NBA's Rob Thorn on potential suspension for Pacers' George: 'not even a close call'

The concerns surrounding a potential suspension for Pacers forward Paul George were apparently overblown.

During a scuffle between Hawks forward Mike Scott and Pacers guard George Hill, George stepped off the bench, and waded onto the court, albeit only briefly. 

NBA president of operations Rod Thorn, who oversees suspensions, commented on George's case on Friday, and dubbed it "not even a close call."

He further clarified his thoughts on the matter:

People just misunderstand (the rule). It’s the 'vicinity of the bench.' It’s not that if your foot is on the line or one step over the line. ... You’ve got to use some common sense, too. When I looked at this today, I’m thinking, 'What are people talking about?’

The rule mandating players to remain on the bench during altercations has historically been a point of contention for many teams. 

Most notably, the NBA decided to suspend then Suns forwards Amar'e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw during the 2007 NBA Western Conference Semifinals. Suns guard Steve Nash was body-checked into the stands by former Spurs forward Robert Horry, which sparked a scrum. 

Although Stoudemire and Diaw, who were both on the bench, stepped nowhere near the incident itself, they were both suspended one game apiece for their actions. Their collective absence helped the Spurs eliminate the Suns from playoff contention.