Thanks to MJD at FanHouse for the video. He also did a great post on this as well.
Let’s get this out of the way first — the Suns beat the Spurs Monday night in Game 4 in San Antonio 104-98, tying the series at 2-2. San Antonio had as big of a lead as 10 points with 8 minutes left in the game. They missed 9 of their last 10 shots, including their final six to end the game. But the turning point of the series came with 18 seconds left, when the Suns were up 100-97. Steve Nash was bringing the ball up the court on the right sideline, and took a forearm shiver from Robert Horry that sent him flying into the wall aligning the scorer’s table. There’s no doubt it was a dirty, flagrant foul by Horry, that got him ejected from the game. But man, was that cheap shot by Horry one of the smartest things he’s ever done. Just a genius move by the veteran.
Upon getting decked and over-dramatizing the fall, Nash bounced back up onto his feet like the cute little kid in 6th grade who wants a piece of the much larger 8th grader. Horry sent another cheap shot to Raja Bell, and by that time, the Suns bench began to empty. First came Boris Diaw who actually was on his way back to the bench before the coaches came out to shepherd him back to safety. Next came Amare Stoudemire. Stoudemire differed from Diaw; if the assistant coaches weren’t there to stop him and bring him back to the bench, Amare would’ve joined the scuffle. After the game, Stoudemire put on his best poker face to explain his side of the story (at the podium):
I was definitely going to check in. Coach Mike told me to check in on the foul. I was on my way up there.
Bullshit. Amare was on his way to the scrum, ready to take up for his point guard. He was lucky that the Suns’ coaching staff pushed him away as they were completely cognizant of the fact that Stoudemire would be slapped with a suspension for leaving the bench. Charles Barkley said on TNT’s post-game show that it would be a travesty if Stoudemire and Diaw were suspended. Barkley also felt that the initial reaction of a player is to jump off the bench and help a teammate — something with which I agree. But as Shaq said — the law’s the law. So until the rule is changed, Amare needs to be suspended for a game — albeit, for a stupid rule. He was not on the way to the scorer’s table to check in, and he was about to rumble if his coaches hadn’t stopped him. And unfortunately for Phoenix, that impulsive move by Amare to protect his teammate will cost them the series. And that my friends, is why the cheap-shotting Robert Horry is a genius.
