Stern: "Substantial Sanctions Forthcoming" After Spurs Rest Stars

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

MIAMI -- The NBA's most powerful man and its most respected and iron-willed coach plunged into an unexpected battle of wills Thursday over a basic tenet: A coach can decide what is best for his team.

 

San Antonio's Gregg 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.

 

NBA commissioner David Stern issued a statement before the game started apologizing to fans and saying, "This was an unacceptable decision by the San Antonio Spurs and substantial sanctions will be forthcoming."

 

ESPN

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8692304/san-antonio-spurs-sit-4-top-5-scorers-vs-miami-heat

 

As the article states, Pop has done this before. It's not like it was random or out of the blue. I think Stern just has a problem with it all of a sudden because it was against the Heat on national TV.

 

Regardless, with a pair of injuries and sending 4 of his top players home. The Spurs took the Heat to the brink, and wound up losing only by 5 points.

 

What do you think?!

[housemd 338]

They shouldn't be sanctioned,imo..The decision didn't affect the game at all..

[NaTaS+ 958]

So the commish gets to decide who plays in games and who does not? I feel like this was an emotional decision by Stern and one he should retract before it gets out of hand.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

Breaking News: David Stern reveals his disguise as Miami's Cowboy; punishes dirty, cheating bastard Spurs.

[blotsfan 2,112]

^Jeez that's a blast from the past.

 

And yeah, you can't punish him for benching them. Next time they'll probably just all have flu like symptoms on the same day.

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

The only reason David Stern did this was for ratings purposes and the fact that the game was nationally televised. It was still a good game, and Greg Popovich simply displayed his coaching abilities by going head to head with the Heat until the final seconds.

 

Fuck you David Stern

[WindyCitySports 407]

What a piece of shit David Stern is. I have literally never been this pissed at a commissioner. What gives him the right to sanction coaches into making decisions that he wants them to? The coach is the coach. If he wants to sit his players, he has every right to do so. On top of this, the fact that it was all about ratings and hype is the icing on the cake. David Stern needs to leave the NBA for the good of the game. It has already lost a ton of respectability under his tenure and if he really wanted what was best for the NBA, he would call it quits.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

As a fan, I agree with this move. And see where Stern is coming from.

 

Obviously the sanction isn't fair to the guy trying to manage a roster, but either way, good move imo.

[JetsFan4Life 542]

I see where Stern is coming from, despite the fact we all know he only cares about it because it's a possible money loss for the business. But as a FAN if I went to a basketball game and three of the superstars I went to see weren't playing because they were "resting" I'd be pretty livid.

 

It's just getting a lot of heat because of the timing. Stern never has mentioned anything when teams rest players in March and April gearing up for the players but now he decides to open his mouth.

 

The NBA regular season means nothing. One of the things I like about Kobe Bryant is he seems to have a burning desire to try and play in every regular season game. He's one of the few players. Who's fault is it I don't know but if Stern really wanted it fixed he should've stepped in a long long time ago.

Edited November 30, 2012 by JetsFan4Life

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

If you bought a ticket to this game... I can understand being a bit miffed. But the Commish doesn't have this type of power over NBA rosters. Or shouldn't anyway. Pop has done this before and the league hasn't cried foul.

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

What's rather hilarious is that I remember the Spurs doing the same exact thing last year against the Portland TrailBlazers. They rested Parker and Duncan (Ginobli was injured) and they got HAMMERFISTED and lost by 40 points. Once again, it was a road trip, and Greg didn't send them home early, but either way they did not play.

 

Where was the outcry then? The outcry of losing to a western conference opponent by FORTY points, when you rest 2 of your best 3 players?

 

David Stern is inconsistent, and it's obvious that this is for money and ratings.

 

Blazers/Spurs Recap Last Year

[oochymp 2,393]

DNP - Coach's Decision

 

how many times have you seen that on a box score? you can't take that away from a coach, as has been said, nobody's been sanctioned for sitting players after locking in a playoff spot, why do it in the middle of the season? when you're managing a roster with older players, they have to get some rest, you can't expect a team to send a 36 year old Tim Duncan, a 30 year old Tony Parker, and a 35 year old Manu Ginobli for six road games all over the East coast in 9 days, you've gotta keep those guys fresh and that means letting them skip a game here and there

 

also, if they only lost the game by 5 without those four key players you could make a very good argument that sending them home cost them the game, isn't that 'sanction' enough?

[WindyCitySports 407]

As a fan, I agree with this move. And see where Stern is coming from.

 

Obviously the sanction isn't fair to the guy trying to manage a roster, but either way, good move imo.

I would be astonished if you could defend your position.

[The Admiral 28]

Stern is an absolute disgrace of a commissioner and anyone who agrees with him should give their head a shake.

 

What gives Stern a right to punish a team for a coaching decision?

 

It was the Spurs' 4th road game in 5 nights, and they were coming up against a 4+ day rested Heat team.

 

I am a die-hard Spurs fan, but even I am not blind that they were set up to get roasted on national television by Sterns new favorite team.

 

The Spurs have been doing this for the past 5+ years, and it has never been a big deal before. Yet, because it effects Sterns ratings he decides to make a emotional decision before the game has even started like he is on his damn period. I'm glad our bench and d-league call ups made him look like a clown by playing an extremely exciting game.

 

I love Coach Pop. The best coach in the NBA in my biased opinion, and he really gave the finger to Stern last night do to his terrible scheduling.

