Robert Horry recently told his side of the story in one of the most infamous incidents in Phoenix Suns franchise history.
The body check heard ’round the world took place in Game-4 of the 2007 Western Conference Semi-Finals, and Phoenix Suns fans know this moment by heart. Up late in the game, Steve Nash dribbled up the court near the sideline when Robert Horry body-checked him like a hockey player into the announcers’ table. Amar’e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw earned a controversial one-game suspension for coming off the bench after this, and the Suns ultimately fell 4-2 in the series.
We have heard Steve Nash talk about this moment before, but the perpetrator himself, Robert Horry, spoke about the incident on the Knuckleheads podcast with Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles.
Robert Horry tells his side of one of the Phoenix Suns’ most talked-about incidents.
Essentially, Horry claimed he was trying to take a charge, but got there late, and once he knew he was going to commit the foul, made sure it counted. He said:
"“People said, ‘You pushed him,’ but when you push someone you [extend your arms], I [kept my arms to my side]. Steve Nash was my rookie. If I wanted to hurt Steve Nash, he would have been on the other side [of the scorer’s table], cause I could have did that. My whole intention going into that play was getting ready to take that charge, and I didn’t get over in time. They was gonna call a foul on me anyway, so I’m just gonna brace. I’m from the 90s. That’s how we played.”"
So there you have it. All this time and frustration over a totally innocent failed attempt to take a charge.
Horry then kind of got on Nash for going back this soccer roots and embellishing the incident a little bit, but Richardson jumped in to defend his former teammate, calling Nash one of the toughest dudes he knows.
Horry agreed, recalling: “He was trying to play with half the skin of his nose on the other side of his face.”
Horry went on to compliment Nash by going back to his time with the Phoenix Suns when he was in his fourth year and Nash was a rookie. The two would battle hard in 1-on-1 matchups before games because they knew they wouldn’t be playing much.
Overall it is a good listen, however, it seems like Phoenix Suns fans will forever have to keep reliving one of most notorious incidents in franchise history, as talk on it doesn’t appear to be letting up anytime soon.