Some "Dirty Basketball"

In honor of everybody's favorite - Ben Folds - I thought I'd post this video from last night's NBA playoff game between the Phoenix Suns and the San Antonio Spurs. Sun's star Amare Stodamire was quoted last week as calling the Spurs a "dirty team" for some questionable hard fouls. On Saturday, Spurs guard Bruce Bowen delivered an obvious knee to the groin of Sun's guard and two-time league MVP Steve Nash, which only added tension to this hotly contested series.

On Monday night, however, Spur's guard/forward Robert Horray made all the previous stuff look like a warm-fuzzy-a-thon when he clotheslined Steve Nash and sent him flying into the scorer's table late in the fourth quarter of game 4. Here's the video:



What's even worse, Sun's stars Amare Stodamire and Boris Diaw, who were not in the game at the time, got up from the bench and went over to their fouled teammate. While this might seem normal, it is in violation of the NBA's extremely strict policy that players not on the floor cannot, under any circumstances, leave the bench after a foul. The rule is obviously designed to prevent bench-clearing brawls. The penalty for leaving the bench, without exception in the past 10 years, is a one-game suspension. This means that it looks like the Spurs will actually benefit from this dangerous and unsportsmanlike foul because the Suns will probably lose two star players, while the Spurs will only lose a back-up. Robert Horray, by the way, was ejected from the game and is expected to be suspended for game 5.

It just makes me remember old Elliot. He played a fine guitar... and some dirty basketball.