Comments on: Heat barely beat undermanned Spurs, but controversy will linger beyond this game

By: deeballer

deeballer — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:38:04 +0000

That’s the most idiotic comment made about the Heat not being so good in the WC. How could you say that when they beat every elite team in the WC this year and some twice. They also beat OKC for the championship. I still don’t know how you could formulate such an assumption without any numbers to back it up.

By: Kurt Helin

Kurt Helin — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:16:17 +0000

Um, Pop had Duncan and Robinson and Parker and Ginobili. Nobody wins a title without talent on the roster.

By: savvybynature

savvybynature — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 19:02:19 +0000

Not every team will do it because not every team has older superstars. It makes sense for the Tim Duncans and Manu Ginobilis of the league, but not the Kevin Durants and Lebron James’.

So your statement is an exaggeration. At worst you may see guys like KG and Kobe take an occasional night off, IF their team has earned the right by putting them in position to make the playoffs regardless.

I actually have no problem with that as I’d rather see those guys play in the playoffs than in November.

By: savvybynature

savvybynature — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:53:05 +0000

My apologies to fans of the Wizards and other bad teams, lol.

I was merely making a point and actually, I’m on your side. I’m from Cincinnati, so the Bengals are no perennial powerhouse believe me. The curse of bad ownership is as bad as it gets as a sports fan.

By: rtfinch

rtfinch — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:43:21 +0000

So then pay big bucks to watch YOUR team play, who cares who they’re playing? And those players get paid millions of dollars to compete at a high level week in and week out. A lot of good that does laying on a training table with a pulled hamstring.

By: eventhorizon04

eventhorizon04 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 17:52:21 +0000

Really?

You don’t think Spurs-OKC or Spurs-Lakers games would be nationally televised??

Okay…..

By: scalfor3

scalfor3 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 17:36:34 +0000

Phil Jackson has never lost a game. Just ask him.

By: miamatt

miamatt — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:39:57 +0000

As a Heat fan, this game was tough to watch.

As far as Popovich goes, it’s his team to do with as he pleases. Miami had not played since Saturday. The Spurs were on the 2nd night of a back to back and playing their 4th road game in 5 nights. The road trip was already a success.

As a fan it stunk- believe me I was upset when I heard the news, I wanted to see some great basketball. But I don’t see how Popovich can be fined or suspended. If that becomes the case, guys will be sitting out with “general soreness” or “knee”. At least he is honest and consistent with regards to his intentions.

By: apmn

apmn — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:33:59 +0000

I was thinking the same thing. Pop’s a military guy. Put your strength against your opponent’s weakness if you can, don’t waste it against his strength unless you have to.

By: manchestermiracle

manchestermiracle — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:51:59 +0000

You’re putting an awful lot of responsibility on Popovich’s shoulders to clean up a situation that was entirely the NBA’s own fault. When you schedule a nationally-televised game and want all players on both teams to participate maybe you shouldn’t hamstring one of them by forcing them to do double back-to-backs.while the other sits around resting for a week.

And “the health of the league” cannot override the health of the players or you end up with a broken league.

By: vincejr79

vincejr79 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:31:46 +0000

This goes both ways. Yes Pop has a right to rest his players to keep them fresh for the end of the season. BUT, this is a business and he needs to be smart enough to pick and choose which games. This was a national televised game which brings in a lot of money from sponsors. If I were someone who bought a spot to advertise for this game, and it was stated ahead of time that the spurs were going to rest their star players that spot would cost me a lot less. Advertising, and broadcasting is the bread and butter of the NBA. This is not just about stern being stern, this is about the health of the league. So no matter what it effects the whole NBA.

By: themagicfanguy

themagicfanguy — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:19:35 +0000

@tigerpork Duncan, Parker, and Ginobli sat for health reasons too. They’re old, and in Ginobli’s case injury prone. Preventative health reasons are no less important.

By: pglive21

pglive21 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:07:06 +0000

I agree that Stern was off base but your comment doesn’t really make sense. Stern issued the statement BEFORE the game had started. You don’t get the benefit of hindsight when assessing that statement. What would you have used as your reasoning if the game had been a blowout for the Heat? Either way I believe it’s Popovich’s decision and no one else’s but you can’t use the quality or closeness of the game as a reason for your argument.

By: pglive21

pglive21 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:01:39 +0000

So what if this type of thing “generally” happens at the end of the season? Are you saying that it is a viable strategy at the end of the season but not at the beginning? That doesn’t make any sense. Popovich knows his players better than anyone and he knows the type of rest they need to make an impact in the playoffs. Their top 3 guys have accumulated a lot of miles on those legs. Over the past 10 years they’ve probably played an extra season and a half (just an estimate) extra in playoff games compared to some other teams. The point is that it’s not Stern’s decision to make and there is no rule in place that governs who must suit up and play at games. That is completely the coach’s discretion.

By: tigerpork

tigerpork — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:25:17 +0000

James and Wade rested for health reasons. The starting five for the Spurs were all healthy and they repeatedly do this.

By: tigerpork

tigerpork — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:18:24 +0000

everyone thinks this is not big deal..clearly I think it is. If teams see that this is OK by us fans then every team in the NBA will resting their players too.

