So why are we losing on purpose?

[100%duncan]

Can someone tell me because I dont get the joke tbh. This schtick from Popovich is getting old, no one else in the world would get away with what he's doing.

[Robz4000]

Pop isn't about coaching to win anymore; it's about recruiting for team USA and using his position as a platform to discuss politics/current events.

[TXstbobcat]

Are we really that surprised that the Spurs lost to a playoff team on the road when the Spurs best player who is a top 5 player in the league didn't play due to injury????

[HarlemHeat37]

Are we really that surprised that the Spurs lost to a playoff team on the road when the Spurs best player who is a top 5 player in the league didn't play due to injury????

OP is asking why Kawhi is sitting..

[BatManu20]

Are we really that surprised that the Spurs lost to a playoff team on the road when the Spurs best player who is a top 5 player in the league didn't play due to injury????

And down our starting C who is also our 3rd leading scorer. I mean Pop definitely coached a shitty second half and we missed a ton of shots, but give the Grizz some credit too. They played better than us tonight. Not gonna win em all. It's one game and you move on.

[TXstbobcat]

OP is asking why Kawhi is sitting..

he sat out due to injury (quad contusion). not sure how OP sees this as losing on purpose.

[james evans]

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=266286&p=8895216#post8895216

[james evans]

he sat out due to injury (quad contusion). not sure how OP sees this as losing on purpose.
Injury occurred against Philly. He played the next game against Denver(Saturday). GS loses, then he is rested tonight. Just as most of us had predicted

[TheGreatYacht]

Some people actually believe the injuries on the Spurs injury report are real :lol

Kawhi was in warmup clothes, didn't get listed as questionable or probable, news he would sit came out 30min before the game, etc, etc

It was clear Pop wanted to lose this game and benching Manu was proof

[SpurPadre]

he sat out due to injury (quad contusion). not sure how OP sees this as losing on purpose.

Because there was zero mention of him possibly sitting out, not even a questionable tag.

[bklynspursfan]

We aren't....

[Darius Bieber]

We aren't....

If we aren't losing on purpose, then it's just proof that this team is garbage right now.

[TXstbobcat]

They aren't losing on purpose but the team did play like garbage tonight.

[HI-FI]

Pop isn't about coaching to win anymore; it's about recruiting for team USA and using his position as a platform to discuss politics/current events.
Truth nuke

[DMC]

Are we really that surprised that the Spurs lost to a playoff team on the road when the Spurs best player who is a top 5 player in the league didn't play due to injury????

You mean 14pts in the 1st and 9 fucking points in the 4th? Yeah, just a bit.

[100%duncan]

People believing "sudden" injuries that one of the biggest stars in the league has every 5 games :lol

Here's to Kawhi being gassed when he plays 40 mins a game in the second round, just like last year and just like the year before last

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

People believing "sudden" injuries that one of the biggest stars in the league has every 5 games :lol

Here's to Kawhi being gassed when he plays 40 mins a game in the second round, just like last year and just like the year before last

Totally agree, Pop should play him as many minutes as Zach Lavine.

[100%duncan]

Totally agree, Pop should play him as many minutes as Zach Lavine.

Key word being: play

[apalisoc_9]

Pop wanted to use this game to further his reputation. He does this so when the spurs win its all about him. If they lose.. they can just stay they dont have leonard.

Pop is the most selfish person in the team.

[Holden_Caulfield]

we arent going to catch the warriors nor will houston catch up to us

[james evans]

People believing "sudden" injuries that one of the biggest stars in the league has every 5 games :lol

Here's to Kawhi being gassed when he plays 40 mins a game in the second round, just like last year and just like the year before last
don't be silly. It's not every 5 games, it's every 6.

[r0drig0lac]

Some people actually believe the injuries on the Spurs injury report are real :lol

Kawhi was in warmup clothes, didn't get listed as questionable or probable, news he would sit came out 30min before the game, etc, etc

It was clear Pop wanted to lose this game and benching Manu was proof

this

[Floyd Pacquiao]

Pop wanted to use this game to further his reputation. He does this so when the spurs win its all about him. If they lose.. they can just stay they dont have leonard.

Pop is the most selfish person in the team.

[SupremeGuy]

Pop isn't about coaching to win anymore; it's about recruiting for team USA and using his position as a platform to discuss politics/current events.Unfortunately, this...

[spursistan]

Pop isn't about coaching to win anymore; it's about recruiting for team USA and using his position as a platform to discuss politics/current events.

[spursistan]

Team has really built zero chemistry/continuity outside the first three weeks stretch in December..Injuries and Poop resting hasn't let them gel at all..

[UZER]

Team has really built zero chemistry/continuity outside the first three weeks stretch in December..Injuries and Poop resting hasn't let them gel at all..

Resting is more important than chemistry. I'm the team chemistry.

:pop:

[Spurs9]

:pop: they need to feel the pain before they can feel what success is
:pop: Murray has too much swag, he needs to get over himself

[PopTheGOAT]

Its getting ridiculous tbh. Not only does Kawhi sitting affect THAT game, but it also affects the next game. Kawhi seems like he gets a bit out of rhythm after missing games. He was on such a roll during that 6 game stretch before he sat 3 due to the hand. I'm fine with occasional rest and managing minutes over the course of the season, that's what this team has been about for a while (and it's proven to be effective). Otoh, it's gotten out of control this season.

