USA - Stern doesn't expect changes on hot issues

SAN ANTONIO (NBA) - NBA commissioner David Stern has insisted the league has no intention of changing the rules for suspensions or the draft lottery.

Speaking at his "State of the Game" address on Thursday at the NBA Finals, Stern also said the league is making progress in negotiating an extension of the current TV deals with broadcast partners ABC, ESPN and TNT.

In the final minute of Game Four of the Western Conference semifinals between the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns, Spurs forward Robert Horry hip-checked Suns guard Steve Nash into the scorer's table.

The hard foul on the two-time MVP brought Suns teammates Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw off the bench in an effort to defend Nash in what looked like an escalating situation. There was some pushing and shoving before order was restored.

Horry, a reserve, was suspended two games for his foul and subsequent actions. But Stoudemire, an All-Star starter, and Diaw, the 2006 Most Improved Player, received automatic one-game bans for leaving the bench area during an altercation.

Without Stoudemire and Diaw, the shorthanded Suns lost Game Five at home, 88-85. The Spurs also won Game Six to close out the series, which some observers viewed as tainted.

"It concerns me that the enforcement of the rule gives them that impression, but it is what it is," Stern said. "We recently brought the subject up for discussion at our Competition Committee meeting, and there was no proposal to change it.

"Our teams are satisfied with the enforcement and generally felt that any other enforcement would have been quite questionable, given the past enforcement and the general awareness of the rule."

Last month's lottery saw the Memphis Grizzlies and Boston Celtics - the teams with the two worst records in the NBA this season - bumped out of the top three picks by the draw of ping-pong balls and in all likelihood losing the opportunity to draft college stars Greg Oden and Kevin Durant.

The Grizzlies had a 25 percent chance of winning the lottery and the Celtics a shade under 20 percent. However, the top two picks went to the Portland Trail Blazers, who had a 5.3 percent chance of winning, and the Seattle SuperSonics, who had an 8.8 percent chance.

"We talked about it at the Competition Committee and we're going to talk about it again in October and look at it," Stern said. "I don't think that there's anyone that's going to be happy with whatever the system is, and I don't mean that because anyone is unfairly complaining.

The consensus seemed to be at the Competition Committee - but we're going to continue with it and raise it to the owners again - is leave it. There's always going to be someone complaining."

FIBA