NBA: Suspensions levied
The Phoenix Suns’ chances of advancing to the Western Conference finals have taken a hit as nasty as the one Robert Horry gave Steve Nash.
The NBA suspended Suns All-Star center Amare Stoudemire and his teammate Boris Diaw on Tuesday for tonight’s Game 5 of Phoenix’s conference semifinal series against the San Antonio Spurs.
Their offense: leaving the bench area following Horry’s flagrant foul on Nash in the waning seconds of Monday night’s 104-98 come-from-behind Suns’ win in San Antonio that squared the best-of-7 series at two games apiece.
Horry, who sent the Suns’ crafty playmaker flying into the scorer’s table with 18 seconds to play, was suspended two games for the flagrant foul and for striking Raja Bell above the shoulders with a forearm.
Phoenix got the worst of it in the ruling by commissioner David Stern under the recommendation of executive vice president Stu Jackson.
Horry is a reserve role player. Stoudemire is a first-team all-NBA selection who leads the Suns in scoring and rebounding through the first four games of the series. Diaw would have been his replacement.
“I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut,” Suns owner Robert Sarver said.
Jackson said the league does not want to influence the outcome of a series but had no choice in the matter.
“This is a very unfortunate circumstance,” he said during a conference call. “No one here at the league office wants to suspend players any game, much less a pivotal game in the second round of a playoff series. But the rule, however, is the rule, and we intend to apply it consistently.”
Stoudemire is averaging 23.5 points and 10.3 rebounds in the series. His loss removes the Suns’ imposing inside presence. Phoenix’s problems are compounded by the absence of Diaw, who started when Stoudemire missed all but three games last season because of surgeries on both knees.
Horry, meanwhile, is best known for his clutch 3-pointers and has scored 4.8 points per game.
“I feel it’s terribly wrong,” Sarver said. “I feel we’ve been unjustly penalized for the fact that we played a clean, hard game. I feel if any team should have been penalized in this series, it should be the Spurs and it shouldn’t be us.”
The suspensions deflate a Suns team that finished Game 4 with a 16-3 run to regain home-court advantage.
“I think we had the momentum going,” Sarver said, “and for Robert Horry to be rewarded like that to me is unbelievable. I can’t see the justice in it, but it is what it is. We’ll play hard and do the best we can.”
Sarver said that seeking a change in the rule would be at the top of his agenda for next season.
“The team that plays dirty should not be rewarded.”
NBA clears Warriors’ Davis
Golden State guard Baron Davis was cleared to play in Tuesday’s Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals despite his flagrant foul on Utah’s Derek Fisher in Game 4.
The play from late in Utah’s 115-101 victory on Sunday happened away from the ball and was not seen by officials. The NBA reviewed it and gave Davis a flagrant foul, but did not suspend him.
“It was a relief, but I didn’t think I was going to get suspended anyway. I didn’t feel that I should have been suspended,” Davis said.
With 1:37 left in the game and the Jazz on their way to taking a 3-1 series lead, Davis and Fisher were running up the court when Davis stopped and Fisher didn’t. Fisher ran into Davis’ elbow and immediately dropped to the floor holding his head.
There was no foul called on the play.
Around the league
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade had surgery on his left shoulder and left knee, and the MVP of last season’s NBA finals might need the remainder of the off-season to fully recover. … Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom had shoulder surgery and is expected to be ready for training camp in October. … Milwaukee Bucks forward Ruben Patterson was accused of failing to register as a convicted sex offender after he moved into a new home in the Cincinnati suburbs. A warrant was issued after authorities filed the complaint in Hamilton County Municipal Court. Failing to register is a misdemeanor. … Indiana Pacers assistant coach Johnny Davis interviewed for the team’s vacant head coaching spot.