Longtime Phoenix fans will likely remember David Stern as a villain in Suns history. The former Commissioner of the NBA passed away on New Years Day at the age of 77. While Stern made many, many good decisions to grow the the League, he suspended both Amar’e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw in 2007 from Game 5 of the Suns and San Antonio Spurs playoff series after the two players left the bench during a melee involving Steve Nash and the Spurs Robert Horry. Stern said at the time, “Our players have to learn that they can’t leave the bench and move 20 feet down the line, wherever it is, and be subject to all of the possible things that can happen,”. The Suns lost Game 5 without Stoudemire and Diaw. Suns head coach Mike D’Antoni had one of the all-time quotes on Stern’s decision. “We have the most powerful microscopes and telescopes in the world in Arizona, [and] you could use those instruments and not find a shred of fairness or common sense in that decision,” The Suns would end up losing the series with a team that many felt was built to win a NBA Title.
Brad Cesmat
