Point #1: Amare Stoudamire and Boris Diaw should be suspended for one game for going out onto the court during that scuffle at the end of the Spurs-Suns playoff game. It is a rule that's been in place for some time; everyone knows it; and there has been precendence set [Knicks/Heat nearly a decade ago] that this rule still applies in the playoffs.
Point #2: There needs to be some common sense legislated into this rule.
Yes, I do believe the rule [well, it's intent] is justifiable. The intent is to confine any kind of altercations to the least amount of people possible. It tries to make small fights from spilling over into bigger ones. Does it work? Well, we have had that Pacers-Pistons brawl a few years ago ... but there isn't the on-court fighting like there was in the 1970s or 1980s.
Personally, I like the rule. I like smack talk and all of that, but I don't need fighting in the NBA.
However, the intent of the rule is to keep these fires from getting out of control, right? When Stoudamire and Diaw walked closer to the Nash/Horry/Bell mosh pit, they were pulled back and didn't do much more than just puff their chests out. That's the moment where emotion and reason meet and the intent of the rule is adhered to. I don't think either player reached that line ... that "point of no return". They walked up to it, but came back [albeit with a little help from coaches and teammates].
That's why I think the rule needs some updating. Bruce Bowen knees someone in the junk and nothing happens to him. There have been hard fouls all over the Warriors-Jazz series ... and nothing happens. But taking two/three steps toward a fight, then returning to the sideline and getting a one game suspension makes no sense to me.
I think that is where the intent of the rule is being compromised. What is to stop the Suns from telling Pat Burke [a little used player] from telling him to bait Tim Duncan or Manu Ginobili in a fight? Or even worse, knocking down Tony Parker and baiting Duncan to come off the bench in defense of his teammate. This series could get even uglier if Phoenix acts out on what they feel are slights against their team. Especially if the Suns feel desperate or the game gets out of hand. To me, if Stoudamire knew that taking a couple steps was going to get himself suspended ... he may as well got his money's worth and got into the ruckus.
Tweak the rule so there is some judgement in there. Look at the tapes of this occuring and if a player leaves the bench but quickly returns [without getting into the fray], turn the cheek. If the player comes onto the floor and in any way gets involved in the action going on ... yes, rip a game from him. If Stoudamire kept going over to the shoving match and (a) helped Nash up, (b) started shoving too or (c) just got in the way then he should be suspended.
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