NBA Fines Spurs $250K for Resting Players

[Crazyhorse81 244]

I can see why Greg would have rested his players. Through an analysis of the Miami Heat's schedule, the Heat received almost 5 days of rest before the scheduled game. They had plenty of time to prepare for the starters of the Spurs while the Spurs had half a day. They played the Orlando Magic the day before that.

 

Who are the odds in favor of?

 

David Stern.

[COLOMBIANO 118]

Stern is upset because the Spurs almost beat the Heat with some players no one really know.

[For the love of the game 56]

Rest a player, not 3 of you best at the same time. Despite the score, if I was a heat fan going to the game I would be disapointed because I paid to see the a good game. If I was a Spurs fan going to the game I would be flat out pissed. While the coaches ultimate job woud be to get the team to the playoffs and content for the finals, there has to be balance.

[Orlando Magic Toaster 26]

Is this not going to encourage fake injuries? I would be mega pissed if I paid big money for tickets to that game.

[Crazyhorse81 244]

Rest a player, not 3 of you best at the same time. Despite the score, if I was a heat fan going to the game I would be disapointed because I paid to see the a good game. If I was a Spurs fan going to the game I would be flat out pissed. While the coaches ultimate job woud be to get the team to the playoffs and content for the finals, there has to be balance.

 

You don't think a 2nd string taking the mighty Heat to the wire and losing by only 5 points on THEIR floor is seeing a good game?

[CTMagicUK 1,481]

Rest a player, not 3 of you best at the same time. Despite the score, if I was a heat fan going to the game I would be disapointed because I paid to see the a good game. If I was a Spurs fan going to the game I would be flat out pissed. While the coaches ultimate job woud be to get the team to the playoffs and content for the finals, there has to be balance.

 

I don't think any of those Spurs fans will be bothered in the slightest when they make the playoffs with Manu, Duncan and Parker healthy and have a shot at a title again. As for Miami fan's why should they be annoyed? If any of the guys they "paid to see" played they would have lost. I'm sure they'd rather see their team win than see Manu, Parker and Duncan out play them. I think Stern is just flat out wrong for doing this. Pops knows what he's doing and it's not like he has never done it before... I read in an article that last year Duncan was listed as "DNP- Old" for a game. At the end of the day, had the game not been on TNT this would have never happened but the league has no right to tell a coach who they should or should not play.

[For the love of the game 56]

You don't think a 2nd string taking the mighty Heat to the wire and losing by only 5 points on THEIR floor is seeing a good game?

 

I think it was a good game and I am sure the spurs fans were impressed with the effort. My point was, and I could have worded it better, was good money was paid by the fans to watch the games, so the best players should be on the court (outside of injuries). Resting on would be ok, but three?

[For the love of the game 56]

I don't think any of those Spurs fans will be bothered in the slightest when they make the playoffs with Manu, Duncan and Parker healthy and have a shot at a title again. As for Miami fan's why should they be annoyed? If any of the guys they "paid to see" played they would have lost. I'm sure they'd rather see their team win than see Manu, Parker and Duncan out play them. I think Stern is just flat out wrong for doing this. Pops knows what he's doing and it's not like he has never done it before... I read in an article that last year Duncan was listed as "DNP- Old" for a game. At the end of the day, had the game not been on TNT this would have never happened but the league has no right to tell a coach who they should or should not play.

 

I never said the league had the right to fine the coach or say who should or should not play and I do not feel that way. I still do not think all three should have been sent home. You are most likely right about the TNT comment. I also agree they Heat fans that paid to see the game are happy they won, but deep down the win comes with an asterisk attached to it.

 

If you paid $350 to take your wife and two kids to theupcoming Lakers game (after parking, 4 hotdogs, 4 sodas, two beers etc) and then get to the game and found out Howard, Kobe and the Gasol were not playing so they rest, how would you feel? Even if the Magic won by 30, it would not have been as satisfying as a 4 point win vs their stars. Even if they lost a good game, I personally would not feel bad to lose to a team with greater talent.

[Crazyhorse81 244]

I think it was a good game and I am sure the spurs fans were impressed with the effort. My point was, and I could have worded it better, was good money was paid by the fans to watch the games, so the best players should be on the court (outside of injuries). Resting on would be ok, but three?

 

I go to Magic games to see Magic players, not the other team. I'm pretty sure those down on South Beach go to Heat games to see Lebron, Wade, and Bosh. Therefore, were this to have happened with Orlando (meaning the Spurs sent their players home instead of playing the Magic, and I had bought tickets to that game), I wouldn't have cared in the slightest, since I'm not paying to see Duncan, Manu, and Parker. I'm paying to see the Magic.

[For the love of the game 56]

I go to Magic games to see Magic players, not the other team. I'm pretty sure those down on South Beach go to Heat games to see Lebron, Wade, and Bosh. Therefore, were this to have happened with Orlando (meaning the Spurs sent their players home instead of playing the Magic, and I had bought tickets to that game), I wouldn't have cared in the slightest, since I'm not paying to see Duncan, Manu, and Parker. I'm paying to see the Magic.

 

That's cool for you, but there is a reason some games sell out quicker or have higher interest and its the other team. Either the other team is really good or they have a young stud or two. It not really the same, but would you have stayed up late to watch the Magic last night knowing you have to be up real early had they been playing the Bucks?

[Orlando Magic Toaster 26]

Don't they price tickets for games based on the talent on the floor? Like Gold, Silver and bronze games.. I was told this when i went to see Magic v Celtics and the tickets were a good bit more than any other Magic game I've been to against 76ers, Hawks, Mavericks, Bulls (pre Rose) and Bobcats..

 

So surely tickets would have been at a silver or gold level for this game based on the Spurs roster.. Therefore they would have advertsied these players and fans would have paid to see them..

 

I do think the fine is very high but it's too early n the season to be resting players and it certainly doesn't look good for the league if teams aren't going to take the regular season 100% seriously.

[Crazyhorse81 244]

I think the Spurs are very serious about the regular season, and that's why they did what they did. Don't forget that they just played 5 games in 7 nights, while the Heat hadn't played in 5 days. Of course, that's hardly new. It seems like every time the Heat have to play a challenging team, they've had the past several days off while their opponent is on a B2B. And the game is almost always in Miami for that meeting. But I'm sure that's just a scheduling coincidence, like the Lakers playing the majority of the first part of the season at home, every season.