Words cannot explain

[vonkaar]

DALLAS -- The Mavericks-Spurs series took another wild turn Thursday, with Dallas guard Jason Terry getting suspended from Game 6 for punching former teammate Michael Finley while chasing a loose ball in the closing seconds of Game 5.

Terry and Finley jostled with 3.4 seconds left in San Antonio's 98-97 victory on Wednesday night. Terry wound up on his back, grasping the ball, but Spurs forward Manu Ginobili got a hand on it, too, to force a jump ball.
While officials were trying to sort out who had possession, Finley was visibly angry and needing to be restrained by teammates. He appeared to be making a fist and telling his teammates that someone had punched him.
Nothing was called at the time. Neither team mentioned it during postgame interviews.
"Unbelievable," Mavs owner Mark Cuban wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "Michael Finley does a pile driver with his hip to Jason's head while he is on the ground. Jason is on his back with Ginobili laying on top of him.
"No question he tried to get Finley off of him and he should be fined for that. But to suspend him is questionable."
Terry missed a 15-foot jumper in the closing seconds, allowing San Antonio to keep alive its title defense.
The Mavericks still lead the series 3-2. They have another chance to advance to the conference finals with Game 6 at home. If the Spurs win, Game 7 would be Monday night in San Antonio.
Terry already had been sharing point-guard duties with Devin Harris since Game 2. Dallas' most likely move would be adding Jerry Stackhouse to the lineup.

Stackhouse and Finley tangled at the end of Game 2, with Stackhouse getting a technical foul.
Finley has been a lightning bolt all series, with his teammates and coaches offended that he's been getting booed in Dallas. Finley spent the previous nine seasons with the Mavericks, making the All-Star team twice and leaving as the fourth-leading scorer in franchise history.
After practice Thursday, Terry was finishing shooting before speaking to reporters when he was called to the locker room by coach Avery Johnson. He didn't return and he wasn't expected to take part in his local radio show scheduled for Thursday night.

I'm seeing red. I now know why people can 'truly' get angry at Sports.

[Phlegm]

Did Terry punched Finley or not?

[vonkaar]

It was a scuffle. Finley jumped on Terry's head and Terry retaliated.

The league is so fucking rigged. Kaman's gets his fucking BALLS GRABBED in game and the dude only gets a $15k fine. Terry retaliates for getting attacked and slightly jabs at finley and gets suspended in what would have been the biggest home game in the history of the franchise.

[Spliffs]

Just saw the replay, Terry cheap shotted him. Finley was just going for the ball. I think suspension for a game of this magnitude is pretty harsh though. They should have suspended him for the first game next year, or something.

[Rotj]

yeah pretty harsh but it's suspend now or nothing. they should have just fined his ass hard and left it at that imo

[vonkaar]

yeah... and Reggie Evans can grab Chris Kaman in the fucking balls and still play the game...

compare the two.

tell me that's a fair system

This is the biggest game in the history of our franchise. The NBA just fucked us.

[Rotj]

vonk, can marquis fill in terry's role?

[Markarado]

This is the first year ever that I haven't watched a single NBA game. I just can't bring myself to pay for satelite TV. It's not actually the cost that bothers me.... It's more that the last thing I need is one more distraction from my school work.

[vonkaar]

vonk, can marquis fill in terry's role?

I don't know. 'Quis in the 03 playoffs was amazing... our second best player. He saved us in the Sacramento series. We haven't really seen him explode since then. It's more likely that Stackhouse will be put into the starting lineup, but then... that's probably what Pop is expecting, so... we really may see Harris and Marquis together. I just don't know.

We are all pretty much depressed down here.

[Phlegm]

For the NBA, fondling is not as bad as punching.

[vonkaar]

It was a reaction and it wasn't even a punch. Finley jumped on top of him and it was a, "get off me" reflex. If Terry had his hand closed, it wouldn't even be worth talking about. The shape of the hand shouldn't dictate this punishment, especially since it was such a light tap. Ginobili was right on top of the whole mess and he didn't even look phased by the motion. He saw the whole thing go down and didn't care. Finley acted like Terry just raped his mom... acted WAY over the top, totally dramatic. He sold that call. It was a freaking tap... a reflex. Terry HAD CONTROL of the ball and Finley freaking dove on top of his FACE to wrestle it from him. That doesn't belong in basketball.

The fact that he's suspended for such a key game is what's so critical. The NBA wants to see this go to game 7... games 3 and 4 had the highest ratings on TV in Dallas... beating Lost, American Idol, and all the other 'normal' #1s... That's saying a lot for a NETWORK sports game... 1/3rd of the TVs IN Dallas don't even HAVE cable. Nationally, the game was #2. That's the first non-championship game in the history of the NBA to get such high ratings... including the Christmas L.A./Miami first matchup between Kobe and Shaq. Typically, only Monday night football can brag about numbers like this. Prolonging it for game 7 is a smart business decision.

[Phlegm]

"There was no option here," NBA vice president Stu Jackson said. "The rule is very clear cut. If you throw a punch, whether it connects or not, that will get you an automatic one-game suspension."

[Zanchief]

So is it safe to say Finley isn't welcome back in Dallas?

[Lyion]

This is just the type of thing that can really fire up a team, and help them come together.

Or not, and it goes back to San Antonio where they win the series.

[vonkaar]

"There was no option here," NBA vice president Stu Jackson said. "The rule is very clear cut. If you throw a punch, whether it connects or not, that will get you an automatic one-game suspension."

That's such a copout. What Terry did can hardly be considered "throwing a punch." The shoving and other flagrant acts that happen every other game are so SO much worse and are intended to cause much worse harm. Jason was simply reacting... simply saying, "get the fuck off of me."

[Rotj]

monster game by dirk..wasn't sure why they threw that 3 at the end with 15 seconds to go. i thought they'd go for a quick 2 and just grind it out.

tough luck vonk ;(