It would suck to pay big bucks for good seats to see the Thunder starting five come to town and only to find out they are not playing! These players get paid millions of dollars to do their job and entertain us not take the day off.

This is like buying tickets to see Jay Z and only to find out 50cent is rapping instead.

By: klink6224

klink6224 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:00:10 +0000

I love how there has been much talk saying why didn’t Pop do the resting vs Orlando instead of this game when the smart play is resting vs the Heat. Not gonna go back and look at minutes played vs Orlando but if they destroyed them like they could/should they’d rest most of that game too.

But the biggest coup to it is Miami is likely a Finals matchup which the Spurs have to at least think is possible they make it that far. Sure it’s November but if you limit the looks of the stars the Heat players can’t “know” tendencies based off earlier season matchups. So in effect you are resting for immediate health reasons. Still getting intel on their main players (and their “scrubs” played them well) all the while limiting their intel on you later. Is it far fetched? Perhaps but has more long term advantages then resting vs Orlando

By: rtfinch

rtfinch — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:34:47 +0000

Did you watch the game? And you’re right, if it was at home they probably would’ve played, because they wouldn’t have been at the end of a 10 day road trip playing 4 games in 5 days.

By: jrose606

jrose606 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:31:34 +0000

ryan, you have laid out the slippery slope perfectly. Stern is just itching to go down it.

By: rtfinch

rtfinch — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:29:06 +0000

I wanted to like it, but im a Wizards fan. Great points thought haha.

By: rtfinch

rtfinch — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:25:11 +0000

You think Duncan, Parker, and Ginobli wanted to sit? I doubt Popovich even gave them an option, so what does that tell you about Phil, to let a player tell him when he will and wont play.

By: themagicfanguy

themagicfanguy — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:17:47 +0000

Plus, Stern has NO right to sanction a team for NOT breaking any rules. There is nothing that says he has authority over a team’s starting roster. It’s Pop’s choice. If Stern sanctions them, the Spurs should take him to court.

By: themagicfanguy

themagicfanguy — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:16:04 +0000

There is no controversy, its just the media digging for a story. I didn’t hear any of this when LBJ and Wade got rested last season…
Stern is a wannabe tyrant. The end.

By: ryanrockzzz

ryanrockzzz — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 12:42:51 +0000

Yes, but Stern should be wise enough to know that this isn’t the first time and won’t be the last time the Spurs did this. They can make the schedule, and they can manipulate the teams that represent the league from afar to casual fans, TV executives and many more demographics.

The point that the Spurs should have their top tier players in a nationally televised game makes perfect sense. However when you have a team with a coach who doesn’t care at all about TV ratings and just wants to save his team for the 82 game regular season (which is only that long to make more money for the league, and improves TV revenue), then the NBA shoudl be smart enough not to be shocked if key players may be resting, especially giving the imbalance of schedules for the two teams, and the history.

Also, we can’t all overlook the fact this game was way closer then it should have been. Do the Heat get chastised for not stepping up against an inferior opponent, who was not trying to put the best product out there. If there was such a discrepancy, then the Heat would have won by 30. So maybe they were not giving the viewers the best show either….

By: ryanrockzzz

ryanrockzzz — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 12:36:02 +0000

Or this is actually a super smart thing to do because Pop has been around his team every day and with the same core for years, so he knows how they react to a long season. If they were taking a “night off” then they would all just forfit the game. The bigger issue is if the Heat took a “night off” mentally to have such a close game against an undermanned squad.

By: davidcl77

davidcl77 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 11:44:17 +0000

Made for a sorry game. I guarantee you he would not rest them had the game been in San Antonio. They may as well win all the regular season games they can, cause come playoff time, the same thing will happen as did last year.

By: davidly

davidly — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 09:04:41 +0000

The coach did exactly what a coach is supposed to do. Everything else is pure BS.

By: paulwoodsby

paulwoodsby — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 08:26:07 +0000

Stern and the league should have nothing to do with it. While I’m nervous that Pop might do this again, he’s the coach. It’s his right. If he wants to make the Spurs orginization look bad on national TV, there’s no rule against it.

That said, I’m a lifelong Spurs fanatic and I think Pop made a stupid decision. I’ve got tickets for a back-to-back road game in a few weeks and I’m wondering if he’s going to do this again. I’m thinking of selling my tickets because it’s not worth going just to watch the bench.

But if there is a punishment to be given, don’t punish the players. They probably had nothing to do with the decision. As competitive as the big three are, they probably weren’t happy about it, but respect Popovich enough not to fight it.

By: savvybynature

savvybynature — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 08:21:12 +0000

So we get a game with 25 lead changes that is decided in the final minute by the play of the league’s premier superstar, and Stern apologizes to the fans for it?!!?

What an idiot. That was actually a good game. He should apologize to the fans of the Wizards and other perennially awful teams, but leave Pop alone. That was an entertaining game and Stern has the gall to denigrate the effort of the players involved? What a disgraceful and shameless shill for the sponsors Stern has shown himself to be.

By: paulwoodsby

paulwoodsby — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 08:14:16 +0000

Don’t blame the team for a decision Popovich made.

phil jackson ALWAYS had some excuse for everything that went wrong.