NBA Fines Spurs $250K for Sitting Stars

Surprised this wasn't posted yet.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/spurs-sit- ... --nba.html

Absolutely ridiculous. Where are you going to draw the line? Stern has just lost it.

It's being discussed in the 'other NBA games' thread...

I understand both sides, but I don't know how Stern/Adam Silver can enforce or legislate this in the future. It sets a weird precedent.

Unfortunately, personal terms are what motivated Stern.

purp n gold wrote:Unfortunately, personal terms are what motivated Stern.

I think the same thing motivated Pop....

The part lost in this whole thing is the players themselves..... Can you imagine what a guy like Kobe would be thinking if he got sent home because he was tired?..... Gives you a little insight into how their "big three" think....

Rooscooter wrote:

purp n gold wrote:Unfortunately, personal terms are what motivated Stern.

I think the same thing motivated Pop....

The part lost in this whole thing is the players themselves..... Can you imagine what a guy like Kobe would be thinking if he got sent home because he was tired?..... Gives you a little insight into how their "big three" think....

Exactly. I don't believe for a second that Pop wouldn't allow Duncan to play in this game if he really, really wanted to. Kobe would NEVER sit out a game on national TV, let alone a regular season game, because of feeling tired.
In the end though, a coach can do whatever he feel is the best for his team. Period. Stern acted out of anger for losing face towards his investors. Pop has done this many times in the past, yet Stern did nothing. So why this time? Because it's on national TV of course and it makes Stern look bad. The sooner Stern is gone, the better. This fining stuff is getting way out of hand.

Rooscooter wrote:Can you imagine what a guy like Kobe would be thinking if he got sent home because he was tired?

Flip side to this - Imagine a Kobe that wasn't so worn down by the end of the season? Also, think of the trust that Pop and the starters have in the bench players that they will send them alone to a marquee game in Miami. Pop is one of the best for developing young talent in part because he puts them in situations that force them to learn.

Kasumi wrote:

Rooscooter wrote:Can you imagine what a guy like Kobe would be thinking if he got sent home because he was tired?

Flip side to this - Imagine a Kobe that wasn't so worn down by the end of the season? Also, think of the trust that Pop and the starters have in the bench players that they will send them alone to a marquee game in Miami. Pop is one of the best for developing young talent in part because he puts them in situations that force them to learn.

I understand that point of view but I seriously don't think Kobe's pride, drive or immense sense of competitiveness would be conducive to sitting because we've played 3 in 5 nights. That isn't who he is.... and who he is is the reason he's had the success he's had.

Kobe has indicated that he has no real desire to "hang on" if you read between the lines of some of his comments about getting older.

I actually think if you sat Kobe because he was tired against a team like Miami in a nationally televised game he'd come out in the following game and expend any and all of the energy saved by "resting him".

As I said before it seems to be a urination match between Pop and Stern that has had many episodes over the years and that the top 3 Players of SA seemed to be O.K. being a part of..... I truly don't think this had anything to do with "rest" in November. Pop doesn't like the schedule he got and was trying to make a point. SA's schedule is always one of the harder ones in the NBA but it isn't because of the NBA.... their Arena hosts a Rodeo every year that makes scheduling their games about the most difficult in the league..... maybe he needs to re-direct his focus.

While I don't agree with this fine...... well actually, I don't know what to think. On one end, players who play major minutes do need their rest, especially if they're on the road. But on the other end, its a nationally televised game with thousands of people paying good money to see these stars played. It turned out to be a good game, but I'd be pissed too, cause I wanted to see Timmy, Gino, Parker.

I don't agree with this fine, but totally understand the business/money issues. I think Stern might instill a new rule next year saying starters can't "unreasonably" sit out nationally televised games or something.

I don't blame Pop one bit for resting his star players. You have one team playing their fourth game in five nights going against a team that had a few days off to rest? It' doesn't matter where in the season you are, that's a brutal schedule and rather unfair. I know all teams have to go through it, but for the fan that pays hundreds of dollars to see these stars, do they want to see star players that are worn down and not playing their best? Whoever makes these schedule has got to seriously think about changing how these games are schedule. They did away with the 3 in 3, why not the 4 in 5? Play 2 games in 3 nights, get two days off automatically. Even if it extends the season a little bit, it'll go a long way towards keeping players healthier and more refreshed thus having a better product fans will pay money to see.

I agree with Stern on this one 100%. Fans pay a lot of money to be entertained, and the TV pay a lot to broadcast specific games. These are the revenues that allow these players and teams to earn millions on their contract. You can't just not show up, and disrespect the game like that. If Pop wants to sit his guys, fine. But you don't send them home without even making the trip. Pop crossed the line there.

Kasumi wrote:

Rooscooter wrote:Can you imagine what a guy like Kobe would be thinking if he got sent home because he was tired?

Flip side to this - Imagine a Kobe that wasn't so worn down by the end of the season? Also, think of the trust that Pop and the starters have in the bench players that they will send them alone to a marquee game in Miami. Pop is one of the best for developing young talent in part because he puts them in situations that force them to learn.

Honestly if pop tries this with Kobe pop is looking for new employment

I agree that Kobe would never be okay with sitting out a game, this is a guy who has played through broken fingers and bad knees and everything else. But Timmy is certainly not someone you could say isn't competitive and it says something about his relationship with Pop and his trust in his teammates that he's able to see the bigger picture. They will win more games by occasionally sitting out a game. Most coaches are playing checkers while CIA Pop is playing chess - thinking three steps ahead.

I can only imagine the rage if I just bought front row tickets to watch the Lakers at Staples and learned that Kobe/Gasol/Nash/etc. were sent home and I have to settle watching Robert Sacre...

The schedule is freaking retarded though...

Good. These fans pay money to see the best possible product out on the court...not a bunch of scrubs. Not sure why Pop continues to rest his "star players"....it's not like it's helped. The Spurs haven't been true contenders in years.

nameant wrote:Good. These fans pay money to see the best possible product out on the court...not a bunch of scrubs. Not sure why Pop continues to rest his "star players"....it's not like it's helped. The Spurs haven't been true contenders in years.

In the short term it did help. Pop got to play his big 3 big minutes against the Grizz. And the Spurs were not far from the finals. They were 2 wins away and the team was the healthiest it was in many years. Only 2 teams can get to the finals and the Spurs did fairly well relative to everyone else. Was I happy with the ending? No, but it took amazing shooting from OKC bigs and Harden being a good player (till he slumped in the finals) for OKC to make it past the Spurs.

Congo Cash wrote:I can only imagine the rage if I just bought front row tickets to watch the Lakers at Staples and learned that Kobe/Gasol/Nash/etc. were sent home and I have to settle watching Robert Sacre...

The schedule is freaking retarded though...

Pop didn't do it on San Antonio's home court, he did it on the road.

I'd agree. . . if the money was actually going to the people who paid money to see the spurs starters and instead got the bench. Of course it's impossible to determine who was there for what reason, so. . . come to think of it, where does that money go?