So I take it you don't agree with Pop resting the big 3?
I hope we beat BOS by 20 as well
I'm sure in part was resting, but I also suspect he wanted to take a look at what he has before the trade deadline. And no, the next game is no 'must win' anything. Now that we separated ourselves a bit from NO is when we can take advantage and rest up a few guys. Is getting fairly obvious that Pop just wants to win the SW division, and go in as one of the Top 4 into the playoffs.
If I lived in Denver and went to the game, I would be pretty pissed off not getting to see Duncan play!
What avalanche? We've been the same steady team since Duncan joined us.
Spurs win in Boston only if Manu's ass bruise is insignificant. Tony should have an easy time with Rondo and Timmy (as Sean Elliott puts it) has more junk in his game this year. Bruce is still Bruce and if he can limit Allen, we have a decent chance of beating Boston. Just like our loss in LA, this game will be another good gauge of how far along this team is - positive or negative.
I think all those who are questionning Pop's decision are assuming that Pop cares about the seedings come playoff time, at least this early in the NBA season. Obviously he doesn't so wailing about it really isn't logical. His philosophy has been to be one of the 5 or 6 teams at the end of the regular season with a CHANCE to win it all, just to be in contention at season's end.. then let the chips fall where they may.. so many games still to play, the possibility of injuries, trades still to be made in the league, so many variables.. the only sure thing for Pop was that he got to rest his key players and if its good enough for him, why can't it be good enough for Spurs fans?
It is not that it is "not good enough", it is that people by nature (at least curious people) asks questions to learn. Everyone wants to know the answer to "why"?
Because everyone else think's they're right. , I have issues with the choices he mad today, but all I hope is that the Spurs are #2 in the POs, so I won't have to hear from everyone that thought this was the worst idea ever and cost the Spurs homecourt in the 2nd round.
The game started at 9 pm. After the game, the Spurs did not get into Denver till 3 am in the morning. They played long and hard to beat the Warriors. The Big 3 and Finley all deserved the rest. Regardless of what others think, it was a good decision on Pop's part.
No. What's the connection?
I don't see what would have changed either way. The rust factor would be the same. If anything, perhaps you get better production from role players now that they've loosened u a bit.
They were going to be fresh and rusty either way.
Not anymore criticism than if the Spurs would have played their starters against Denver and lost.
Bottomline is between now and Sunday, whatever happened or didn't happen tonight will make absolutely no difference. Five days in the NBA regular season is an eternity.
What time would they have arrived had the game not gone into overtime?
What's the connection? You are saying that if Pop is saying guys need a rest at the expense of a loss, then they show up in Boston and get blown out that it does not make the loss to Denver (that was winnable) look questionable?
So if this had no impact and they were going to be fresh and rusty either way, then why not play them and try and get another win tonight? What was the benefit then of resting them if the outcome would be the same not matter what?
They'd be wrong though. No guarantee Spurs win even if they played the Big 3. Better chance of a win yes, but no guarantee.
sitting the guys tonight was a questionable move either way..a lot of us liked it, a lot of us didn't..it's not about the game vs. Boston at all bro, it's about the long run..they need to rest up for the entire road trip, not just Boston..
So you are saying this 5 days rest is dramatically better than the 4 days they would have had anyways?
Is there a guarantee any of the Spurs big three doesn't get injured in Boston because they rested tonight?
Manu was banged up. I read where Parker also had some minor injury issues. Only Pop knows what other stuff went into his decision. Plus I'm sure he found it interesting having so many minutes to allocate to the remaining players.
only because of the back-to-back situation..Manu got injured in last night's game, Duncan was in for a physical game vs. Nene after playing 40+ minutes last night, Tony has already suffered a major injury this season..
if we didn't go to OT last night and won the game by a fair margin, I don't think Pop rests them..but the way it worked out, it's a fair decision IMO..
If it comes down to injuries, then I agree, and I knew about Manu, which I completely agree with. But I thought TP and Tim could have played 20-25 mins tonight and still been well rested. Not a huge deal, just interesting to discuss.
Resting against the Nuggets doesn't have anything to do with the Celtics game. The Spurs could have the Clippers on Sunday and Pop would have done the same thing.
It's not a "let's rest against the Nuggets to tune up for the Celtics" plan.
Avoid injury. Especially to Manu and TP. And with those two out, you don't want to ride Duncan in al ude, against a running team and less than 20 hours after the last game.
You can get hurt every game you play. But if you're tired, you have a greater chance of getting hurt and/or making mistakes vs when you're rested. Either you trust Pop's judgment or you don't. Enough said.
TP's ankle went out against the Heat in the first quarter. Limiting minutes wasn't really a smart option.
An isolated event, but fair enough. I was not saying that the move went hand in hand with the Celtics. More so, you have to look at winnable games, like Pop always does (like when he pulled the guys in the Lakers game, it just was not winnable.) No biggie, but definitely a new wrinkle to an old move.
The way Ginobili & Parker play their chances of getting injured are higher than most on any given night.
Losing 2 in a row will start an "avalanche"? I seem to remember an 0-3 start, and what came after that...if it takes an 0-2 skid to get us these wins again, I'll take it.
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