Being a Spurs fan first and a Pistons fan longer, it is tough to get too terribly excited about this series, but I see Dallas as getting the enthusiasm drained from them by the "calls" that are made and the "calls" that are not made. For example, Miami, as did the Suns and the Spurs, get three steps off the dribble and Dallas doesen't even get two. In game three, the coach of the day showed up the coach of the year in the last five minutes, but the game was taken from the Mavericks when Udonis "blind-sided" Dirk to steal the ball for the difference in the game, a "call" that was not made. Furthermore, we are all smart enough to know that the TV network "prefers" to sell advertising for as many games as possible, and Dallas appeared to be too superior for more than four nights of prime time. Thus, game four! Dallas looked like a severely demoralized team playing out the minutes. I have heard a comment or two refer to Shaq's elbows and forearms as "that's basketball," as if to link to the NASCAR comment "that's racin'." No, this is television sports. And television knows that sports ain't sports without television. Mark Cuban has learned that and he sits quietly and counts his money. The players do the same. At least, this is how I see it.
I'm going to hold on to the hope that anger over this suspension will shake the Mavs out of their funk. Stackhouse has been coming up big in this series, but he's a bench player on a team with a much deeper bench than the Heat. This should be a surmountable obstacle. I do agree with Avery Johnson, though. If Shaq committed the same foul, there's no way in hell he gets a suspension.
I agree rcade...Dallas's bench has been stepping up for them all year long. Besides, everyone forgets that it was Daniels, NOT Howard, who was a starter on that Mavs 2004 team when the two players (Howard and Daniels) were rookies (Daniels averaged about 12-14 points a game to boot on a team with Dirk AND Nash AND Finley in his prime). Daniels has talent guys, and I think that in Game 5 he's going to play a key role in determining the outcome of the series.
Am new around here, so bear with me. Been observing the posts and decided to weigh in. I agree with Bud Lang that the bottom line is money. Remember the old adage "Whatever's good for boxing...." Same applies here. Hate to be skeptical, but there's too much dough to be had to let the series play out without making sure they've been able to squeeze out every last drop of revenue.
Hate to be skeptical ... I wish people would spend less time throwing out the general observation that money corrupts and more focusing on actual evidence of corruption. People have been saying for years the NBA makes decisions to juice ratings. If that's true, though, where's a single example of a former NBA official admitting this? They could write a tell-all book about it and make a lot of money.
Stackhouse was aiming for Shaq's head, and his arm only gets close to the ball after it deflects off of Shaq. Too dirty of a foul to me. As to being suspended even though he wasn't kicked out of the game...that's not a valid argument. The league looked at in on video, the ref's don't do that for fouls like that during the game. It was the shot from above the makes it clearer to me. Anyway, the NBA always seems to make these series drag out. The ref's swallowed their whistles in game 3. This baby will go seven games regardless. Too much money at stake!
They could write a tell-all book about it and make a lot of money. And even more enemies. But your point is taken. There is no hard evidence and I doubt even if there was that any official would be forthcoming. Witness the MLB steroid debacle. No way the powers that be didn't know what was going on in the clubhouse. But I digress.... Stack is Stack, but Shaq is Shaq. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Shaq's cheap shot that drew blood from Jerry in Game 3 didn't result in a suspension. And there have been numerous other cheap shots in this series that haven't produced a similar reaction. Why this one? The arbitrary nature of the decision is what has me concerned there is something more sinister going on. Personally, I think they should just let them play - it's the finals. But if your going to start calling it tight - and you don't want conspiracy theorists like me looking for magic bullets - do so at both ends of the court. And make sure that includes suspension for EVERY cheap shot.
I think the onus is completely on Stack. He's gotta know that if he takes out Shaq in the open court there will be consequences. Sure, it's unfair and probably special superstar treatment but taking a run at a guy on a fast break will always get more attention than the numerous forearms and 'bows Shaq throws underneath. If you're gonna play dirty, play Stockton or Malone dirty. Those guys would beat up their opponents and still get calls to go their way. Man I hated them.
Stockton=2 parts Charles Barkley+1 parts Dennis Rodman+1 parts Allen Iverson (flopping)/stir/then pour into Steve Nash.
Malone=2 parts Dennis Rodman + 1 part Charles Oakley + 1 part Charles Barkley/mix/boil/pour into Amare Stodamire
