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That is, for a regular season game. Because that's exactly what San Antonio did tonight playing on the road against Denver. The reason I believe is that the Spurs were entering the game coming off a back-to-back road game playing Golden State yesterday. The problem I've in doing this is simple. You lost the game. Denver is competing with you for the top seed in the playoffs along with the Lakers. Thanks to the lost, the Nuggets are right behind the Spurs. Both teams are behind the Lakers. This is one of those games that could come back to hurt the Spurs in April.

I mean can you imagine Rivers sitting Pierce, Garnett and R. Allen during anyone of the games Boston will play of a six straight road trip beginning next week. No. He wouldn't... A healthy Garnett wouldn't remain quiet. All three enjoy playing and competing every night I would think.

Not unless we have a comfortable lead as #1 overall, which is doubtful to take place considering the competition.

Exactly. I would like to know what was Popovich's logic in this. Because I don't get it. At least if you're going to do that. Wait until you reach an "easier" point in your schedule.

The Spurs don't need HCA to win series in the playoffs that is the only thing i can come up with as a reason why.

spurs were on the 2nd of a back-to-back, coming off an overtime game @ golden state, where both tim and parker played 40+ minutes and manu got hurt (minor hip contusion, nothing serious). i have no problem with dropping a meaningless game in february when it comes to the health of our star players.

I understand what you're saying but I didn't see it as a meaningless game. A real competitor would see every game as a game that could prove to mean something to the team as far as making for breaking your season or your determining your playoff seeding. For Boston, they would never be able to afford to do that with Cleveland on their heels. My point is: If your best players are healthy, you play them. Granted Garnett has been held out for two games so far for a non basketball health reason. But, Pierce and Ray Allen are still playing.

Again, based on what you'd said, I can understand the situation for the Spurs. I mean Rivers went for the win rather than the tie on the road against Philadelphia tonight by drawing up a play for a three-point shot. Because Pierce was in foul trouble and Davis, who'd played well in place of Garnett, played over forty minutes. Ray also was in foul trouble and played over forty minutes. Rivers had his concerns.

bonsaiflipflops wrote:I understand what you're saying but I didn't see it as a meaningless game.

and i think thats a bit of the spurs philosophy. for them, the season is just now finally getting close to starting (on the rodeo road trip now). this game holds about as much importance as a game played in november. the season doesnt start until april, so why worry about 1 game right now?

Popovich is amazing. THey only lost by 8.

Pop thought it was a loss anyway so he decided to get rest for his big guns.

Well, then my opinion differs. Both Boston and the Lakers came out of the gate playing to win. For these two teams, winning is everything and securing home court advantage throughout the playoffs means a lot. To me, it's all about a team's mentality and philosophy on things. Some teams just differ on this. The Celtics have the attitude that they'll like to defend their NBA title and know that in order to reach that point again you must do all the things right during the regular season to get there. That means the season starts from game one to game eighty-two. But, as I'd said, this season, Boston can't afford to pick and choose which games they'll take serious and which that they won't. Every game matters when you've Cleveland and Orlando so far ahead of the rest of the eastern conference teams fighting for a playoff spot.

But, I don't want to say what San Antonio decided to do for Tuesday night's game was wrong. Fortunately, the Celtics haven't yet had to deal with a major adversity.

1. I think POP is convinced that they can't catch the lakers.
2. Now his big3 are off until sunday when they face us, 1 loss, 5 days rest. Works for me.

Look at the hornets and the fact that they played Paul when injured.

Plus, that is denver, the altitude could have affected the players even more.

I bet on the Spurs because they were +6 and it didnt say anyone was injured. Then I turned the game on and realized how screwed I was. They actually came close to covering but still.... damn popovich.

No reason to rest your big 3 before the all-star game. Maybe they dont NEED home court advantage, but dont they WANT it? If I am a coach I dont rest all my players until my playoff seed is set in stone.

-Dizzy

It makes sense if you want to be very efficient but it's not nice for the fans who paid the tickets to see a bit of Duncan and Parker as well. Pop doesn't care mostly and I like him because of that, but I know for sure, that I wouldn't pull some of his stuff if I'd be in his position.

The title is a bit misleading, I think it should read whether Doc would ever sit his top 3 players. I was prepared to come in and indicate that I thought it was impossible that all 3 would be playing bad enough that Doc would bench them all at the same time, because the character of all 3 pretty much prevents them from dogging it.

I think POP sitting all the guys is really odd, given they have a few days off before their next game. Contain down the minutes, no problem with that at all. But he pretty much threw the game, people would have lost money on the game, and the paying fans would have felt cheated as well.

Rivers would I think only sit our starters at the end of the season if home court was won. I just don't see him sitting any of them at this point in the season if the trainers cleared them to play. Within reason (you don't play starters 48 minutes a game) the coaches job IMO is to try and win every single game.

People Relax, I don't expect Rivers would bench his top three players like Pop did because Rivers can't afford too. Pop is a great coach and all the guys who play for me loves the guy. Pop gave Duncan and Parkers the night off because they are is two All-Stars. Unlike the rest of their teammates they will have to work this weekend. I think it was a nice gift that Pop give his two star players. Don't you think because he did this for Duncan and Paker that they would come back refesh and ready to give Pop all that they have for the rest of the season. To much stock is being put into one game. The Spurs have been an long play-off runs over the past 10 years or so. They will be ready come play-off time, they don't need homecourt to win.

I don't think Garnett will sit quietly if he were benched. He's too much of a competitor. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen I think probably wouldn't mind. But I don't think Doc would at this point of the season. Maybe if the C's know they can secure HCA all throughout the playoffs, then I would think Doc may give one of the big 3 a day off at a time. I don't think Celtics can afford to this year, as Cleveland is right one their tail.

coming off a back to back going up against a scrub team, i say yeah maybe take a chance who knows you might win. but denver - they are no slouch now so i'm not sure about that move last night

As a fan, I would be disappointed too if it wasn't announced prior to tipoff that Duncan and Parker won't be playing. Still, if I'm the head coach, if you aren't injured, you're playing. If I'm a player and I'm healthy and I receive a DNP, I'm ticked off. This isn't the MLB. I would never request a sit if I'm a player. It's my job to be out there.

Popovich also chose to rest All-Stars Tim Duncan and Tony Parker and veteran Michael Finley, providing them a break after Monday's energy-sapping victory at Golden State went to overtime.

Ginobili is the only one of those four Popovich described as “legitimately banged-up.” El Contusion, it seems, has a hip contusion, suffered in Monday night's victory over the Warriors.

Perhaps as a show of how bruised Ginobili really was, he did not dispute his coach's prescription for a day off.

“Usually, I would try to argue with him,” Ginobili said. “This time, I didn't. I woke up really sore.”

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/38988297.html

That is why he is Greg Popovich and you aren't. You see this game against DEN that you have given artificial importance to. You understand that they are not in the same division? Pop knows that it is marathon not a sprint he wasn't likely to use Manu anyhow. It would have been back to back up and down games, not exactly Spurs ball. So instead of sitting one or two guys on a given night and nursing through an east coast trip. He sits all 3. Gets a good look at his bench against a contending team he is likely to see in the second round prior to the deadline and gets his stars almost a week off before the trip. What good is beating the Nugs if you go 1-5 on the road trip?