NBA needs to lighten up

And the NBA wonders why public interest in its “game” continues to drop? Phoenix got royally hosed and it cost the Suns a game they’d have won with Amare Stoudemire.

I know, I know … rules are rules and whatever, but Amare merely reacted like anyone would upon seeing his teammate bodychecked hard into the scorer’s table.

The NBA needs to take lessons from the NHL and allow players to “react” to such a physical confrontation, but if any player instigates further acceleration of that confrontation he’s penalized for five or 10 minutes. All Stoudemire did was get up and … oh, yes, he stepped onto the court? Whoopefreakindo.

Hockey “understands” and makes a “foul” a two-minute penalty. Why not make an NBA foul a two-minute bench penalty, and pushing-shoving-hard checking someone will get you five or 10 on the pine, and swinging-punching-fighting will get you a “gamer” (tossed out) and “maybe” a one-game suspension?

Lighten up NBA … you wouldn’t make it in the NHL!

Jeff Clausen

Spokane