Ultimately, I don't think the "over-resting" is going to have an impact on the season. One could argue that we could be right there with GS, but I think the effort it would take to keep up with them would be detrimental to the team in the long run. It's just getting old watching us lose games like last night, NO, DAL, etc. Any time we lose games that are very winnable, I'm gonna be frustrated. Especially when it looks to be due to lack of effort.

[GSH]

he sat out due to injury (quad contusion). not sure how OP sees this as losing on purpose.


Pretty obvious. OP has never had a serious quad contusion.

[james evans]

Pretty obvious. OP has never had a serious quad contusion.
yep, it was so serious that he played on Saturday. A game AFTER the injury occurred but his body didn't get the message that it was supposed to be hurting... And I was hit in the thigh by the knee of a guy that was built like a mule. The shit hurt immediately. I didn't go back to the gym and play 2 days later only to feel the pain 4 days later. Stop defending popovich's bullshit. He's been doing it for years.

[TD 21]

Pop wanted to use this game to further his reputation. He does this so when the spurs win its all about him. If they lose.. they can just stay they dont have leonard.

Pop is the most selfish person in the team.



Team has really built zero chemistry/continuity outside the first three weeks stretch in December..Injuries and Poop resting hasn't let them gel at all..

This is generally what happens when people receive too much credit and/or publicity. Not only does it go to their head, but they become parodies of themselves.

He either doesn't seem to get or just doesn't care, that this isn't '12-'14 anymore. The continuity, depth, IQ and unselfishness of that team was unparalleled. They could plug players in and out, immediately adjust accordingly to how they had to play with what they had and who they were against and still have a good chance at winning almost every team.

And not that there was ever much chance of catching those pricks for the 1 seed, but I'm sick and tired of him seemingly going out of his way to lose every damn time they do. At least give them a chance at getting it and theoretically increasing the odds of upsetting them.

[100%duncan]

This is generally what happens when people receive too much credit and/or publicity. Not only does it go to their head, but they become parodies of themselves.

He either doesn't seem to get or just doesn't care, that this isn't '12-'14 anymore. The continuity, depth, IQ and unselfishness of that team was unparalleled. They could plug players in and out, immediately adjust accordingly to how they had to play with what they had and who they were against and still have a good chance at winning almost every team.

And not that there was ever much chance of catching those pricks for the 1 seed, but I'm sick and tired of him seemingly going out of his way to lose every damn time they do. At least give them a chance at getting it and theoretically increasing the odds of upsetting them.

There's no chance for 1 seed anymore because of this resting bullshit. People say this helped before? Well fuck yeah when he had to take care of a 40 year old duncan, not a guy who is in his prime.

[GSH]

yep, it was so serious that he played on Saturday. A game AFTER the injury occurred but his body didn't get the message that it was supposed to be hurting... And I was hit in the thigh by the knee of a buy that was built like a mule. The shit hurt immediately. I didn't go back to the gym and play 2 days later only to feel the pain 4 days later. Stop defending popovich's bullshit. He's been doing it for years.


You're right. The best winning percentage of any team in any major sport, for almost 20 years. Imagine how good they would have been if Pop wasn't constantly losing games on purpose.

Doesn't saying shit like that make your brain hurt? It makes mine hurt.

[Arcadian]

Uh...all it takes is one bad stretch for the Warriors, and the Spurs could totally overtake them. It's not what I predict will happen, but it's silly to think it couldn't happen.

Maybe Durant will break one of his chicken legs...or maybe Gaymond will finally choke to death on one of the many dicks he puts in his stupid gaping facehole on a regular basis.

[james evans]

Uh...all it takes is one bad stretch for the Warriors, and the Spurs could totally overtake them. It's not what I predict will happen, but it's silly to think it couldn't happen.

Maybe Durant will break one of his chicken legs...or maybe Gaymond will finally choke to death on one of the many dicks he puts in his stupid gaping facehole on a regular basis.
sheeeit, if one of those guys tear an ACL, Popovich may trade Leonard to the Thunder for Oladipo.. so let's not hope that happens..

[Snaq O'Meal]

Can someone tell me because I dont get the joke tbh. This schtick from Popovich is getting old, no one else in the world would get away with what he's doing.

Because Pop clearly doesn't want the top seed. Another first round exit to an eighth seed will permanently damage his reputation.

[NameLess Scrub]

Uh...all it takes is one bad stretch for the Warriors, and the Spurs could totally overtake them. It's not what I predict will happen, but it's silly to think it couldn't happen.

Maybe Durant will break one of his chicken legs...or maybe Gaymond will finally choke to death on one of the many dicks he puts in his stupid gaping facehole on a regular basis.

It is possible they'll get a bad stretch, but highly unlikely imo. That's part of the benefits of putting together a super team.

Spurs are a #1 seed any other season if teams like the Warriors didn't currently exist in the NBA, imho. Maybe even this season if Durant was still in OKC. That's even with these stupid losses, which wouldn't hurt that much.