Last Thursday Gregg Popovich decided to sit 4 players before a nationally televised game TNT versus the Miami Heat. Pop made it known before the game he was going to sit a few of his veteran players. He’s been known to do that during the last few years in his tenure to keep his guys fresh for the playoff push. We all know the NBA season is a long grueling season especially for the players a little long in the tooth.
The 4 players that were allowed to rest were:
Tim Duncan
Manu Ginobili
Tony Parker
Danny Green
NBA Commish David Stern promised to punish the Spurs and did to the tune of 250k for not playing some of their best players on a nationally televised game. I can see where both sides are coming from but I don’t know what grounds he had to fine them a quarter million but that’s just me.
The funny twist to all of this is that Danny Green was one of the four players that didn’t have to play against the Heat. Green has been something like a journeymen who was originally drafted by the Cavs until settling down with the Spurs last year as the starting two guard. Green signed a 3 yr 12 million dollar contract during the summer and is currently averaging 9.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg and shooting 36.4% from 3. Those aren’t world beater numbers but oming out North Carolina nobody ever thought Green would be one of the players held out with Stars such as Duncan, Parker and Ginobili. One thing I can say is hard work pays off.
