Washington Wizards Blog

Comment from wizkid034
Time May 16, 2007 at 1:12 PM

Okay, I just heard Commissioner Stern interviewed on the radio regarding the Amare Stoudemire suspension. As far as I am concerned, the suspension was most certainly appropriate, and I am glad it was done.

I am sick and tired of all the so-called “Stars” getting so much preferential treatment. We all know that the stars get an extra step and are allowed to make a little more contact. But with something like this, there cannot be exceptions made. Following the brawls such as Pistons-Pacers, kids these days need to know that coming off the bench to get involved in an altercation is not all permissable. The young rising stars need to be taught this lesson early. One of the best way is to face the situation, such as this latest one, head on. Do not let anyone think that their star status in the league will let them get away with things such as this.

True, it did not end up being anything…but what if it was? The NBA is still trying to come back from the Pistons-Pacers from a few years ago.

Comment from neal
Time May 16, 2007 at 1:26 PM

It was the right call, for the reasons wizkid034 said.

Comment from Wizards_Fusion
Time May 16, 2007 at 1:31 PM

I don’t like to blame one particular guy to lose games for a team, but Stephen Jackson’s play against the Jazz in all 5 games made DeShawn Stevenson’s struggles this playoff look pedestrian. Here are Jackson’s shooting stats from the 2 rounds. As you can clearly see, his game was nowhere to be found and he hurt his team by continuing to shoot when he couldn’t make them. At least Stevenson didn’t try to force the issue.

Round 1 vs. Dallas

G1 – 9 for 18; 3 for 7 downtown; 3 turnovers
G2 – 9 for 16; 3 for 7 downtown; 8 turnovers
G3 – 4 for 12; 0 for 3 downtown; 4 turnovers
G4 – 6 for 14; 3 for 7 downtown; 1 turnover
G5 – 4 for 14; 3 for 8 downtown; 5 turnovers
G6 – 10 for 19; 7 for 8 downtown; 1 turnover
(45% shooting; 47.5% 3pt in Round 1)

Round 2 vs. Utah

G1 – 5 for 14; 1 for 5 downtown
G2 – 4 for 18; 2 for 10 downtown
G3 – 2 for 4; 0 for 2 downtown; 3 turnovers
G4 – 5 for 15; 3 for 8 downtown; 6 turnovers
G5 – 3 for 17; 1 for 9 downtown
(28% shooting; 20.6% 3pt in Round 2)

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I think most astute basketball players, fans, etc. picked either Detroit, Miami, or Cleveland to be the East representative. Detroit is the safest pick but those feisty Bulls aren’t giving up just yet. And in those Detroit losses, they look like a really old team that has nothing left.

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When Amare Stoudemire told the media that he was actually coming off the bench to be substituted in the game and not going after Robert Horry, I fell off my bed laughing because he’s such a good liar. Stu Jackson is the law of NBA. Amare fought the law but the law won.

Comment from aznzero
Time May 16, 2007 at 3:55 PM

i was really rooting for the warriors. it wouldve been great to see the underdog win another series. but im against the leaving the bench rule.

Comment from James
Time May 16, 2007 at 6:40 PM

i wanted to see the Wizards win some games or the Heat to repeat, so it sucked when both got swept. now i want either the Jazz or the Suns to win it all, but it will probably be the Spurs winning the championship against the Pistons in an extremely boring defensive series.

Comment from wizardsdotcom
Time May 16, 2007 at 9:25 PM

James - how can you root for the Wizards AND the Heat?!?

Comment from Wizards4Life
Time May 17, 2007 at 12:25 AM

lol good point wiz.com but yeah my friend is a Bulls fan and i would like to see them take it just because i want the D# wins game attitude in our teams heads they know they can out score the bulls but there D# is crazy just watch them play they swarm the ball and get back and cut off the lanes its just fun to watch but i will always be a Wizards fan i am just hoping they can get the adopt the Bulls D# skill

Comment from HardCoreFan
Time May 17, 2007 at 6:57 AM

Good call by the Commissioner. You cannot bend the rules for the so call “stars” in the middle of the playoffs. What if everyone had come off the bench and made the situation worst - the more players on the floor the more confusion on the floor. The players that didn’t come off the bench stayed in control. This rule has been in place for some time and the players are aware of it - if you break it you have to pay the consequences. I cannot believe these sport analysts saying that the Commissioner made a bad call. How about all the other players before this incident - do you think if fair that they had to pay for their action but the Sun’s players are exempted. The Commissioner made a fair and consistent call. I like his no nonsense but fair approach. I think a little more of that attitude from the coaches would help with the attitude of some of the players.

By the way, I want the Sun to win. I love the Spurs but I would like to see the Sun win this year.

Comment from Wizards_Fusion
Time May 17, 2007 at 12:20 PM

I heard parts of the David Stern-Dan Patrick heated discussion yesterday about the Suns suspensions. I have never ever heard David Stern raise his voice against anyone in the media until this incident. He’s always been a very ideal commissioner in terms of keeping his cool under pressure; having a wry sense of humor; and really loving both the business and the competition expansion aspects of the NBA. At this moment, there is no one better than David Stern as THE commissioner of the NBA.

This season has been one of the busiest in recent memory. It seems like every NBA story involved the commissioner in some way. Here is a list of some of the major negative items David Stern had to deal with this season:

1. Using a new composite NBA ball without much input with players; getting negative reviews from NBA stars; and ultimately rescinded and went back to the leather ball because of the new ball causing physical injury to players (i.e., finger cuts to Nash and Kidd)

2. The Knicks-Nuggets fight. Carmelo Anthony suspended for a month.

3. The injury bug to stars and superstars. It seemed like every team had a big injury to a big star player during every month of the season. Teams like Washington got hit hard at the end of the season (when Arenas and Butler went down) and others that suffered early season injuries (like Golden State) prospered when everyone was healthy for the playoffs.

4. Out of control technical fouls. Players can no longer express emotion on the court.

5. The indefinite suspension of Joey Crawford two weeks before the playoffs.

6. The playoffs seeding controversy and why the best teams don’t play in the conference finals.

7. The Horry-Stoudemire/Diaw suspensions.

I feel like sometimes people criticize the league/commissioner far too much because people always want a quality product and can’t accept anything less. From a fan perspective, the Stoudemire/Diaw suspensions absolutely hurt the Suns in the always crucial Game 5 of a tied seven game series. People were thinking about how unfair it is for the Suns to not play at full strength or how the Spurs will just steamroll to an easy victory. People act selfishly in these cases and it upsets me that David Stern has to even spend time to justify that the suspensions were valid and fair. And even if the rule is unfair, you have to enforce it as it is. If you bend this rule about coming off the bench improperly, you open yourself to bend any other rule; such as travelling or palming violations or offensive and defensive fouls.

At the end, the Spurs didn’t steamroll for the victory. The Suns played great even with missing star players. And most importantly, David Stern was right again about staying firm and not getting swayed from outside pressure. This is why he’s commissioner and not Dan Patrick.

Comment from HardCoreFan
Time May 18, 2007 at 8:00 AM

Wizard_fusion,

Well stated!