David Stern's reaction to Gregg Popovich's decision to bench his big three was a major overreaction. |
Oh David Stern, how you have influenced the NBA for so many reasons. Oh how you rigged the lottery and gave the Knicks Patrick Ewing (thank you). Oh how you saw the post-Jordan glory years crumble to the ground when stars like Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant got a little bit overzealous off the court and with the press. Oh how you dropped to your knees in praise when LeBron James was picked first overall in 2003 and a few years later completely revitalized your league. Oh how you came to your senses after stuffing your face with turkey last year saving the season and producing one of the most exciting basketball campaigns we've seen in a while. Oh and how arrogant you are and how much I dislike you. But oh how you've been right so many times. But, oh how wrong you were last night.
Last night Spurs coach Gregg Popovich did what he has done countless times over the past few seasons, sitting his big three for reasons of age, durability and fatigue. This was well publicized last March when the Spurs met the 76ers and Duncan did not play and Pop left us with quite a hilarious coach's decision DNP. So when he decided to sit Duncan, Ginobili, Parker and Danny Green last night, no one was surprised, except commissioner David Stern.
Maybe it was the fact that it was the much-overhyped NBA on TNT Thursday. Maybe it was because they were playing the Heat, the league's most overexposed team since the 90s Bulls with the league's most overexposed player since Michael Jordan. Maybe because it was a possible NBA Finals preview. Maybe it was because it was about as marquee of November inter-conference game as you could possibly have. Maybe it was because Stern's Thursday was a little too thirsty or maybe it was because Stern got his panties in a bundle. But the "substantial sanctions" that Stern has threatened to hit San Antonio with are pure ludicrous.
Gregg Popovich did absolutely nothing wrong last night in my eyes. This is a championship-caliber squad and while a majority of their team is below 30 years old, their three best players average a little bit more than the 30-year plateau and seem even older. They need their rest. Pop's team is tied with the Memphis Grizzlies for the NBA's best record and have a big game at home on Saturday against those same Grizzlies. Another reason why this game was quite meaningless for Pop's Spurs, despite the fact that the NBA had the TNT clown show covering the game. This is Pop thinking long-term, thinking about down-the-road and not what's in front of him. There is no need for the Spurs to show off their prowess and beat the Heat on the road, they don't fear LeBron James and in fact, the coach's decision last night proved they don't a-you-know-what about King James. Why waste your effort trying to beat one of the Eastern Conference's best teams when you could have your players rested against your biggest foe in your own conference. Pop's train of thought in the regular season is, an easy win is still a win, and Western Conference's games are all that matter. Whether or not you agree with him, you don't have four rings like he does, you haven't won 50-plus games 13 years in a row (including last year's lockout) like him. Simply put, you are not Gregg Popovich. Remember folks (and Brooklyn fans) games in November do not resonate like they do in March and April when you make that final playoff push. But we don't need to defend Pop, his ring-laden right hand could do it for us, but we do need to criticize David Stern.
The commissioner basically made us fans out to be little kids, especially Heat fans who honestly wouldn't drop a tear if LeBron just got up and left them for the NFL:
"I apologize to all NBA fans. This was an unacceptable decision by the San Antonio Spurs and substantial sanctions will be forthcoming."
Are you kidding me? I don't need to be apologized to about one game on TNT. If I'm a damn Heat fan (the thought of that makes me shutter) I'm excited. "Nice, an easy win for my squad in what I thought would have been a tough game." Commish, it's November. Pop's decision to sit his stars in November will have absolutely no ramifications down the road, and I can bet you on that. For the national audience, TNT will survive. Shaq is not going to try and wrestle Charles Barkley to boost ratings. Craig Sager is not going to wear a suit made out of bear skin to get viewers. The NBA is not going to fold like a lawn chair because no one watches a Thursday game in November. No one is crying or throwing a tantrum because they didn't get to see an early season Spurs-Heat game. Everyone is moving on just fine. Actually, this game sort of became quite interesting on the heels of Pop's decision and would have still been interesting even if Stern didn't throw in his two cents. By halftime when everyone realized the Spurs weren't get rocked by LeBron and co. it turned into must-watch TV and prompted this hysterical tweet by the NBA Historian himself, Bill Simmons:
Commish, it's very simple. Don't treat us NBA fans like we're stupid or that we eat, sleep and drink 82-straight games of NBA basketball. The season is a long, winding road and Gregg Popovich knows it's not a sprint. No matter what you do Commissioner Stern, Pop isn't going to change and you'll just have to let him continue being the best coach in the NBA. The league is at a high that it hasn't been at in a while, don't turn this well-oiled basketball republic into a full-blown dictatorship, that's how you lose fans, lose players and lose damn good coaches.
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