RealGM

Sorry if i seem like a fool, but being a laker fan, i rarely watch spurs games, however i watched the end of last night's game and i just dont understand why popovich took out ginobli, parker, and duncan with five minutes left! sure they were down fifteen, but it is the nuggets and the spurs are a more than capable team of making a comeback. can someone please help me out and explain this strange coaching decision?

It was just Pops way of sending a message to the team., they played a bad game on the second night of a b2b and Pop was mad so he made the team suffer. He does it alot.

Even after we got it back down to 7 or so with a few minutes remaining, Duncan/Parker/Ginobili stayed on the bench. Definitely a message from Pop about his team's effort last night.

Aside from that, I think it was to not try and go hard after the game, with the longer-term picture in mind.

It is knowledge of how good the team is, for managing the season.

Regardless, it's a meaningless game now.

They were just better last night and sometimes you got to realize when it isn't your night. You have to commend the Nuggets, they won the game but one game in the season isn't going to make or break what is going to happen in May or June.

I think Pop's substitution patterns were very screwy last night!

spurs are not known to win b2b games.

dont worry the spurs will repay the favor when the next game is comin up in SA.

But that will be on the 2nd of a BTB, too ^. Will still be like a road game because of travel, but being at home will help with any lackings.

Interesting game there.

I did not watch the game but man, if the real reason pop did it was "send a message", he definitely chose a bad time to do it. We're fighting for homecourt and that lose put us back at the 2nd seed behind Lakers while also having an extremely tough remaining schedule. Lakers is the team that scares me the most right now and i think it'll come down to one thing againts them homecourt advantage.

Pop is harsh......but I guess a good coach.