No players or coaches are allowed to say much against “the league” – the gestapo of NBA basketball, for fear of getting fined or benched (or deported?) but everyone hinted around the real issue tonight as a talented Phoenix Suns team finally ran out of gas and lost game 5, after having been forced to play without their 2 top centers Stoudemire and Diaw, who were suspended because of a mild reaction to a flagrant foul or two by Robert Horry in game 4. They left their bench area! Oh my! The Phoenix starters played 45-47 minutes each tonight and just didn’t have the depth; nevertheless they almost had the game, but at crunch time a sneak play by Ginobli to pull Nash on top of him after a 3-point shot faked the referee into calling a foul. 3 made free throws later, San Antonio had almost caught up.

Could Phoenix feasibly go back to San Antonio and win game 6 and then go on to win the series? Yes, it’s possible, but the damage is done and the unfair burden placed upon Phoenix boggles the mind and taints the ’07 Playoffs for good. Only if Phoenix wins it all will there be any justice.

It’s just a game I’m reminded, and so in the end there will be a “victor” and it could quite possibly be San Antonio, but it’ll be an empty victory and pointless. The Suns are awesome!

[Scoreboard]