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CIA Pop reads Spurstalk!
So Pop has an obligation to play all of those guys in road games if they're able to play? Does he have to play them a certain number of minutes, too, to ensure that Spurs fans in these other cities get to see their heroes? Again, wouldn't Pop have disappointed fans in Denver if he had trotted Parker and Duncan out to play the first minute of the game and then benched them for the remainder?
Look, I get that fans might be disappointed, but again, if you buy tickets to see specific players, you assume the risk that you might not see those players for some reason. Last night, that truth was in effect. It sucks, but that's the risk you take.
If I, as a Spurs fan, lived in Denver and had tickets to that game last night, I would have been going to see the Spurs, no matter who played for them. And I certainly wouldn't have gone with the feeling that I was en led to see Duncan and Parker.
I don't think it was about preventing injury. Pop's decision was, to me, a rather simple one. He has the three most important pieces of his team all having played monster minutes at high effort to get a win in Golden State. That team is travelling to Denver -- never an easy place to play under the best of cir stances -- to take on one of the better teams in the conference, in a game that his tired team isn't likely to win.
One of the Big 3 isn't going to play, no matter what, because he's injured, making the chances of victory still more remote. Now, he can push the other two to go out on the court and play more big minutes in what is likely to be a futile effort to win that particular game, or he can sit them down and rest them (also ensuring no fatigue-related injuries) and see what happens. He (prudently, I think) chose the latter path.
Does it piss off fans in Denver? Sure. Is it the right move for his basketball team? Absolutely. Is it just about avoiding injury? no. It's about the realization that this is a long season for players who already have logged big minutes for many years. People mention that Parker's "only 26," but he's played 8 1/2 regular seasons and almost another 1 1/2 seasons worth of playoff games (117). Could he have played? Sure. But it didn't make a lot of sense from a basketball standpoint to send him or Duncan out there. I don't think the fact that it's a road game or that some fans might wind up disappointed should change how Pop approaches that game.
CIA Pop reads Spurstalk!
I usually travel to catch 1 or 2 Spurs road games a year. I considered this Denver came up to the last minute. Had I gone, I would've been disappointed to a degree. However, it was great to watch the B-team. I relished the fact that the team played hard and was in it up through the end.
In fact, I enjoyed that game last night much more than the effort given by the starters in LA a couple of weeks ago.
Last edited by SenorSpur; 02-04-2009 at 04:15 PM.
i just did not like how popovich approached the game expecting a loss before the game even started. when teams like the thunder play cavs, boston, spurs, or lakers, they don't sit out durant and green to preserve them for games they can win. it should be one game at a time. but popovich was thinking ahead i guess.
You really think there is one guy who would have believed that Timmy and Tony had broken a team-rule?
Apart from that, great post.
I've never gone to an Spurs game with the intention of seeing a particular player. Sure I have favorites, but I go see the whole team. I think Pop did right in thinking about the whole team. If the Spurs win the championship, wanna bet other teams will follow suit?
either that or watch paint dry....hmm
I am a Spurs fan living in Denver. I wish I had only paid $100 to see them. Depending on the year (and playoff matchups) the Spurs only come to town once or twice a year. So yeah, I'm a bit miffed.
I paid to see the SPURS, a team I've been rooting for all my life. I didn't pay to see the Austin Toros. If I wanted to see D-League caliber basketball, I'd go see 14ers games at whatever juco gym they play at here in Colorado.First off the spurs played in Denver twice. Second if your a SPURS fan u go to see the team.
Sure, it was a close, exciting game. Do you really think Karl would have coached the same way? Do you think Renaldo ing Balkman would have started if Karl knew the Spurs were going to shut it down for the night? He hasn't seen significant minutes in weeks. Think maybe Chauncey Billups would have tested out his ankle in the 2nd half if the game was ever in doubt? Think K-Mart might have played through strep throat had the Big 3 played? We'll never know, because last night's game was an absolute farce. It was an exhibition game in February. Yeah, I know the Spurs are old and dinged up, but there's not another game till Sunday! Couldn't you at least try and pretend to field a compe ive team? Fine, rest Duncan, Parker and Finley for a half, and don't even dress Manu if he's dinged. It's the 2nd night of a back-to-back. I get that. To give up a game before the ball goes up to a Western Conference foe who's close to you in the standings? That's ridiculous.
I respect Pop, I (like a lot of you probably) thought he did Bob Hill dirty when D-Rob went down but eventually came around and grew to love the way Pop coaches and the way the Spurs have run the organization ever since the Larry Brown mess and the Tark/John Lucas jokes. Despite the misses in the draft the last couple of years, I still think the Spurs' FO is the best in the league. But last night? That was an absolute farce.
So you believe that players 5-13 on the Spurs roster have little or no business playing in the NBA?
To be honest, who among you wasn't disappointed when you found out Tony, Tim, and Manu weren't going to play?
it's more than just the fatigue or health issue. each team has to sustain itself econimically. manu being healthy and being manu is pretty important to his team's success from a money POV and winning POV (they pretty much go hand in hand for the spurs. spurs have to win to stay afloat economically. other teams in bigger cities can afford to lose and still make a uva lot of money ie LA, or Knicks because of thier larger fanbases).
