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Getting Stern: Spurs pay penalty for resting stars
Source: Agencies |
December 2, 2012, Sunday
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THE San Antonio Spurs were fined US$250,000 on Friday for sending their top players home before a nationally televised game against the Miami Heat, the National Basketball Association said on Friday.
The Spurs, who have one of the oldest rosters in the league, sent four of their top players home to rest before Thursday's game, which was the final game of a six-game road trip for San Antonio and their fourth game in five nights.
"The Spurs decided to make four of their top players unavailable for an early-season game that was the team's only regular-season visit to Miami," NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a statement. "The team also did this without informing the Heat, the media, or the league office in a timely way. Under these circumstances, I have concluded that the Spurs did a disservice to the league and our fans."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich decided to send Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Danny Green home rather than inserting them into the lineup against the defending champions Heat.
Despite missing the top players, the Spurs nearly shocked the Heat, leading 98-93 with about two minutes to play, before Miami's big guns led the team to a 105-100 victory.
The fine was not a surprise as Stern said late on Thursday apologizing to NBA fans for Popovich's decision and promising "substantial sanctions".
In Los Angeles, the Lakers rebounded from their worst offensive performance of the season with an all out blitz from the bench against the Denver Nuggets, prevailing 122-103.
Three nights after their last-second loss to the Indiana Pacers at home where they managed to score just 77 points, 40 of which were Kobe Bryant's, the Lakers were on fire offensively across the board as they converted a franchise record-equalling 17 three-pointers.
Dwight Howard played up to his big money reputation with 20 rebounds and 28 points, with Antawn Jamison and Jodie Meeks coming off the bench to find their range.
Jamison top-scored with 33 points and added 12 rebounds while Meeks added 21 points from seven successful 3's.
The Spurs, who have one of the oldest rosters in the league, sent four of their top players home to rest before Thursday's game, which was the final game of a six-game road trip for San Antonio and their fourth game in five nights.
"The Spurs decided to make four of their top players unavailable for an early-season game that was the team's only regular-season visit to Miami," NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a statement. "The team also did this without informing the Heat, the media, or the league office in a timely way. Under these circumstances, I have concluded that the Spurs did a disservice to the league and our fans."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich decided to send Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Danny Green home rather than inserting them into the lineup against the defending champions Heat.
Despite missing the top players, the Spurs nearly shocked the Heat, leading 98-93 with about two minutes to play, before Miami's big guns led the team to a 105-100 victory.
The fine was not a surprise as Stern said late on Thursday apologizing to NBA fans for Popovich's decision and promising "substantial sanctions".
In Los Angeles, the Lakers rebounded from their worst offensive performance of the season with an all out blitz from the bench against the Denver Nuggets, prevailing 122-103.
Three nights after their last-second loss to the Indiana Pacers at home where they managed to score just 77 points, 40 of which were Kobe Bryant's, the Lakers were on fire offensively across the board as they converted a franchise record-equalling 17 three-pointers.
Dwight Howard played up to his big money reputation with 20 rebounds and 28 points, with Antawn Jamison and Jodie Meeks coming off the bench to find their range.
Jamison top-scored with 33 points and added 12 rebounds while Meeks added 21 points from seven successful 3's.
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