Stern to fine Spurs for sitting players

[CDawg834]

At least Pop was being honest about it.  Personally, as a fan I was more offended by the C's complete no-show in Detroit a couple Sundays ago.  I'd prefer 9 players giving 100% as opposed to 13 players giving 50%.

And if the league does come down on the Spurs, next time Pop wants to rest his guys, couldn't he just say they all caught a stomach bug and are too sick to play?  How can the league possibly mandate playing time?  This is a very slippery slope.

[GreenEnvy]

I don't like this one bit either. Popovich was willing to sacrifice a game for a reason (in which they almost won). He didn't have ulterior motives.

Who is the league to say who a team cannot play? They have to play their "best" player? Their highest paid? Their most popular? Longest tenured?

If a star is nursing an injury, should the league send in an independent doctor to access the injury and determine whether he is actually fit to play.

Pop was honest, and Stern should let this one go. How many people do you really think bought tickets in Miami to see the Spurs stars? And do you think said fans were disappointed in that game and their effort?

Maybe all the years that Scal got DNP's from Doc the C's should have been fined. Maybe some folks were coming to see him.



I remember being so excited going to see the Celtics the first time they were in NYC since forming the Big Three. A few minutes into the game Pierce and QRich get tossed for a minor scuffle. Pierce is my favorite player. Sure it p---ed me off, but I still enjoyed the thrashing we laid on the Knicks.

[relja]

I think the title is jumping the gun - Stern said "significant sanctions" but nothing's been named yet. 

I'm not surprised though - I'm sure the contracts have some kind of elastic "detrimental to the league" clause, and a team basically forfeiting a nationally televised matchup is not going to make the front office happy.  It's essentially tanking, just not for a lottery pick.

Resting your old star players is not tanking, it's doing what's smart to win a title this year. To get fined for it is a joke and an insult.

It is also a slap in the face to the fans who paid good money to see these guys play.

Well, basketball is a sport not an industry or business.

[celtsfan84]

I think the title is jumping the gun - Stern said "significant sanctions" but nothing's been named yet. 

I'm not surprised though - I'm sure the contracts have some kind of elastic "detrimental to the league" clause, and a team basically forfeiting a nationally televised matchup is not going to make the front office happy.  It's essentially tanking, just not for a lottery pick.

Resting your old star players is not tanking, it's doing what's smart to win a title this year. To get fined for it is a joke and an insult.

It is also a slap in the face to the fans who paid good money to see these guys play.

Well, basketball is a sport not an industry or business.

The NBA, its franchises, owners, commissioner, players, agents, sponsors, customers, etc... all disagree.  I can't tell whether you are joking or not.

[CDawg834]

I think the title is jumping the gun - Stern said "significant sanctions" but nothing's been named yet. 

I'm not surprised though - I'm sure the contracts have some kind of elastic "detrimental to the league" clause, and a team basically forfeiting a nationally televised matchup is not going to make the front office happy.  It's essentially tanking, just not for a lottery pick.

Resting your old star players is not tanking, it's doing what's smart to win a title this year. To get fined for it is a joke and an insult.

It is also a slap in the face to the fans who paid good money to see these guys play.

Well, basketball is a sport not an industry or business.

Professional basketball is a business, though.  However, Pop's job is not League Ambassador...he's paid to be the head coach of the Spurs and to do what is best for his TEAM, so I am on the Spurs side on this.

[relja]

I think the title is jumping the gun - Stern said "significant sanctions" but nothing's been named yet. 

I'm not surprised though - I'm sure the contracts have some kind of elastic "detrimental to the league" clause, and a team basically forfeiting a nationally televised matchup is not going to make the front office happy.  It's essentially tanking, just not for a lottery pick.

Resting your old star players is not tanking, it's doing what's smart to win a title this year. To get fined for it is a joke and an insult.

It is also a slap in the face to the fans who paid good money to see these guys play.