 

What a game it was, showed how Spurs have an incredibly deep team and I hope they continue doing this throughout the season. Timmy has been incredible this year but he does need his rest to stay healthy and fresh for playoffs.

 

Cannot wait til Stern retires. I hope the Spurs/OKC/whoever emerges from the West absolutely pummels the Heat in the NBA finals. Not sure if Stern will let that happen though.

Edited November 30, 2012 by The Admiral

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

I would be astonished if you could defend your position.

 

This almost sounds like Pops was just trying to send a big F U to the league. And even in the event that he wasn't, this could viewed as tanking/giving up a game.

 

It really isn't fair to the fans, or good business for the station that put the game on national TV, the sponsors, etc.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

Stern is an absolute disgrace of a commissioner and anyone who agrees with him should give their head a shake.

 

What gives Stern a right to punish a team for a coaching decision?

 

It was the Spurs' 4th road game in 5 nights, and they were coming up against a 4+ day rested Heat team.

 

I am a die-hard Spurs fan, but even I am not blind that they were set up to get roasted on national television by Sterns new favorite team.

 

The Spurs have been doing this for the past 5+ years, and it has never been a big deal before. Yet, because it effects Sterns ratings he decides to make a emotional decision before the game has even started like he is on his damn period. I'm glad our bench and d-league call ups made him look like a clown by playing an extremely exciting game.

 

I love Coach Pop. The best coach in the NBA in my biased opinion, and he really gave the finger to Stern last night do to his terrible scheduling.

 

What a game it was, showed how Spurs have an incredibly deep team and I hope they continue doing this throughout the season. Timmy has been incredible this year but he does need his rest to stay healthy and fresh for playoffs.

 

Cannot wait til Stern retires. I hope the Spurs/OKC/whoever emerges from the West absolutely pummels the Heat in the NBA finals. Not sure if Stern will let that happen though.

 

Effects "Stern's" ratings? Or TNT's ratings? And the corporate sponsors money?

[Maverick 791]

Unfortunately people with the money control things. You don't fuck with rich people's money.

 

Pretty much agree with DMac here. It may not be "right", but in a business like this you can't do this type of shit.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Stuff like this is why it's hard for me to take the NBA seriously.

[blotsfan 2,112]

The one thing I will say, not even having them on the bench is excessive. At least in the past they were always at the games.

 

Still can't fairly punish him, but I wish they could.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Ya, because it is Pops job to make sure the NBA is a thriving business

[The Admiral 28]

Effects "Stern's" ratings? Or TNT's ratings? And the corporate sponsors money?

 

They go hand in hand. Obviously not his direct ratings - but indirectly it is HIS product on TNT.

 

4 road games in 5 nights while the Heat have a nice 4 days off. LOL, Pop is a beauty.

[The Admiral 28]

Steve Kerr Twitter:

 

The Spurs have done this for years, but not for TNT games vs Miami. Does the new 'sitting' penalty only apply to national TV games?

 

What about the fans who bought tix to see Rondo play the next 2 games? They're out of luck too. Should the NBA have not suspended him?

 

lol ^^

 

It was very valid for Pop to rest Duncan/Manu. By not playing Parker and Green he was just giving Stern what he deserves.

 

Little fact: He did same thing last year in Phoenix. In fact, flew entire team to PHX, held a PRACTICE, then flew the Big Three home before tip. - Spurs beat writer.

Edited November 30, 2012 by The Admiral

[WindyCitySports 407]

This almost sounds like Pops was just trying to send a big F U to the league. And even in the event that he wasn't, this could viewed as tanking/giving up a game.

 

It really isn't fair to the fans, or good business for the station that put the game on national TV, the sponsors, etc.

The league does deserve a "big F U."

 

I don't think that is what he was doing, though. He was simply taking on the long-term strategy, which is a good thing. In terms of the fans, they are obviously very important but 1) sanctions are not the way to deal with a coach who upsets fans and 2) Stern has just upset a lot more fans than Pop did by sitting his players.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

They go hand in hand. Obviously not his direct ratings - but indirectly it is HIS product on TNT.

 

4 road games in 5 nights while the Heat have a nice 4 days off. LOL, Pop is a beauty.

 

Who gives a shit how many road games they had in how many nights? Its the NBA, these guys are professionals who have been balling all their lives. Some of these guys go to events and such where they play games after games in the course of one or two days.

 

Hell, all of these guys have all had to deal with terrible scheduling once or twice every season.

 

The league does deserve a "big F U."

 

I don't think that is what he was doing, though. He was simply taking on the long-term strategy, which is a good thing. In terms of the fans, they are obviously very important but 1) sanctions are not the way to deal with a coach who upsets fans and 2) Stern has just upset a lot more fans than Pop did by sitting his players.

 

I don't buy the, "he was resting his players" for a second. And I think him saying something like that in response to all this is laughable.

 

Its pretty clear that this was an attempt to give a middle finger to the NBA for the awful scheduling. And if that's the case, its completely fair for a sanction to be handed out.

 

And it's completely fair for a commissioner to hand out sanctions to deal with coaches or teams that decide to essentially, possibly give a game away on purpose.

Edited November 30, 2012 by DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

I don't buy the, "he was resting his players" for a second. And I think him saying something like that in response to all this is laughable.

 

Its pretty clear that this was an attempt to give a middle finger to the NBA for the awful scheduling. And if that's the case, its completely fair for a sanction to be handed out.

 

And it's completely fair for a commissioner to hand out sanctions to deal with coaches or teams that decide to essentially, possibly give a game away on purpose.

 

How can you say that when he's done this in the past before?