It's owner first, fans second for any owner.
I can definitely feel your pain, man. That sucks.
Indeed. And +1 to everyone who pointed about the hypocrisy of people being pissed about not seeing the Big 3, when the Spurs are boring anyways.
And from a coach perspective, it was brilliant. Getting JV and Ime minutes just so they don't off themselves and to shake off rust, plus to see what Hill, and Mason could do in the spotlight as the Big 2 would be nice. Seeing Fab be aggressive for a change and filling the stats was nice. But the biggest pro for me was seeing Hairston in some real minutes in his 3rd NBA game, and he was fabulous. I will remember the butt blocking out on Melo for days, that was great. And him showing no fear, heart, hustle, and athleticism was awesome, maybe he could get Fin down to 20-25 mins, if he can prove this game was not a fluke over the RRT.
This part of it, the fan view, is the hard one for me.
I have no problem with Pop's decision, I believe he always does things to give the Spurs the best chance at winning it all. I trust his judgement.
I agree with FromWayDowntown that no guarantees come with a ticket. It's a chance you take.
That being said, having never seen Duncan play in person, I would have been crushed if I finally could get to a game and he didn't play (for any reason). I'd still support what Pop did last night but it would have been disappointing for me. If Duncan were injured or otherwise unable to play it would seem easier to take. But to watch him healthy on the bench would have been hard for me.
Again, I support what Pop did for whatever reasons he had. I tend not to question the leader that's brought 4 Championships to us. But just as a fan it would have been hard for me to be at that game.
Well look at the rash of injuries that have hit the league lately,bynum,nelson,redd,bogut.maybe pop saw the basketball gods are angered and decided to not take a chance.
Very well said. I hate to be a whiny fan, especially when (and this sounds cheesy but whatever) the Spurs have given me so much to root for over the years, even before they started winning championships. I was wishy-washy about going to the game anyway because hey, times are tough and I could have used that $100 on something else. Hearing on the radio as I'm pulling into the parking lot that Parker, Duncan and Ginobili weren't playing just hit me the wrong way.
In the grand scheme of an NBA season, I really hope losing this tiebreaker to the Nuggets doesn't mean anything and it doesn't come back to haunt us in the post-season, and if Pop had donked up the lineup against the Thunder or the Bulls someone like that, I would probably look at it differently since I wasn't there to see it. I'd be just as CIA Pop-loving as most Spurs fans and think it was the ultimate punking of the Nuggets. Don't get me wrong, I relished that the Nuggets tried to give the game away, and I laughed my ass off when the Spurs cut the lead to 4 and then 2 and watched Nene and Melo come back into the game and seal the win. And I was very impressed with the effort the Spurs gave. It just hit me the wrong way because I paid good money to see my favorite team in all of sports all but forfeit a game. During timeouts as the Nuggets tried to stop the Spurs runs in the 4th quarter, you could see Tim and Tony bouncing up and down, stretching, just dying to get into the game. Giving them the night off gave the Nuggets a chance to give Nene, Melo and Billups most of the night off, too.
idiots
it's not like we got blown out........we almost won the game!
the NBA should fine the Nuggets for sucking.
Regular season tickets in the NBA are not a guarantee that you'll see a good game. That is one reason I only go 3-4 times a year. Often one team gives up midway through the 3rd quarter, or the game is just half-hearted. Last night's game was as compe ive as most NBA games, and it was a chance to see some young players. I don't see what the big deal is. If you want a guarantee buy playoff tickets.
GAWD. Pop the overrated smuck that he is sat 4 of his starters. He did it because he is getting old and crazy. Its another sign. Its not smart. You donot give away games in the middle of a season.
Some of you are debating about the people who spend money to see the Spews in Denver. Personally I would not spend money to see that game but the people who did deserve to see the Spews best players,namely Duncan and its always fun to watch the Mangoo run. ing animal belongs in a zoo.
oh but you'll spend night after night in the team's forum won't you?
WTF does that matter? So you're supposed to guess which game Pop decides to rest his starters in?
As for seeing the team: Last I heard, Parker, Duncan and Ginobili were part of the TEAM.
I was originally pissed when I saw Pop was playing the bench against the Nuggets, but after thinking about it I believe Pop was sending a message to the new guys who had not been on the Rodeo Road Trip before. We have a system in place. You play hard, you play defense and share the ball, and you'll have a chance to win at the end, no matter who is on the court. It was to give them some playing time and confidence. I think they'll believe in the system now, if they didn't before. But yeah, it still sucks to lose.
Great connection.oh but you'll spend night after night in the team's forum won't you?
I also spend time,alot more time in other parts of this website (great website) and other websites.
But back to the topic. It was stupid of this nut job sitting 4 of his best players. He is losing it.
just respect pop's decision. end of story.
Everyone is all pissed off about the Spurs not playing the best players. What about the players that very rarely see any minutes at all. They are still part of the team but get no recognition. I for one enjoyed the game because I got to see the Spurs that I do not get to see very often. I would have paid money to see it. We all know what Parker, Ginobili, Finley and Duncan can do, but the other guys, not so much. Also, you get to watch the people the Spurs best players practice against. They are part of the reason why those 4 players can be as good as they are. Show respect to all the players.
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