarter, and a Spur is at the line. Coach Pop will go to the trouble to substitute a better defender into the game FOR JUST ONE POSSESSION. Just to potentially save just 2 or 3 measly points! EVERYTHING MATTERS.

The Suns losing those players for an entire game was HUGE. Had we lost Duncan, we'd have been done with. And like one of the other posters said, Stoudamire is the leading scorer on the team (and rebounder, shot blocker) so the comparison is valid.

C'mon - someone show some sack and just admit it. The NBA, for whatever reason, basically gift-wrapped the series for us. No idea why, but they did.

I DON'T CARE WHETHER OR NOT THE SUSPENSIONS WERE ACCORDING TO THE RULES. The point I'm trying to make is that regardless of whether or not they were justified, the suspensions wrecked the series.

Answer 1

I think it was bad. Real bad. They stood up to defend their teammate, how can you punish them for that? They didnt get near the scuffle, they didt swing at anybody, push anybody. I am a HUGE Spurs fan, and I DO NOT agree woth the suspensions. I even told a friend I wish the Suns would have won game 5, so we could play against their best. As a Spurs fan Im sorry it happened. HOWEVER, it did happen. I understand Suns fans are upset, I would be too. But you cant say that the series was "given" to the Spurs. The Suns had a chance tonight, and they lost. Whats done is done. If you have to hate someone, hate the NBA, the ones who made up that rule. But dont hate the Spurs, I didnt see anyone pull them off the bench. Much respect to the Suns. See you guys this time next year.

Answer 2

In all honesty...

The Suns had Game 5 and let it go. You can't blame that on Stoudemire not being there. Maybe if he was there, the Suns win, maybe not. The Spurs are a very, very good team. Look at what just happened in Game 6 - Sotudemire goes for 40 and the Spurs still win. I don't think you can say that the suspensions decided the series, as we already know that the Spurs can win in Phoenix, and maybe they still take Game 5 with Stoudemire and Diaw - all the shots they would have taken would take away from the shots the others made. I really don't know how Game 5 would have gone down.

The series was the most amazing basketball I've every had the pleasure of watching, and it's not an embarassment. It's the league enforcing the rules it has laid down. The players broke the rules, and they got penalized. The Suns had Game 5 and let the Spurs grab it from them. With or without Stoudemire and Diaw, Phoenix had a chance and the Spurs showed us why they are probably the best team in the NBA, honestly.

Answer 3

If the Suns were the better team they should have won all of the other games then. Now the question is will any Suns fan actually admit that Amare and Diaw should have NOT stepped off the bench toward Horry? You'll get a No on that one too. This rubbish about going to check in only makes them sound more guilty. They know the rule, they are informed, in writing before the season and before the playoffs. Heck, Mark Ivarone on Phoenix Radio admitted that he told the bench 10 minutes before it happened that IF anything happens then everyone should stay on the bench. When will Phoenix fans admit that Amare getting himself into foul trouble and also getting himself suspended lost the Suns the series. They way they played in Game 5 they should trade Amare anyway, D'Antoni said in the Pre Game that they don't need him, so trade his immature butt and get a player that won't lose you the series.

Answer 4

The suspensions were crucial but they didn't ruin the series.

1. Stoudamire and Diaw made the mistake, it's their own fault. They are the only ones who should be embarrassed.

2. Game 5 was still awesome without them. Nash and Marion played a lot harder and it was anyone's game down to the last few seconds. I doubt that they would have got any closer with Stoudamire and Diaw because they would have relaxed too much.

They were relying too much on Stoudamire to score in Game 6 and nobody else got involved enough for them to win.

3. Even if it had gone to game 7 in Phoenix, the spurs probably would have won. Apart from Game 2 they played better than the Suns in all the other games. They would have won game 4 but for some poor shooting at the end.

4. There are always going to be setbacks, Nash could have broken his leg etc. The experienced veteran teams learn how to win regardless.

5. The Suns were complacent and didn't respect the Spurs., They came ito this series thinking they were the better team and that they would win. Dantoni said it in interviews and Stoudamire complaining about Bowen "kicking" him was bizarre. He should count himself lucky he didn't have Dennis Rodman, Charles Oakley or Karl Malone in their primes guarding him.

Answer 5

Firs of all, I am a Spurs fan, but also a fan of integrity. Do you remember the Pacers vs. Pistons brawl?! That is exactly why such harsh consequences exist. So players begin to second guess that initial instinct to get off the bench because they dont want to be fined/suspended. It was an unfortunate event for the Suns but the commisioner made the right decision. Although Robert Horry made the wrong decision take some pride in your own team and realize that they all did what's right and stayed on the bench.

So times like these really make players remember that they can't act like hooligans out there and hopefully will prevent an all out brawl like the one, I believe, 2 years ago. With a decision like this David Stern is protecting the integrity of the game. Suspencions like this one have been happening all year long buddy.

Answer 6

-The Spurs and Suns should not have met in the 2nd round at all. The NBA needs to change the playoff format to a format where the best remaining team always plays the worst remaining team in the playoffs. The 2nd round should have been Suns vs Warriors and Spurs vs Jazz.

-Bruce Bowen should have been suspended or at least fined for kneeing Steve Nash. I think he did do that on purpose. If Kobe Bryant was suspended for two clearly accidental elbows on players how was Bowen not suspended for kneeing Nash?

-Players should not be suspended in the playoffs unless the offense was something very detremental (like going into the stands and brawling with fans, a drug charge, etc).

Answer 7

I wish they would but obviously based on the responses on these boards that they're in denial that the suspensions had any effect. They keep talking about every other element of the series except for the suspensions. If your team lost its top scorer it'd have a big effect on your team and its performance as was seen in game 5.

To Alice K: Fine the Suns lost in game one but that was something that was decided on the court. The Spurs are enough to overcome alone but they had to deal with something else that wasn't.

Answer 8

Despite the one game suspension, amare and diaw had one more chance to prove how good they really are. Tonights game was like game 7 to them, it was a must win game. But they lost. So, suspension or no suspension, spurs was the better team in this series.

Answer 9

Bottom line, is that the series is over, the series was throw to S.A. This is one of the series that will be talked about for years to come. Can the Spurs actually think they one the series fairly. If any player on the team can admit that the series was thrown it was Horry, he knew what he was doing. I was suprised it wasn't Bowen that caused all the drama, cause that is why S.A. has Bowen, to cause problems. GO UTAH

Answer 10

to cite/paraphrase some: "Tottenham deserved to win." allow me introduce you to the guideline in football that states that the crew with the most objectives wins. by technique of this reckoning, all of us recognize Spurs did not need to win. Sorry to be so patronizing yet that's hardship-free stuff. and do not communicate about success...this isn't the bloody midsection a lengthy time period. Spurs have proved as we talk that they can continuously play at an equivalent aspect to the massive communities; this tournament served to consolidate the beating of Arsenal as better than only a fluke. success isn't a theory that those with an acute conception supply any credence...i do no longer, for instance, imagine that there have been exterior forces of success appearing on the tournament as we talk. Mate, i hit upon your talk in simple terms as incomprehensible as you hit upon mine.