4:51PM EST December 3. 2012 - On Saturday morning, a Halloween picture of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker holding fake guns to the head of a Joey Crawford impersonator went viral, surfacing on Reddit and quickly spreading across the Internet.
In the photo, the San Antonio Spurts teammates are pointing fake guns at the back of the head of a man dressed in a makeshift Crawford referee uniform. A noose hangs above the fake Crawford.
SITTING STARS: Did Popovich compromise the game?
Duncan, dressed like the comic book hero The Punisher, presses his fake gun against Crawford's head while Parker, in a leather jacket and an eyepatch, points his fake gun and mugs for the camera.
Crawford is an NBA referee who has a long past with the San Antonio Spurs. In 2007, he ejected Duncan for laughing while on the bench, then allegedly challenged him to a fight. He was fined $25,000 by the NBA.
The NBA and the team would not comment on the photo when contacted by USA TODAY Sports.
Duncan and Parker weren't made available to talk to reporters Monday, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Manu Ginobli, who went to the party dressed as Zorro, defended his teammates on account of the occasion.
"What I know is, it was Halloween," Ginobli the Express News. "If somebody dressed like [coach Gregg Popovich] was there, I probably would have done the same with my little sword. I think it was a joke. It was very innocent. They were just probably kidding. I didn't see it at the time, but nothing to be serious about."
Though the timing of the picture's leak is bound to make people draw parallels to the NFL tragedy in Kansas City, it shouldn't. This was a harmless, if tasteless, joke, not a heinous crime. The timing of its release was an unfortunate coincidence.
Ginobli doesn't think his teammates deserve any discipline from the NBA, but David Stern may not be as understanding.
It's irrelevant that the pose was a visual gag they probably hoped would never see the light of day. Whether or not it's funny is of no concern. Nor does it matter than Duncan and Parker are known as two of the NBA's good guys. Perception is king.
Whatever you think about guns, sports and the abilities of Joey Crawford (or lack thereof), it's an easy call to make. Two NBA stars allowed themselves to be photographed pointing fake guns at an NBA referee. The league can't let that go.
Contributing: Jeff Zillgitt
Source : http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2012/12/03/tim-duncan-tony-parker-joey-crawford-halloween-guns/1742303/