Spurs fined $250K for sitting players

[pwaldo]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/86...itting-players

The NBA has fined the San Antonio Spurs $250,000 as a result of coach Gregg Popovich's actions on Thursday night.

Popovich sent stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, plus key role player Danny Green, on a commercial flight home instead of playing them in a nationally televised game against the Miami Heat so they could rest ahead of the Spurs' Saturday home game against the league-leading Memphis Grizzlies.

Said NBA commissioner David Stern in a statement: "The result here is dictated by the totality of the facts in this case. The Spurs decided to make four of their top players unavailable for an early-season game that was the team's only regular-season visit to Miami. The team also did this without informing the Heat, the media, or the league office in a timely way. Under these circumstances, I have concluded that the Spurs did a disservice to the league and our fans."

The league's statement said the Spurs were in violation of league policy reviewed with the board of governors in April 2010 against resting players in a manner "contrary to the best interests of the NBA."

[cgb_orl]

http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miam...ington-wizards

Stern's explanation is not only bogus, you can tell it was to avoid the scrutiny of why he doesn't discipline other teams that do the same thing. He expected to serve up the road weary Spurs to a well rested Heat squad. Pop screwed him and he got sour.

[rocksaysits420]

If the games wasn't on national television, the Spurs wouldn't have been fined.

[wrigleyfield]

Stern is an idiot.

[BigAl_83]

100% deserved! I would have also suspended the players a few games even though its a coach decision. Think about if your a Miami season ticket holder, you are buying expensive tickets to watch your team play the good teams. If after the Spurs the Lakers would come to Miami and leave Kobe, Dwight and Nash at home, and the Thunder come in and leave KD, Westbrook and Ibaka at home. I would feel robbed as a season ticket holder. I can understand the Spurs feel its a game that they had a high chance of losing it so it makes sense to rest your best players, but if every team does that against other great teams it would downgrade all big games to d-league matchups.
East and West teams only play each other once home and away, so its in insult to those home fans and casual nba fan watching on tv, to send your best 3 players home to get "rest".

[cgb_orl]

100% deserved! I would have also suspended the players a few games even though its a coach decision. Think about if your a Miami season ticket holder, you are buying expensive tickets to watch your team play the good teams. If after the Spurs the Lakers would come to Miami and leave Kobe, Dwight and Nash at home, and the Thunder come in and leave KD, Westbrook and Ibaka at home. I would feel robbed as a season ticket holder. I can understand the Spurs feel its a game that they had a high chance of losing it so it makes sense to rest your best players, but if every team does that against other great teams it would downgrade all big games to d-league matchups.
East and West teams only play each other once home and away, so its in insult to those home fans and casual nba fan watching on tv, to send your best 3 players home to get "rest".

It is well chronicled that most nba fans (and Stern) view the Spurs as boring, old, slow and generate low ratings. Now all of sudden people (esp Miami fans) are paying to see this team? Lets be real. nba fans do deserve more but lets focus on teams tanking for draft position or having most of the nba's superstars in 2 cities. That deserves more attention than this. I would imagine those same fans in Washington and Boston last year were dissappointed when Lebron and co didn't hit the floor. Were they fined btw?

Second, you probably got a more inspired game then you would have gotten out of those starters. Trust me, I've seen them lay stinkers on the end of road trips. They were tired. They were beat up and have been playing more due to Kawhi and Jack being out. Danny Green gets injured the next night. They had plenty reason.

Third, this was a Pop jab at Stern for the schedule. It was EXTREMELY unfair not to mention Miami had been sitting at home. It was the Spurs 11th road game out of 17 total.

Fourth, at what point do you allow Stern to dictate how you run your team? We are not talking about a losing coach. This is a franchise dedicated to winning. 29-5 over the past 34 road games using such decisions. Stern is worried about dollars, Pop.....wins.

[angel0430]

This is another reason why I do not watch NBA anymore. Teams can do whatever they want with their players. Stern is a joke and his replacement has been trained by him so we are going to get more of the same.