Well, basketball is a sport not an industry or business.

The NBA, its franchises, owners, commissioner, players, agents, sponsors, customers, etc... all disagree.  I can't tell whether you are joking or not.

Well, Stern is just being his usual old greedy man self, but Pop has the most authority on whether he is playing someone or not. Period. Oldman Stern is just scared too lose a couple of K from TV sponsors.

If you're a fan and if you care more about seeing the stars then having your team in shape for the playoffs, then you're a selfish fake fan like most of the Heat/Lakers bandwagoners.

I am completely with Pop on this and the NBA just needs to stop messing with teams and players. Why would they care if JR Smith or someone posts his girlfriend's backside on twitter? Why would they care if Pop rests his starts? He is employed by THE SPURS ORGANIZATION, not Stern.

[Chris]

I think the title is jumping the gun - Stern said "significant sanctions" but nothing's been named yet. 

I'm not surprised though - I'm sure the contracts have some kind of elastic "detrimental to the league" clause, and a team basically forfeiting a nationally televised matchup is not going to make the front office happy.  It's essentially tanking, just not for a lottery pick.

Resting your old star players is not tanking, it's doing what's smart to win a title this year. To get fined for it is a joke and an insult.

It is also a slap in the face to the fans who paid good money to see these guys play.

Well, basketball is a sport not an industry or business.

The NBA is absolutely a business.  Remember the lockout? 

[MBz]

The game was in Miami.  Majority of the people who went to watch went to see LeBron, Wade, etc, not Duncan, Manu etc.  It's a smart basketball move for Pop.  He shouldn't be fined.  He made a decision which he thought would help his team win more games in the future.  Stern should worry more about the teams who tank at the end of the season for a better potential draft pick then the Spurs taking a game off.  Also, I hope Doc does this with KG and Piece throughout the season.

[RMO]

I think the title is jumping the gun - Stern said "significant sanctions" but nothing's been named yet. 

I'm not surprised though - I'm sure the contracts have some kind of elastic "detrimental to the league" clause, and a team basically forfeiting a nationally televised matchup is not going to make the front office happy.  It's essentially tanking, just not for a lottery pick.

Resting your old star players is not tanking, it's doing what's smart to win a title this year. To get fined for it is a joke and an insult.

It is also a slap in the face to the fans who paid good money to see these guys play.

The game was in Miami though.  Those fans got to see their guys play.  Lets be honest.  This isn't about the Spurs fan who lives in Miami and bought tickets and got screwed out of seeing their main guys play in a November game.  If it's about the fans it's about the people paying thousands and thousands of dollars for the court side season tickets.  No Heat fan bought those just to see Duncan, Ginobili and Parker play.

[Chris]

I think the title is jumping the gun - Stern said "significant sanctions" but nothing's been named yet. 

I'm not surprised though - I'm sure the contracts have some kind of elastic "detrimental to the league" clause, and a team basically forfeiting a nationally televised matchup is not going to make the front office happy.  It's essentially tanking, just not for a lottery pick.

Resting your old star players is not tanking, it's doing what's smart to win a title this year. To get fined for it is a joke and an insult.

It is also a slap in the face to the fans who paid good money to see these guys play.

The game was in Miami though.  Those fans got to see their guys play.  Lets be honest.  This isn't about the Spurs fan who lives in Miami and bought tickets and got screwed out of seeing their main guys play in a November game.  If it's about the fans it's about the people paying thousands and thousands of dollars for the court side season tickets.  No Heat fan bought those just to see Duncan, Ginobili and Parker play.

Go to stubhub, and look at the difference in price between a game against the Bobcats and the Spurs.  People pay to see the elite players and elite teams. 

[Fafnir]

I think its silly, Stern can't start dictating how coaches manage minutes in the games so what's the point? Does he just want Tim Duncan to sit their on the bench?

Overreaction of a cranky old man because TNT executives freaked out on him.

