Why Neither of them will be suspended

[VincentG]

People are overreacting. The rule states during an altercation, all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench.

Key word vicinity. The word is vague so the league can have some wiggle room and make judgment calls. Amare and Diaw will not be suspended. If you need more proof that just because they leave the bench it's not automatic? Case and point the Lakers and Kings fight. Not all players who left the bench were suspended. It's not open and shut. I wish you people knew what you were talking about before stating it's open and shut. See below:

__________________________________________________ ___________________
Fox suspended six games; Christie two for Lakers-Kings fight
Oct. 28, 2002
SportsLine.com wire reports

NEW YORK -- Rick Fox was suspended for six games, Doug Christie was banished for two, and every member of the Sacramento Kings who left the bench during a fight with the Los Angeles Lakers got off scot-free.

In a surprising ruling Monday by NBA vice president Stu Jackson, the Sacramento Kings were not punished as badly as they may have expected for their part in a bench-clearing brawl during the first quarter of an exhibition game at Los Angeles last Friday.

Jackson ruled that because the players left the bench to join a fracas in a hallway underneath the stands, rather than on the court, they would not receive the customary one-game suspension for that offense.

"This is not a new precedent at all," Jackson said in a conference call with reporters. "In the end we felt this case was very unusual, a special case."

. . .

When the fight resumed beneath the stands, several Sacramento players left the bench area and raced down a tunnel leading to the locker rooms.

Stu Jackson noted that when the fight first broke out on the court, none of the Kings players left the bench. He also said that the Kings players likely did not know exactly what was happening under the stands when they rushed off the court to intervene.

"I don't think anybody on the benches fully knew what was going on out of sight of the bench areas," Jackson said.

. . .

Previous suspensions for leaving the bench were made in accordance with an NBA rule that states: "During an altercation, all players not taking part in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of the bench. Violators will be suspended without pay for a minimum of one game and fined up to $20,000."

Stu Jackson said any players who leave the bench during an on-court altercation will continue to be suspended for one game.

The Kings, who were relieved by the ruling, will have only nine players available for their opener against Cleveland as Mike Bibby, Lawrence Funderburke and Christie will be sidelined.

"I was glad the commissioner saw fit to understand, not just react," Christie said.

[Budkin]

Um, this was all on court... during gametime. Suspensions are warranted.

[JMarkJohns]

That was a preseason game. There's almost no comparison.

[Buddy Holly]

LOL, dumbass.

Two different situations.

[ducks]

did they not have a fight in piston land after that though

[Trifecta]

I don't think they will be suspended, perhaps only fined!

[The Truth #6]

Did you even read the article? - "Stu Jackson said any players who leave the bench during an on-court altercation will continue to be suspended for one game."

[DarrinS]

Fuck suspensions. Leave that crap to Suns. Let's just play ball.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I guess you missed Patrick Ewing taking two steps onto the court (still in the vicinity of his bench) and getting suspended for it?

Damn, where did all the idiot rookies come from?

[Budkin]

I'll take the suspensions and the easier win any day... fuck it.

[Man of Steel]

This is a zero tolerance rule.

There are no exceptions.

There is no balancing of equities.

Even if it takes two of the best players on a team out of a game in the playoffs--the rule is ironclad.

I wish they would not suspend them so that Suns pussies won't pull that asterick bullshit that dipshit Phil Jackson pulled a few years ago.

Still--it looks pretty clear that these two goons are gone.

[Amarelooms]

I'll take the suspensions and the easier win any day... fuck it.

HAHAHA and if you still lose? After a tainted Game 1 win with the MVP bleeding on the bench and now this. Too funny :elephant

[Shred]

Section VII--Fines

c. During an altercation, all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench. Violators will be suspended, without pay, for a minimum of one game and fined up to $35,000. The suspensions will commence prior to the start of their next game.

OK, so there must be (1) an altercation and (2) players leaving the immediate vicinity of the bench. We know there was a flagrant foul, and there certainly was an altercation after Bell and Nash went after Horry, but before that? There are several "outs" for the league to avoid having to suspend any Suns.

[Kori Ellis]

The article you posted actually substantiates that the Suns players should be suspended. The article points out that when the ruckus was on the court - no players left the bench .. and if they would have, they would have been suspended. :wtf

You used a bad article to try to prove your case.

[Russ]

Fuck suspensions. Leave that crap to Suns. Let's just play ball.
Yeah!!! :clap

[VincentG]

These 2 quotes say it all.

"This is not a new precedent at all," Jackson said in a conference call with reporters. "In the end we felt this case was very unusual, a special case."

"I don't think anybody on the benches fully knew what was going on out of sight of the bench areas," Jackson said.

