Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu, Danny Green sent home won't play vs Heat

[SCdac]

they should take away all Spurs nationally televised games and fine them a couple mill. Pop might not care but the owner probably will.

this spits in the face of everyone who bought a ticket, bought league pass, and is a NBA fan. what idiot wants to watch a game of bench players vs starters?

As you say this, Spurs are up 36-34

[Kujo]

I totally get why the Spurs, and Pop do this, but NBA teams shouldn't be allowed to do this. At the very least, have the players suit up, and maybe just play a few minutes each quarter/half or DNP-CD'em. Stern couldn't bitch about either scenario.

[DMV2]

Can't believe people actually thinks Pops sat out Duncan, Parker, Green and Manu because it's their "least likely to win" game.

Pops is the most competitive head coach in the last 14 years.

He's doing it to rest those old legs and piss off Stern/TNT at the same time.

[Whoah10115]

The Spurs fans defending this are wrong and disingenuous, giving sarcastic responses because it's their team. This is wrong. And to think people are being crybabies or coming with this "Oh now everyone wants to see the Spurs play -I thought they were boring" shit is incredulous.

[SCdac]

The Spurs fans defending this are wrong and disingenuous, giving sarcastic responses because it's their team. This is wrong. And to think people are being crybabies or coming with this "Oh now everyone wants to see the Spurs play -I thought they were boring" shit is incredulous.

Hey, it's not Spurs fans who give the team that "boring" label, it's everybody else. Even when the Spurs are in the playoffs they've gotten some of the lowest ratings, and they're hardlyyy a popular team on this board, so it's ironic to see people bitching about their choices and decisions... Needless to say, Tonight's game was far from boring... If I was at the game, I would have left satisfied, and that's all that matters.

[BuffaloBill]

Hey, it's not Spurs fans who give the team that "boring" label, it's everybody else. Even when the Spurs are in the playoffs they've gotten some of the lowest ratings, and they're hardlyyy a popular team on this board, so it's ironic to see people bitching about their choices and decisions... Needless to say, Tonight's game was far from boring... If I was at the game, I would have left satisfied, and that's all that matters.

Same here. I genuinely enjoyed the game. Am I wrong for enjoying watching my team play even when the stars aren't there? The only thing I'm really upset with is that the Spurs couldn't close out this game, and that Patty Mills didn't get more playing time (wtf pop?). But in the end, I would take healthy, rested players over a single regular season win any day.

[BuffaloBill]

The Spurs fans defending this are wrong and disingenuous, giving sarcastic responses because it's their team. This is wrong. And to think people are being crybabies or coming with this "Oh now everyone wants to see the Spurs play -I thought they were boring" shit is incredulous.

You don't know what you're talking about. If you put yourselves in our shoes you would understand. I'm not trying to make excuses for Pop. But I don't mind the fact that he let some of the players rest. Especially with the extended road trip, and the fact that Parker and Ginobili still have lingering injuries. Pop was smart to do what he did, and I respect his decision. Even if everyone else doesn't like it, he did what was best for his players.

[rmt]

I was at the game which was much more competitive than the last 2 30-point blowouts by the Heat with the Spurs' big 3 playing. Stern's statement is bs - coaches do this all the time at the end of the season. Why should SAS get sanctions for doing it at another time in the season?

Pop coulda won this game - shouldn't have left de Colo out there so long at the end of the game as he can't shoot. I heard Lebron keep pointing to Gary Neal, saying "Guard him, guard him" He knew it was going to Neal hence the steal.

Got to sit in the row behind SAS bench (my brother & girlfriend left at half-time). Popovich was busting a blood vessel at the end of the game when they had a chance to win.

[tomtucker]

Stupid TNT cuts away to another camera at the end of the game, so we don

[kNicKz]

Wow, they almost beat them too

[Chrono90]

I do understand where Pop is coming from, though. I think he knows/realizes the odds of the Spurs winning tonight were very slim. His team is coming off this stretch of games:

@LAC (11/7)
@Sac (11/9)
@Por (11/10)
@LAL (11/13)
vsNYK (11/15)
vsDen (11/17)
vsLAC (11/19)
@Bos (11/21)
@Ind (11/23)
@Tor (11/25)
@Was (11/26)
@Orl (11/28)
@Mia (11/29)

An east coast and west coast road trip in about three weeks? And tonight would've been their fourth game in five days, and fifth game in seven days.

Forgot to add that this is the Heat's first game since I think Saturday.

Pop felt like it was a set up to make them lose to the heats on TNT. It's his way of retaliating back to the league

[Carbine]

He has the right to rest his players and coach his team any way he wishes.

There is no rule that says you have to play your best players, nor should there.

[Godzuki]

He has the right to rest his players and coach his team any way he wishes.

There is no rule that says you have to play your best players, nor should there.

its a unwritten rule in the entirety of pro sports leagues. its just rarely come up due to obvious reasons of teams wanting to put their best out to win games but Popovich just abused the shit out of what leeway there was with it. who'd have thought someone would pull this crap right at the beginning of a NBA season resting his players after a full summer off? sad

[west_tip]

its a unwritten rule in the entirety of pro sports leagues. its just rarely come up due to obvious reasons of teams wanting to put their best out to win games but Popovich just abused the shit out of what leeway there was with it. who'd have thought someone would pull this crap right at the beginning of a NBA season resting his players after a full summer off? sad

Quit crying, Pop's primary consideration at this time of year is managing his players through the demands of an 82 game regular season, keeping them healthy, fresh and free from injury. If the league want their marquee matchups/TNT games to be competitive maybe they shouldn't schedule them as the second game of a back to back.

Anyway, the Spurs had a lead heading into the last few minutes, wasn't like they got blown out or anything.

[IGotACoolStory]

It was a highly entertaining game, in large part because Pop sat out his guys.

NBA fans are spoiled and like to bitch. This thread just proves it.