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SAN ANTONIO – Rockets guard Rafer Alston received a two-game suspension on Friday for his role in the scuffle in the third quarter of Wednesday’s game in Phoenix, forcing him to miss tonight’s game against the Spurs and Saturday’s against the New Orleans Hornets, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said.

Alston went after Suns forward Matt Barnes after Barnes hit him while Alston set a screen for Tracy McGrady. Both were ejected from the game.

Barnes also received a two-game suspension. Suns point guard Steve Nash was suspended for one game for his role in the shoving that followed the confrontation.

Suns center Shaquille O’Neal was fined $35,000 and McGrady received a $25,000 fine. O’Neal, Nash and McGrady received technical fouls.

rsavaj wrote:No Nash, Barnes, Barbosa OR Tucker tonight?

Wow....what's our lineup going to be?

Dragic/Singletary
Bell/
Hill/Diaw
Amare/Sweet Lou
Shaq/Fropez

hahaha...that's weak.

suns12345 wrote:the nash suspensions wrong it think. i know i am biased but i reckon he only tried to help out

mpsniper101 wrote:

rsavaj wrote:No Nash, Barnes, Barbosa OR Tucker tonight?

Wow....what's our lineup going to be?

Dragic/Singletary
Bell/
Hill/Diaw
Amare/Sweet Lou
Shaq/Fropez

hahaha...that's weak.

Enough to beat the Kings IMO.

mpsniper101 wrote:

rsavaj wrote:No Nash, Barnes, Barbosa OR Tucker tonight?

Wow....what's our lineup going to be?

Dragic/Singletary
Bell/
Hill/Diaw
Amare/Sweet Lou
Shaq/Fropez

hahaha...that's weak.

Enough to beat the Kings IMO.

HootieRules wrote:Nash was suspended 1 game for getting shoved by McGrady. Makes sense Stern

Might as well suspend TMac and Shaq too. Give me a break. I can see suspending Barnes for the cheap shot. I can see suspending Alston for sucker punching Nash. But a suspension for pushing and shoving? Are you kidding me? We need this game tonight too before the schedule turns brutal...

miklo714 wrote:My take on this thing is yes Barnes instigated it but there had been a few pretty rough screen run-ins and yes standing alone he would have gotten a technical, but there is a big difference between an inappropriate, rough play and running at someone when the clock is stopped with your fists up. I think Barnes should be suspended, but I think Alston is the true thug in this situation. Hell, Alston charges at Barnes to start an after-the-play fight, strikes back at Nash which that part is actually excusable, and then he actually makes a move at Porter for gods sake! When I saw this fight I thought Barnes for 5-10 games, TMac and Nash and Shaq for 2 or 3, and Alston for give or take 20 games.

I know this isn't the popular opinion, especially not with you barnsleyman lol, but I stand by it and think it was more serious than many others think and I feel that image-wise, after Pacers-Pistons you need to put any player tries to start an extracurricular altercation on the bench for at least 10 games.

Kerr said he was also told by NBA executive vice president Stu Jackson that Barnes would have only received a flagrant foul, level two, had Alston not charged at him.

miklo714 wrote:Yeah, you're actually right Nash should in my hypothetical situation get more than TMac.
Maybe more like...
TMac no suspension
Nash and Shaq 3 games
Barnes 10 games
Alston 15 games

I mean, I'm not trying to instigate anything (I don't want a fine haha) but that's just my take as I have done a lot of work in my sports management studies with league images as far as the Vick situation and the Pacers/Pistons and the distinction in my mind comes between a really dirty play (which is entirely inappropriate and warrants a suspension as I mentioned above), and as I said before an after-the-clock charge at a player. Barnes and Alston in my mind are equally responsible for what happened - Barnes for elevating emotions and Alston for getting 5ish other players and the Suns coaching staff involved. I just think its a whole different animal.

This is my opinion based off of the work I've done, and in no way intended to attack the Rox - I don't hate Skip to my Lou for what he did, I'm just speaking out of the league office setting a precedent for starting a brawl "not being that bad anymore".