An NBA Whistle-Blower Exposed

The Mavericks are almost a lock to get that far. The Suns, however, would have to go through the Spurs, a three-time champion with star players widely perceived as utterly boring on and off the court.

So now, if the Spurs and Suns are forced to a Game 7 to see which team advances to the conference final to play Dallas, guess where the game will be played?

Phoenix.

The conspiracy theorists were already at work before Duncan could get from the bench to the locker room after being tossed.

I covered the game for ABC and as soon as I finished listening to Duncan in the locker room and turned my cellphone on, I had four voice mail or text messages suggesting the usual. Two were from recently retired NBA players who quickly noted Crawford's role in helping ensure the Suns home-court advantage. Yes, NBA players talk about "conspiracies" all the time, about who prefers what matchups and why. It's a constant part of the postseason chatter, though nobody ever produces a speck of evidence that would support these allegations. And of all the referees in the league, Joey Crawford (because of his perceived toughness and independence) would be about the last name involved in such chatter.

But the appearance of impropriety can be damning.

And while Stern didn't address that yesterday and probably won't in any on-the-record discussion, it's one of several reasons why he had to do something decisive.

Stern has proven to be quite the sheriff over the last couple of years, some would say unnecessarily so. I would say necessarily so (this is consistent), whether we're talking about the dress code for players or the crackdown on on-court whining. The NBA, in fighting for its slice of the sports and entertainment pie, had better make sure its product is seen as a competition and not exhibition subject to any degree of interference or predetermination. Crawford's suspension doesn't need to be forever but he certainly needs to demonstrate he understands that challenging a player to a fight, then throwing him out of a game for laughing, is reason for him to be chased from the court as well.