HEAT/Pacers Game 1

[Dave Gray]

I only used the word nuclear family, because I wanted to stress that this gay person was someone I'm very close to and have seen deal with gay issues....not some distant cousin that lives elsewhere.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Hooray, I was right.

This sucks.

[bsmooth]

It should be a blowout with the massive foul difference. The number of fouls had been pretty close the last 6 games, but the Heat have a two to one advantage in the 4th quarter and George is out.
Yep Stern is getting to see his Finals.

[Landshark]

And the Heat are now banged up and tired and facing a well rested Spurs team that matches up well with them and is much more talented than the Pacers. 

[Sunstroke]

^^^ The part of the "matches up well with them" that I think could spell trouble for Miami is Kawhi Leonard. He's going to be the primary defender on LeBron, and he's the type of player that could give His Kingness some problems. He's a long athletic 6'7" (wingspan 7'3"), who's got the energy of youth (21 years old) and is an excellent defensive player. San Antonio specifically traded for Leonard after the 2011 draft because they thought he could be the superior wing defender to handle the likes of LeBron and Durant. Now he's going to get his chance.

This year, Miami played San Antonio twice. LeBron missed one of the two, with a minor injury. In the other, Kawhi never played. That was the infamous game that San Antonio got fined a quarter million by the NBA for sending four of their top players home (Duncan-Parker-Ginobli-Green) in an obvious "Fuck this, we're resting everyone who matters" maneuver. Kawhi was the fifth player Pop rested.

They did face each other last season, and LeBron had a solid game against him, though I don't remember how much of that one specifically had Leonard defending LeBron. That was Kawhi's rookie season, coming off the lockout and a very brief training camp, and I can tell you one thing with certainty. Kawhi is a lot better player now than he was then. Maybe Pop had another motive for that mass-resting game...so LeBron would be over a year removed from the last time he actually faced "the real Spurs."  LeBron does have one other experience with Kawhi Leonard, though I never heard how that worked out. When LeBron was playing for the USA Olympic team, Leonard was part of the "scout team" that worked out with the USA squad in preparation for the Olympics.

That match-up is going one of two ways. Either LeBron gets the best of Leonard and cements his "Supreme Hoop Being" status, or Leonard does a good job containing LeBron, and establishes himself as an up-and-coming young defensive superstar in the league. I'd drop a dollar on the winner of that match-up being on the team that hoists the trophy.

[bsmooth]

Almost 40 free throw attempts, and 19 more points off them than the Pacers. I would say the Heat either got a hell of a lot more respect from the refs, or the Pacers forgot how to play defense suddenly.

[Landshark]

That was the infamous game that San Antonio got fined a quarter million by the NBA for sending four of their top players home (Duncan-Parker-Ginobli-Green) in an obvious "Fuck this, we're resting everyone who matters" maneuver. Kawhi was the fifth player Pop rested.

I'm still apalled about that.  If I were Popovich, I would've sued the NBA in court for that.  Somebody's gotta stand up to that douchebag commish Stern.  I'm so glad he is stepping down. 

[Dave Gray]

^ I have no problem with the Spurs getting fined for what they did.  It was an intentional middle-finger to the NBA, without even an attempt to pretend that it was anything else.  They are selling entertainment, and if the Spurs stick it to the NBA in a way that can seriously damage their brand and the integrity of the problem, Stern should step in.

[Phishfan]

The NBA, especially David Stern sucks for this decision. I think you are so upset and were so upset because it was a game against the Heat. Pops job is not to entertain. His job was to get his Spurs to win games and to try to get them into the championship. This sets a very dangerous precedent. Members outside of a team should have no bearing on who plays or does not play outside of suspensions.

Think of it this way Dave. The NFL sells entertainment. Tebow was one of the most highly discussed players last year. What if the NFL fined the Jets for not giving Tebow enough playing time? It isn't their place to do so.

[Landshark]

^ I have no problem with the Spurs getting fined for what they did.  It was an intentional middle-finger to the NBA, without even an attempt to pretend that it was anything else.  They are selling entertainment, and if the Spurs stick it to the NBA in a way that can seriously damage their brand and the integrity of the problem, Stern should step in.

You are so dead wrong on this.   If I was Popovich, I would've not only given the NBA the finger,  I would've personally done it to Stern after I handed him a copy of the lawsuit.  I make decisions that are in my team's best interests.   Who is Stern or anyone else to dictate who I play and who I rest??

[Sunstroke]

The NBA, especially David Stern sucks for this decision. I think you are so upset and were so upset because it was a game against the Heat. Pops job is not to entertain. His job was to get his Spurs to win games and to try to get them into the championship. This sets a very dangerous precedent. Members outside of a team should have no bearing on who plays or does not play outside of suspensions.

I agree with this part, as Pop's sole job is to do whatever he can to give his team the best shot at winning a championship.

Think of it this way Dave. The NFL sells entertainment. Tebow was one of the most highly discussed players last year. What if the NFL fined the Jets for not giving Tebow enough playing time? It isn't their place to do so.

Not sure I buy this example though. First, 1 game in the 82-game NBA schedule is not the same as 1 game in the 16-game NFL schedule. Second, Popovich didn't bench/send home his "most entertaining" players, he sent home his "best" players. Five of his best, on a team where only 10-12 players actually play. If you were going to make the NBA to NFL comparison, it would be like if New England was playing the 49ers, and Harbaugh benched 40% of his players, including all 8 Pro Bowlers.  Again, as a 49ers fan, I might not be too happy if I had a ticket to that game, but I'd accept it if I thought the reason was that Harbaugh thought it was in the best interests of the 49ers' chances of winning a Super Bowl.

[Phishfan]

I get you Stroke. Then if we want to go there, let's use the Colts during the Manning era as an example. They made a practice of gaining their playoff position then sitting guys.

[Spider-Dan]

If you were going to make the NBA to NFL comparison, it would be like if New England was playing the 49ers, and Harbaugh benched 40% of his players, including all 8 Pro Bowlers.  Again, as a 49ers fan, I might not be too happy if I had a ticket to that game, but I'd accept it if I thought the reason was that Harbaugh thought it was in the best interests of the 49ers' chances of winning a Super Bowl.

NFL teams have frequently benched their stars in week 16/17... particularly in interconference games.  That's probably not a good comparison (unless  that was your point).

I think the main problem was not that Pop didn't play his stars.  It was that they didn't even make the trip.

[Sunstroke]

I think the main problem was not that Pop didn't play his stars.  It was that they didn't even make the trip.

I hear what you're saying, but do you really think the NBA's response would have been different if he brought Duncan-Parker-Ginobli-Green to the arena, and then had them sit on the bench, healthy, in 3-piece suits? I think that would have been just as big of a "f**k you, Stern" as sending them home. Possibly bigger, as it would have allowed the network cameras to focus on those players during the nationally televised game. At least by sending them home, the cameras were forced to focus on the players actually playing in that game.

[Dave Gray]

These things don't happen in a vacuum.  It's not that guys didn't play.  It's that Pop did this as punishment to the NBA for how they scheduled him and he hit them in the pocketbook as a "fuck you".  There is something called "full faith and credit" in the ticket.  There's a reasonable expectation that these players will play, except for reasons X,Y, and Z.  Injury, rest, strategy, etc. -- these have been deemed acceptable by both owners and fans.  A team being upset with the league and screwing them out of broadcast money is not one of those reasons.  Because the Spurs made no attempt to veil this as one of those other things, they wanted the NBA to know why this was happening.  And the NBA did and responded.  It's Stern's job to protect the fans.