Houston Street Hooligans: Robert Horry's Latest Dirty Play

On May 14, 2007, with 18 seconds remaining in a game long out of reach, soon to be seven time NBA Champion, Robert Horry, made one of the most memorable plays of his career.

Nicknamed, “Big Shot Bob,” for his heroic clutch performances in playoff series past, Horry took one of the biggest shots of his career. But unlike his previous actions that earned him this clever moniker, this shot was neither clutch, nor heroic. It can only be described as cheap.

In last seasons' playoffs, as millions of NBA fans can remember, Horry needlessly hip-checked Suns point guard, Steve Nash, sending the two-time MVP winner crashing into the scorers’ table.

Horry was rightfully ejected and suspended for his action, but the ensuing altercation left the Suns to play out the series short handed after the team’s leading scorer, Amare Stoudemire, and roll playing big man, Boris Diaw, drew one game suspensions for leaving the bench.

It can be argued how much the suspensions of Stoudemire and Diaw affected the series, but many believe that this single play changed the recent history of the NBA.

The Spurs went on to win the series in six games, and weeks later captured their fourth championship in nine seasons.

But history will likely not remember the Spurs’ yawn-inducing five game series against the Jazz, or the too easy four game sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

History will remember Horry’s dirty play.

Now flash forward one year and one day from Horry’s vicious slide step against Steve Nash, and you will find another eventual footnote in the long and successful career of Robert Horry.

With 10 minutes to play in game six of the Western Conference semi-finals, the Spurs were comfortably leading the visiting New Orleans Hornets by 21 points.

As Spurs guard, Manu Ginobli, attempted a shot from the baseline, Horry propelled his shoulder sharply into the already sore back of Hornets’ all-star forward, David West.

West immediately fell to the ground, his left arm awkwardly clutching his back as he writhed on the floor in pain.

While there is no doubt the importance of the game—the Spurs faced elimination trailing the Hornets 3-2—there was certainly no need for the contact Horry made.

So here we are again. An important second round playoff game against the San Antonio Spurs, and another all-star player has been forced to the ground by the latest NBA hit man.

But the worst was still yet to come.

As West lay on the floor, in visible pain from the hit, the San Antonio Spurs fans remarkably showed even less class than the 16 year-veteran, Horry.

While Hornets officials helped the now injured, David West, back to the locker room, over 18,000 fans began chanting Horry’s name.

So this is the San Antonio Spurs?

The team once highly regarded for its defense and teamwork. The team with a playing style so fundamentally based that it verged on boring.

This is how they win, by taking out the opposing players? It didn’t used to be this way.

In the early years of what is now being called the Spurs’ “dynasty,” San Antonio was a well-respected and well-liked professional basketball team.

Following their second championship victory in 2003, Sports Illustrated honored, and rightfully so, Tim Duncan and David Robinson as the Sportsmen of the Year. Highlighting not only the skillful play of these two future hall of famers, but also their philanthropic work off the court and their sportsmanship on it.

This was supposed to be the model NBA franchise that all other successful teams should be based on. A superbly coached, defensively sound, and even monotonously good veteran squad.

The Spurs were supposed to be the team you watch to see how basketball should be played. The team that veteran roll players flock to in search of a championship.

Players like Steve Kerr, Steve Smith, Glen Robinson, Michael Finley, and Brent Barry have all come to the Spurs and found their glory. And if the success continues, Damon Stoudemire and Kurt Thomas will join that list.

But are the Spurs really playing basketball the way it was meant to be?

The Oakland Raiders of the NFL have always worn their silver and black colors with pride. Those colors represented an attitude and a style that was to be feared. Rules are a concept not followed by those Raiders, and their silver and black brethren in the NBA have followed them down the same path.

And with their team, the fans of San Antonio have also crossed the line and became nothing more than just plain bad sports.

Is this how we’ll remember the Alamo? 18,000 fans callously cheering the injury of an opponent while honoring the actions of their own dirty enforcer.

There’s no doubt that Robert Horry has left an impressive and indelible mark on the league.

Despite limited talents and limited playing time, he has managed more professional success than nearly anyone who’s ever played the game. But the new role he’s adopted is not one that should be cheered.

The history of these playoffs has yet to be written, but with another cruel and thoughtless action, Robert Horry has carved out another dubious footnote in his once admirable career.