NBA 2012: Running thread

[JackReacher]

deck move. Why does he have to sit four starters at once? Why not break it up?

Not against the rules or anything. Just a deck move. And he pulls this shirt every year. They played three teams with a combined record of like 8-29 the last three games, but he chose to sit four starters for a nationally televised game against the defending champs. Awesome.

 

[Gehrig]

@DrewUnga: Stern fined the Lakers $25,000 back in 1990 for holding Magic, James Worthy and Mychal Thompson out of their final regular season game.

 

[TowelWaver]

Resting their starters, are they? Well, as of this moment, the Spurs are on....double secret probation!

 

[LongTimeListener]

Doesn't Pop do this as a way to tweak the league when he's miffed about the schedule?

This is the Spurs' fourth game in five nights. If it's that much of a marquee battle, there's a way to schedule better.

In any case, I love it. They can fine him a million bucks and it won't matter.

 

[dreunc1542]

Yeah, I love when Pop does stuff like this. And wouldn't it be hilarious if the Spurs won? Could they really go after him if that happened?

 

[HanSenSE]

Spurs JV seems to be holding its own late.

I recall Avery Johnson, when he was coaching the Mavs, doing the same thing a few years back late in the season against Golden State, since the teams were destined to meet in the first round of the playoffs.

 

[LongTimeListener]

I guess Stern and the NBA have to pretend they aren't playing 82 meaningless games, but I don't see why the rest of the world has to go along with the charade.

 

[Small Town Guy]

Here's the Times story from when they fined the Lakers in '90. Jerry Buss apologized to Portland's fans.

http://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/25/sports/sports-people-pro-basketball-resting-two-players-brings-lakers-a-fine.html

Four games in five nights? Big deal.

And people on Twitter talking about Pop does this because he's planning for June. Guess what? He's an all-timer, but the only thing they've done since that '07 title is be a great regular season team and get their asses kicked in the playoffs. He doesn't have some secret formula relating to sitting guys pays off months down the line. I think he does it simply to pish off Stern or Sager or the Man or whoever else he's mad at. That said, I don't think he should be fined or anything.

Who's writing the story from the gambling angle?

 

[MileHigh]

Heat was a six-point favorite, and when word got out of the four sitting out, the line shot up to 12 to 13.

Looks like the Heat will pull it out, but not at the inflated line.

Whoops.

 

[Stoney]

They played three teams with a combined record of like 8-29 the last three games, but he chose to sit four starters for a nationally televised game against the defending champs.

Exactly. The game he chose leaves no doubt this wasn't just about players needing rest. If he wanted to rest em during this stretch, he could've picked the meaningless Washington or Orlando games that nobody was watching anyways, and then had his guys rested and ready for The Heat on TNT!

Instead he chooses the one billed as the League's marquee game this week. Quite clearly an intentional fork you to Stern and the League.

 

[Devin]

If the Wizards haven't been sanctioned, then the Spurs shouldn't be either.

 

[JackReacher]

They played three teams with a combined record of like 8-29 the last three games, but he chose to sit four starters for a nationally televised game against the defending champs.

Exactly. The game he chose leaves no doubt this wasn't just about players needing rest. If he wanted to rest em during this stretch, he could've picked the meaningless Washington or Orlando games that nobody was watching anyways, and then had his guys rested and ready for The Heat on TNT!

Instead he chooses the one billed as the League's marquee game this week. Quite clearly an intentional fork you to Stern and the League.

Well, yeah. And why does he have to rest so many guys on the same night? Can't you rest one here, one there? The "all at once" thing doesn't make sense.

I get that the schedule-making is garbage sometimes, especially in this case. I get that they need rest, but there's a better way to do it. Especially when fans are paying a lot of money to see the games. And (putting on my business hat here) when TNT pays the NBA a lot of money to televise the games. I mean, it was only the team with the best record in the NBA against the defending champs. NOTHING TO SEE HERE!!!!