By now, I’m sure you’ve all heard the story.  If not, I’ll place a link to it at the end of this column.  But the long and short of it is that the NBA has had another player ostensibly go crazy and run up into the stands.  You can’t do that, you know.  Not under any circumstances.  And so, the Knicks Antonio Davis was immediately ejected from the game. 

New York Knicks' Antonio Davis exits the court after being ejected for going into the crowd during overtime of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2006 in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Let me relay the facts as I understand them.  The Knicks-Bulls game was coming to an exciting conclusion that would eventually finish in overtime with a Bulls win.  In fact, the game had plenty of excitement including the ejections of the Knicks Maurice Taylor and the Bulls Chris Duhon after some extra-curricular activity broke out between them.  But the story that I think will have the most lasting (and probably unfair) effects is that which concerns Antonio Davis.

At the end of a play, not a particularly important play, Antonio Davis bolted off the court and up into the stands.  I didn’t see the occurance as I was listening to the game on the radio.  So, much of what I relay here needs to be understood with the idea that I’m basically relaying second-hand information given to me by Neil Funk and Bill Wennington on their broadcast of the game.  Apparently, after the play, some players, both Bulls and Knicks players, were preoccupied by some commotion up in the stands.  When Davis looked, he noticed that his wife and son were involved with some fan.  When the fan reached out and touched Davis’ wife, Antonio took off. 

Like I said, Davis broke the rules and he was ejected.  In David Stern’s infinite wisdom, he probably will severely penalize Davis, possibly with a huge suspension and fine.  I’m sure that, in his mind, it is necessary to do that after the Ron Artest debacle. 

Now, if you’ll remember, I defended Artest and, frankly, I still think he got jobbed.  And I was pretty much alone in defending him.  So it should come as no surprise to anyone that I’m going to defend Davis, too. 

First, there are several differences between this and the Pistons/Pacers brouhaha from a year ago.  Davis went into the stands to protect his family.  He claims that, well, read it in his own words in a statement released after the game:

"I witnessed my wife being threatened by a man that I learned later to be intoxicated.  I saw him touch her, and I know I should not have acted the way I did, but I would have felt terrible if I didn't react. There was no time to call security. It happened too quickly."

Second, once he got there, he did nothing but get between his family and the alleged attacker.  He calmly waited for security to arrive and then left the area.  He went and rejoined his teammates where he was informed that he had been ejected.  And that was basically it. 

So, what happens next?  Due to the Pacers/Pistons fracas of last season, the NBA took a huge image hit and David Stern knows this.  That man seems to be all about image.  Anything that mars the image of the NBA usually brings down the wrath of Stern on all those near enough to feel it.  But if he fines/suspends Davis over this, then Stern truly has no heart.  You have to allow a man to protect his family if he feels it’s in danger.  And, truth be told, Antonio Davis handled the situation in a very classy manner.  As soon as security arrived and took control, Davis calmly walked away.  There was no pushing or shoving.  No punches were thrown nor chairs nor water bottles, either.  If anything, Stern should commend Davis for the way he handled the situation.  After all, isn’t someone protecting their family a good image for the league to latch on to?  But I just don’t see that happening.  History suggests otherwise, too.  I would hope that Stern would see the situation as it was and do nothing.  That would be the classy thing for him, and the NBA, to do. 

Right now, the ball is in Stern’s court.

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