NBA Playoffs Start Saturday!

[WilyWestbrook0]

It's being discussed in the playoffs thread - I'll merge your post with it

[the_future]

This series is getting very physical. Horry's cheapshot at Nash will probably get him a one game suspension. Btw, here is my humble opinion about when Bowen kicked Stoudemire... Stoudemire had a wide open dunk. Bowen is a great defender, but he had no chance at preventing Amare from scoring on that play. If Bowern made an effort for the ball on that play it would be different, but he doesn't even jump, or anything. Also, Bowen kicked Nash in the groin ( ). When Bowen hit Nash in the groin I think it's obvious that it was on purpose. I think in both cases they were intentional, and not an accident.

However, Amare was wrong when he said the Spurs are a dirty team. They are NOT! Bowen might be a dirty player (well, at least in this series), but not the whole team.

Btw, it will be interesting to see if Stoudemire or Diaw get suspensions for stepping onto the court after Horry hit Nash along the Suns bench.

[RenegadeLonghorn]

Horry's hit was a cheapshot. He probably will get suspended. If the NBA sticks by their rules (which they won't) then Diaw and Stoudewhiner should both get suspended for Game 5. Steve Nash also ran and made contact with Horry after the he got hit. Also, Stoudewhiner just lied on national TV by saying he was checking into the game. Nice try with the straight face. BS buddy.

Bowen's kick and knee were not intentional in my opinion.

Series is very physical now. Spurs shot poorly and they lost Game 4 because of all their missed shots. But a lot of calls went against them in the 4th quarter. Spurs were called for 26 fouls and the Suns had 17 fouls. Suns shot 29 free throws vs the Spurs 14. The calls weren't lopsided but they were definitely in the Suns favor. But this is the usual NBA. Seven game series between the two best teams right now makes for great ratings.

[the_future]

Lol. When Barkley got suspended for one game for stepping out onto the court, he also tried the "I was going to the scores table to check in." The league probably won't buy that. They didn't with Barkley and probably won't with Amare. Tonight, on TNT Charles Barkley mentioned that the NBA is either going to have to go by "law", or "justify the situation", because Horry started the whole situation. I agree with you though that they both should get suspended, but they probably won't.

[the_future]

Bowen has been questioned multiple times throughout his career in the league by his actions that appear to be intentional. He is good at acting like they were an accident, and that is was not intentional. IMO, Bowen is a dirty player.

RenegadeLonghorn - What makes you think Bowen's actions (against Nash and Stoudemire) were not intentional?

[the_future]

Sorry about the double post...

[RenegadeLonghorn]

NBA reviewed both incidents and they didn't take any action. He is the best perimeter defender in the NBA and has become so because of his aggressive style of play. Key word, aggressive. Elbows will fly, heads will collide, and legs will make contact. It happens in a physical sport. I've already explained in an above post in this thread about the Amare incident. As for the knee to the crouch....I think it was obvious that his was clearing out space. Not his fault that Nash was playing low and got hit in the groin. If you think that play was "dirty" then players like Shaq, Kobe, and many more should be considered "dirty" players. Why would Bowen intentionally try to hurt someone? He is a guy that gives back to the community and does many positive things for others. He doesn't have the personality to go out and hurt someone.

http://www.brucebowen.com/foundation.html

Ginobili got poked in the eye and no foul called. How do I know for sure it wasn't a cheap shot to intentionally hurt him in the face?

Oh and Stoudewhiner had the second most fouls in the NBA this year. Now that I think about it that seems kind of "dirty".

Raja Bell is also one of the biggest floppers in the NBA. Bell tripped Horry before Horry got up and hit Nash. Apparently nobody saw that.

I had respect for the Suns team but after Stoudewhiner's comments and some of the hard fouls in this series I really hate them now. Spurs lose it won't be the end of the world for me. They already have three championships.

[WilyWestbrook0]

Not that I condone cheap shots, but at least this series is getting really competitive..it's the only semis that are tied after four games. I wonder if Nash will have extra motivation now that Dirk won the MVP..he probably doesn't think like that, but imagine if the Suns won this thing, beat Utah in the conference finals, and made the Finals? Even if they don't win the championship, it will look goofy having Dirk as the MVP (which is official now) the one year where Nash's team actually advanced to the Finals and Dirk's lost to the eighth seed in the first round! I know playoff performances aren't 'technically' considered for the MVP award, but still..it'd be funny.

I mentioned something about this earlier, but now it's becoming ever close to reality, so it's on my mind again.

[RenegadeLonghorn]

NBA has handed out their punishment. I'm going to watch the rest of the series and comment on it after it is over.

Suspensions:
Horry-2 games
Stoudemire-1 game
Diaw-1 game

[Aikman_TheGreat]

Hmmmmm, thats going to hurt the Suns a lot more than the Spurs. Thats sad how a "cheap shot" by one team will actually end up hurting the opposite team more. Horry and Bowen both knew what they were doing, Nash is the Suns achillies hill, take him out and its the Spurs in 5 or 6. Even though they didnt take Nash out, it still ended up working out for them. I dont consider the Spurs a dirty team, but Bowen and Horry are border-line dirty.