[Chris]

I think its silly, Stern can't start dictating how coaches manage minutes in the games so what's the point? Does he just want Tim Duncan to sit their on the bench?

Overreaction of a cranky old man because TNT executives freaked out on him.

I think this is a simple case of Pop taking things way too far to the point that Stern had to step in. 

There is a point where it becomes so egregious against what the fabric of the game, and sports in general, that you have to step in and say that its not acceptable. 

When you look at the whole situation, 4 best players being sent home, despite being healthy, for a game against the best team in the league, I just don't think you can look at it and make an argument that the Spurs were trying to win the game.  And when it is that clear that you are not trying to win the game, then it has hit the point where stepping in is necessary.

[fairweatherfan]

I think its silly, Stern can't start dictating how coaches manage minutes in the games so what's the point? Does he just want Tim Duncan to sit their on the bench?

Overreaction of a cranky old man because TNT executives freaked out on him.

I think this is a simple case of Pop taking things way too far to the point that Stern had to step in. 

There is a point where it becomes so egregious against what the fabric of the game, and sports in general, that you have to step in and say that its not acceptable. 

When you look at the whole situation, 4 best players being sent home, despite being healthy, for a game against the best team in the league, I just don't think you can look at it and make an argument that the Spurs were trying to win the game.  And when it is that clear that you are not trying to win the game, then it has hit the point where stepping in is necessary.

I think Steve Kerr had a pretty good analysis last night - the move was mostly to rest his guys, partly a little gamesmanship toward the Heat, but also had a big element of flipping the bird to the league and its schedule makers in a very public way.  It's the last bit that has Stern really fuming.

Can't really blame Pop for being upset though - the Spurs had been on the road almost all month, and played 4 road games in 5 days.  The Heat hadn't played at all since Saturday.  Popovich pretty clearly said "the hell with that", but snuck the guys out on a commercial flight at the last minute so the league couldn't try to stop him. 

[Chris]

I think its silly, Stern can't start dictating how coaches manage minutes in the games so what's the point? Does he just want Tim Duncan to sit their on the bench?

Overreaction of a cranky old man because TNT executives freaked out on him.

I think this is a simple case of Pop taking things way too far to the point that Stern had to step in. 

There is a point where it becomes so egregious against what the fabric of the game, and sports in general, that you have to step in and say that its not acceptable. 

When you look at the whole situation, 4 best players being sent home, despite being healthy, for a game against the best team in the league, I just don't think you can look at it and make an argument that the Spurs were trying to win the game.  And when it is that clear that you are not trying to win the game, then it has hit the point where stepping in is necessary.

I think Steve Kerr had a pretty good analysis last night - the move was mostly to rest his guys, partly a little gamesmanship toward the Heat, but also had a big element of flipping the bird to the league and its schedule makers in a very public way.  It's the last bit that has Stern really fuming.

Can't really blame Pop for being upset though - the Spurs had been on the road almost all month, and played 4 road games in 5 days.  The Heat hadn't played at all since Saturday.  Popovich pretty clearly said "the hell with that", but snuck the guys out on a commercial flight at the last minute so the league couldn't try to stop him.

Yup.  And Stern is right that stuff can't be tolerated, because it hurts the fans.

And if Pop has such a problem with the schedule, he needs to take it up with his owner.  Owners are given the chance to approve the schedule before it is finalized, and are generally given some flexibility to move things around.  But the Spurs owner signed off on it.

[Fafnir]

Unless Stern is going to micromanage who many minutes Duncan gets its not going to matter. Instead he'll have those players on the bench instead of at their homes.

As for hurting the fans, I really don't care. You aren't given any guarentee when you buy a ticket to see your favorite player. Whether its DNP - Old, injury, or suspension.

The idea that the fans were somehow "cheated" is silly to me, especially when the Spurs still came out and played hard and Pop coached to win with the players he put on the court.