Big 3 Won't Play (Update: Big 3 and Pop OUT final two games)

[TheSkeptic]

Hmmm, I'm not sure I like Pop flying home too. He's needed in order to dole out the minutes correctly, tbh. Even in meaningless blowouts, Pop's best qualified to handle everything.

No kidding. I'm hoping that he's just taking a mini-vacation before the playoffs.

Does anyone know if Bud is head coaching material?

[ace3g]

Jeff McDonald ‏ @JMcDonald_SAEN

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Spurs' starters, according to Head Coach For The Day Mike Budenholzer: Mills, Green, Leonard, Diaw, Blair.

[T Park]

Hoping everything is ok with Pop. I don't think he's ever taken games off before.

[DesignatedT]

Yeah it's definitely not him just wanting a vacation or whatever. Something must be going on with family or something. I hope he's alright.

[therealtruth]

Thibodeau is a dumbass. Playing all your starters, on the road, after clinching the #1 seed? I hope this move seals his fate as NOT being Coach of the Year.

It's funny coaches used to do that all the time because they felt some sort of obligation to the fans.

[Robz4000]

Hope everything's cool with Pop. Can't recall him ever doing this before.

[Splits]

Yeah it's definitely not him just wanting a vacation or whatever. Something must be going on with family or something. I hope he's alright.

The team's supporting staff, video crew, scouts, playoff preppers, etc do not travel with the team. Him going back to SA to prepare for the 1st round with the background crew which never make the news is the most likely reason for the early Phoenix departure. I wouldn't read too much into this. Pop doesn't show up for summer league games either.

[Arcadian]

Well, with the Pacers starting Lance Stephenson, that pretty much ended hope of catching the Bulls. There's now literally nothing at stake.

Tbh, I'm totally fine with Pop deep freezing the Big 3 until the Jazz series starts.

Stephenson had 22 points on 10/15 shooting, and the Pacers lost a close game by 5 points.

And the Bulls have another game.

So while you do have a point...calling it hopeless is just wrong.

[anjlbitz]

The team's supporting staff, video crew, scouts, playoff preppers, etc do not travel with the team. Him going back to SA to prepare for the 1st round with the background crew which never make the news is the most likely reason for the early Phoenix departure. I wouldn't read too much into this. Pop doesn't show up for summer league games either.

huh? I met Pop several times during Summer League. And he does watch and stay for the games.

[Mel_13]

Stephenson had 22 points on 10/15 shooting, and the Pacers lost a close game by 5 points.

And the Bulls have another game.

So while you do have a point...calling it hopeless is just wrong.

You think Cleveland is going into Chicago tomorrow night and beating the Bulls?

[DPG21920]

Ya, I've sat right next to pop at summer league. In fact it was me who told him to watch Gary Screal

[ducks]

pop is scouting other teams

[Spurtacus]

Hopefully everything is alright with Pop.

With Pop and the big 3 out you can kiss HCA throughout and 50 games goodbye. Hopefully the reserves come out of this back to back healthy.

[50 cent]

CIA Pop strikes again.

[Sense]

I like this... the expectations can't be any lower, I'm going to be thrilled if we manage to get this one.

[freetiago]

Pretty obvious tbh
he thought the bulls would rest and pacers would beat them giving us a chance at #1 overall in the nba
with the bulls win we have no chance at #1 really so he decided the possibility of an injury in that cursed city isnt worth a little rust
hes probably scouting the jazz/nuggets early

[ducks]

pop had to say personal reasons to appease stern
he is scouting teams

[SpursIndonesia]

It's clearly a CIA Pop move. If he decided early that he won't play the big 3, Chicago won't press the issue by playing Rose, since their line up sans him would be enough to beat Indiana which playing without Granger. He forced Thibodeaux hand (who knows if Rose catches another injury, he's been a china porcelain player througout the season) in the poker table, LOL. :

[lurker23]

And here's why the big 3 won't play...

Darnell Mayberry ‏ @DarnellMayberry

Westbrook looks to have hurt his left wrist pretty badly after landing on it following an attempted blocked shot against Corey Brewer.

https://twitter.com/#!/DarnellMayber...35508623228928

Darnell Mayberry ‏ @DarnellMayberry

Westbrook is staying in the game, but he's grimacing a lot.

https://twitter.com/#!/DarnellMayber...35873141813248

[shyne]

Pop for president in 2012

[ace3g]

Joe Alexander ‏ @JoeAlexander210

Close

Spurs assistant coach Mike Budenholzer gets to do the head coach thing tonight with his parents in the stands in Phoenix.

[ace3g]

Denver just won, Spurs vs Jazz 1st round

[Spurtacus]

Timmy's too old to be celebrating his bday on the road. Big 3 and Pop flew back home to celebrate with some fine wine.

[pjjrfan]

Thibs has been running his players into the ground

He's got a young team, and he has a good bench, their question is whether they can maintain their level of excellence once they get into the playoffs, last year they lost steam and momentum I think cause their players just couldn't handle the pressure. They will go as far as Rose takes them.

[D-rob fan]

Timmy's too old to be celebrating his bday on the road. Big 3 and Pop flew back home to celebrate with some fine wine.

I was about to post the same thing!