I admit to being a Spurs fan for a long time, but I don't want them to win now. In my mind, Bowen has permanently crossed a line and I can't stand the sight of him. I'm also a longtime Horry fan, but his thug act has turned me against him for good. TD & Manu's constant whining about officiating have always bothered me, but I overlooked it until now. All of this combined with the consistent sissified flopping of Manu, Brent Barry and Oberto have now made the Spurs public enemy #1 for these playoffs. It's to the point if they played the Pistons in the Finals I might go for the Pistons. If any suspensions are given to Suns players and the Spurs win the series, everything they do afterward is tarnished and worthless to me. Manny, Amare is the kind of player that inspires hatred from opposing fans. You must admit he is VERY unlikeable. Even with Amare on their team, I want the Suns to win the series now. I love Amare when he plays teams I don't like.
A_3PO, That's fair and I see where you are coming from. IIRC, Amare said some things about Yao when they first came into the league, so I can see where many people would not like him. I guess I just have always overlooked it and chalked it up to immaturity on Amare's part. I just like how he attacks the basket (something the Rockets desperately need from their 4), and I, of course, love the way the Suns play. They and the Warriors play basketball the way I remembered seeing it on TV in the '80s - run and gun and exciting.
After last night I'm convinced Spurs = dirty team Horry - people forget back in the day he is known to flop and poke guys like Rasheed who complained to the refs and got all those tech calls in that conference finals series. Even Webber pointed this guy out a few times for setting illegal screens and banging his knees into Webber's stomach a few times. I remember Doug Christie got really upset with him in one game they almost broke into a fight. Bowen is dirty. PERIOD. No doubt no excuses just plain dirty. Ginobili - aka "the flopper", scrap so much as a fingernail on this guy and he will go flying to the floor. But when he drives to the basket, watch out he will make full use of the knee first technique. Traveling with ball is almost certain to go unnoticed by the refs because he will b**** and moan to death about it afterwards. I have lost all respect for this team with the exception of Tim Duncan maybe but he has been put on notice too.
But hey, he didnt leave the bench so who cares right? Who cares if you shoot someone on the court? For that, let the police handle it. But step off the bench by one inch? SUSPENDED.
Damn my brother-in-law. I knew there was a reason I needed a passport to see the Rocks play the Spers in SA with his season tickets. What an idiot. Tha b*stard never told me!
Moving on from all the suspensions, is there any way for the Suns to win Game 5 ? I don't really see how this is possible. Not even if Nash scores 40 points.
I hope that Pat Burke just knocks the **** out of Parker or Ginobli near the end of the game (which will be a SA blowout win) and Duncan is on the bench and he gets up and leaves about 20 feet from the bench. Then we will see Timmy and Burke suspended for Game 6.
I wish they'd do something like that. Of course, I'm sure if that happened, the NBA would say he was unfairly provoked and wouldn't suspend him.
I'm calling it right now. Tonight will be a very close, competitive game. The Suns are seriously DEEP and are like wounded wolves right now. If Nash was out, I'd say pencil in a Spurs W. But I think they'll manage to keep it entertaining. I know the Spurs are deep too. If the reverse was the case, say Duncan was the only player suspended, I think it would also be close.
I'm sure the NBA has a plan if the game gets too close. Bowen's elbows, knees or feet could take someone out as well. But, he didn't leave the bench to try and hurt Amare or to knee Nash in the balls, so he's cool.
Yes, I'm sure Stern has a master plan to make the Spurs go to the finals. Why would he want the Suns to go? They're more entertaining, will draw more viewers, and have more exciting superstars. I think he wants to see the same boring team that's won the championship a few times already, and drew low ratings (for an NBA final) at that. Deep down Stern is a die hard Spurs fan AND a Suns hater. That must be why he made these supsensions. BTW, if Amare or Diaw didn't jump off the bench they wouldn't have been suspended. I'm just saying...