This means the rule is open for judgment calls. The league has plenty of wiggle room here. I don't want to win this freaking series because 2 players were suspended anyway. Especially a starter.

Here is the interesting thing. There are non-broadcast footage of every NBA game. Did any of the Spurs put a foot on the court???

[timvp]

I don't want to see any suspensions for the Suns. The Spurs don't deserve a break.

The Spurs played like b1tches and now deserve to be forced to climb uphill to salvage this series.

[Kobulingam]

I'll take the suspensions and the easier win any day... fuck it.

Yeah, especially with the way this game was officiated. I mean, it wasn't just BARELY in Suns favour, it was HORRIBLY in Suns favour.

[mexispur]

HAHAHA and if you still lose? After a tainted Game 1 win with the MVP bleeding on the bench and now this. Too funny :elephant

Mavs fans should stay out of all this if they knew what the hell they were talking about thier team might still be in the playoffs hahahahaha.......

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

These 2 quotes say it all.

"This is not a new precedent at all," Jackson said in a conference call with reporters. "In the end we felt this case was very unusual, a special case."

"I don't think anybody on the benches fully knew what was going on out of sight of the bench areas," Jackson said.

This means the rule is open for judgment calls. The league has plenty of wiggle room here. I don't want to win this freaking series because 2 players were suspended anyway. Especially a starter.

Here is the interesting thing. There are non-broadcast footage of every NBA game. Did any of the Spurs put a foot on the court???

No one left the court in the incident you cite. What is so hard to comprehend about this?

[dbreiden83080]

The article you posted actually substantiates that the Suns players should be suspended. The article points out that when the ruckus was on the court - no players left the bench .. and if they would have, they would have been suspended. :wtf

You used a bad article to try to prove your case.

Exactly you can't be on the court during an altercation PERIOD. I expect Horry to be gone for the rest of the series but Amare and Boris no way the NBA lets play in game 5.

[Kobulingam]

These 2 quotes say it all.

"This is not a new precedent at all," Jackson said in a conference call with reporters. "In the end we felt this case was very unusual, a special case."

"I don't think anybody on the benches fully knew what was going on out of sight of the bench areas," Jackson said.

This means the rule is open for judgment calls. The league has plenty of wiggle room here. I don't want to win this freaking series because 2 players were suspended anyway. Especially a starter.

Here is the interesting thing. There are non-broadcast footage of every NBA game. Did any of the Spurs put a foot on the court???

Who cares, our good players were in the game. Hopefully Vaugn put both feet on the court, cuz I want that bitch suspended. Elson would be nice too. Man I wish Beno was on the court too. What a dream.


I don't WANT TO LOSE THE SERIES because Game 4 was HEAVILY biased towards Suns.

[JMarkJohns]

I don't want to see any suspensions for the Suns. The Spurs don't deserve a break.

The Spurs played like b1tches and now deserve to be forced to climb uphill to salvage this series.

Wish you were the Commish tomorrow...

[VincentG]

No one left the court in the incident you cite. What is so hard to comprehend about this?

"When the fight resumed beneath the stands, several Sacramento players left the bench area and raced down a tunnel leading to the locker rooms."

Nowhere in the rules does it state that the altercation has to be on the court. The rule was open for interpretation. The players left the bench after the second part of the brawl broke out.

The entire point being that it's not clear cut. We shall see.

[TampaDude]

I don't want to see any suspensions for the Suns. The Spurs don't deserve a break.

The Spurs played like b1tches and now deserve to be forced to climb uphill to salvage this series.

WERD...unfortunately, it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that Horry, Stoudemire, and Diaw will all be suspended.

[GoSpurs21]

I don't want to see any suspensions for the Suns. The Spurs don't deserve a break.

The Spurs played like b1tches and now deserve to be forced to climb uphill to salvage this series.the only one I saw playing like a little bitch was Duncan, but I doubt anyone else will call out Duncan. I thougth the refs gave the Suns all the oppertunities and Duncan let them into his head.

I will no longer give this league any more of my hard earned money. I am sick of the way $tern cares about money so fucking much.

[Purple & Gold]

I have a feeling only Horry and Amare get suspended. I think they'll let Diaw slide on this one.

[Dave McNulla]

boris and amare are going to get suspended. they both went in front of the scorer's table, which is not in the vicinity of the bench. the league has already set precedents for this.

also, it does not make sense to check-in at a high rate of speed when your teammate is going to be shooting free throws.

[Spurs Brazil]

I think nobody deserves a suspension

Maybe a fine for Horry.

I remember in 2003 playoffs, I think game 5 against the Suns. There was a hard foul and The Admiral went on the court and nothing happened.

[ballhog]

Amare,Diaw, and Horry will be suspended. Ain't no doubt about it.

[Dave McNulla]

they should not suspend them, but they will.