Did Popovich cross the line as egregiously as Stern suggested? I watched the game, and it was the best game I watched all season – because of the storyline, and because of the competitiveness of the Spurs’ scrubs, who led for most of the fourth quarter.
The background:
Popovich decided to send home stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili – plus starting guard Danny Green – after Wednesday night’s win in Orlando. That meant they watched on TV and were not even available in an emergency.
Minutes after tipoff, Stern said in a statement, “I apologize to all NBA fans. This was an unacceptable decision by the San Antonio Spurs and substantial sanctions will be forthcoming.”
It was the fourth game in five nights for the Spurs, who face the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday in what could be a battle for the Southwest Division lead.
Duncan is 36, Parker is 30 and Ginobili is 35. All three have been rested by Popovich from time to time over the last couple of seasons in an effort to keep them fresh for the playoffs.
Before the game, Popovich said he had planned a long time ago to sit his stars for this game.
Last season, in February, the Spurs had an 11-game winning streak but were playing their third game in four nights, and Popovich rested his stars. They lost by 40.
“We’ve done this before in hopes of making a wiser decision, rather than a popular decision,” Popovich said. “It’s pretty logical. I don’t think it was a tough decision at all. In fact, it was made when the schedule came out.”
Popovich somewhat sympathized with fans watching on TV and attending the game at AmericanAirlines Arena who paid for their tickets expecting to see San Antonio’s stars in their only visit to Miami this season. But Popovich indicated he could not allow that thought process to influence his decision.
“If I was taking my 6-year-old son or daughter to the game, I’d want him or her to see everybody,” the coach said. “So I understand that perspective. Hopefully, people in that position will understand my perspective. My priority is my basketball team and what’s best for it.”
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I have never been more upset with David Stern. I can no longer take his rule as dictator and him being under the allusion that he always knows best. If Popovich feels that resting his players give his team the best shot at a title he is entitled to do that. Doesn’t matter that fans bought tickets to see the Spurs, doesn’t matter that it might have hurt TV ratings, doesn’t matter that the Spurs basically gave themselves a loss before the game started. It isn’t like the Spurs are trying to tank to get a higher draft pick or avoid a playoff match up, they are thinking what will help us win a championship. I will admit, I was looking forward to this game beforehand as well, and when I found out Parker, Duncan, Ginobli, and Green would be resting it took a little excitement away; but 2 minutes later I remembered Pop did this last year, and they almost made it to the Finals doing exactly this. If anything, after Dictator Stern’s comments, I was more interested in the game, and I became a cheerleader for the Spurs last night.
And as a Bulls fan I think of all of the games Rose played last year not being 100%. He would play a few games, then sit a few games because he wasn’t healed yet from his injury, or a new injury would pop up. I’m not saying this is why he tore is ACL, but it couldn’t have helped. As long as you put yourself in position of being a top 4 playoff seed it doesn’t matter who you rest and when you rest them. And maybe more teams should help out their aging vets this way, and help out their players who are not quite 100% yet. I think every Bulls game about Derrick Rose and about every possible factor that lead to his injury. I would have gladly given up seeing him in 5-10 more regular season games last year if it meant him being 100% going into the playoffs, which every close observer to the Bulls knows he wasn’t last year. I love Coach Thibs, and I know Rose wanted to play, but maybe if Popovich is coaching the Bulls last year Rose never tears his ACL.
Yes, Rose’s situation and the Spurs last night are apples and oranges, but Pop’s thinking shows he sees the Endgame, he realizes one regular season game forfeit is similar to sacrificing a pawn. Popovich has his mind set on capturing the King in the long-run, and the King was not going to be dethroned last night.
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Slate has a great article about this: “Pageview juicing is a myopic strategy. In the long run, unfriendly design isn’t going to help websites win new adherents, and winning new readers is the whole point of being a website.”