NBA Playoffs: Robert Horry A.k.a "Cheap Shot Bob"

Excuse me for being a bit perturbed.  No, I am not a New Orleans Hornets die-hard, but I am a fan of their style of play, of Chris Paul, and certainly of David West.

In the semifinals of the Western Conference Playoffs, the Hornets/Spurs 7-gamer has been a back and forth punch-in-the-mouth from both sides.

It has been equally as entertaining as it has been a clinic in the way basketball should be played.  San Antonio is the epitome of great defense, blended with a stellar offense built around perhaps the greatest power forward of all-time, Tim Duncan.

The Hornets are the new kids on the block, led by the incredible Paul and his magic with the basketball.  David West has been a godsend, showing that patience and hard work are the keys to a successful career in the NBA.

This series has been equal through six games. 

However, the momentum may have just shifted toward the Spurs.

Early in the 4th quarter, with the game pretty much in hand, David West stood in a defensive stance facing away from the basket and took a cheap shot pick to the back by the infamous Big Shot Bob, Robert Horry.

West crumbled to the floor, writhing in pain, and was forced to leave game 6 with an aggravated pinched nerve in his back suffered in game 5.  This may be the deciding factor in the series if West cannot go in game 7 in New Orleans on Monday.

The collateral damage may be too much to overcome for the Hornets.

But as everyone knows, this is nothing new for Big Shot Bob.

Last year in the Western Conference Finals, Horry hip-checked Steve Nash into the scorer’s table as he dribbled up the sideline.  Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw left the bench, both were suspended for the next game and the Spurs went on to win in 6 games.  The rest is history.

The hip-check into the boards was a shot heard round the world.  It decimated the Suns and their momentum up to that point, and the series shifted into the hands of the Spurs.

Last night may produce the same results.

The Hornets, at times, have looked dominant, especially at home, and that is thanks to the tandem of Paul and West.  Half of that equation may be missing next time out.

Robert Horry is no longer known for his prowess as a clutch shooter in the waning moments of big games, as per his nickname that was earned for so many epic shots. The man has seven championships, something that doesn’t happen by accident. 

However, Horry is not the player he once was and now makes up for it with “defense”.  He single-handedly changed that Suns series a year ago and may have done the same last night.

I’m here to say Horry is becoming a joke. 

Everyone understands the quest for championships and to put your name among the greats in the history of sport. However, most teams do it the right way.  Robert Horry is a foul machine and goon at that.  He deliberately fouled David West, and even though it was probably not his intention to injure West by any means, he is now notorious for this sort of thing.

If the Hornets wanted to even things, they could very well send out Ryan Bowen or Hilton Armstrong, little used backups that are good for a few minutes here or there, and knock someone to the floor and try and goat the other team off the bench, or perhaps incite a riot.  But it will not happen.  Nobody should have to play this way to win a game.

The only player I have seen try this is Robert Horry.

The fact remains that Horry seems to serve no purpose on the court besides giving the big men a rest for a few seconds or fouling people.  The stigma Horry now carries is becoming awful as he rounds out an illustrious career filled with big time three’s and more championships than almost everyone that has played this game.

However, that success is becoming tarnished.  Horry cant keep up with guys like West, so he needs to use brute force to stop them.  Once is a fluke, twice is a trend.

Do us a favor Rob, hit a big-time shot to show us your not just out there to throw your weight around. 

Keep that legacy in tact.

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