Greetings from the Land of Enchantment

Flagrant Foul

Last night's game between the Phoenix Suns and the San Antonio Spurs was a spectacle. I felt like a hockey game had broken out in the middle of my favorite sport! Or worse, that the days of the colliseum were back and we were waiting for the ref's thumbs up or thumbs down.

More bodies hit the floor last night in spectacular fashion than I've seen in years of watching the game. Elbows thrown, undercuts, outright pushes. The Suns played dirty and it won them the game. Not that the Spurs didn't have their moments, as well as their own team bully on board; but it felt more like a last gasp of frustration than outright unfair play. But in the end, they are the ones who took the bullet--Robert Horry ejected from the game.

I haven't checked the headlines, but the Suns may lose Staudemeier today for coming off the bench in the near brawl toward the end of the game. Basically, Barbosa got away with murder all night--who or what grants him special dispensation is beyond me. Nash was playing like he took one too many of something. On the other side of the court, Bowen was his typical bad boy self, but he looked like a kindergarten bully compared to what was happening on the Suns side of the ball. Duncan looked baffled as he quickly garned two offensive fouls in a row in the final quarter, Barry was thrown around like a rag doll; while Parker and Finley made some key plays but not enough as Finley missed the 3-pointer that could have taken the Spurs back into the lead in the final minutes; and Horry laid the final blow.

It was an ugly game and it doesn't bode well for the final three games of the series. If the refs don't put themselves into this match-up a little tighter, there's going to be a major brawl that could end up affecting the entire finals....which would not be good for the game.

So boys, come out and play clean. Remember, this is basketball.

Labels: sports

posted by Sat Purkh Kaur Khalsa @ 7:59 AM