Photo Credit: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Everyone in the NBA including the San Antonio Spurs loyal were caught off guard when Gregg Popovich decided to rest his Big 3 and Danny Green.

The result, well it wasn’t as bad as fans thought it would be. We got a tight, interesting game that gave the defending champion Miami Heat a scare right down to the wire, with only LeBron’s heroics splitting the 2 teams.

So why on earth would David Stern want to penalise the Spurs? His main argument being a lack of competition and skill has been squashed as the Spurs bench players put in a hell of an effort.

This is not something new and abrupt, the Spurs have played without Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili 10 times since 2002-2003 and have gone 2-8 in those games.

Not once have they been fined and if they were going to be fined, why didn’t it happen last season when the Spurs rested their 3 guys against the Golden State Warriors on the regular season finale.

The NBA is a lot more hot and contested come playoff time and the Spurs were allowed to rest their players then? So why when were in November should the Spurs get fined?

Look at the Spurs point of view for a moment, empathise with them. Their chances at a championship are getting smaller by the year as their stars get older and on the verge of retirement.

Their success can be shown in the conservative approach they give to player health, as their older guys play as fewer minutes as possible in preparation for the playoffs.

These veterans had played brutal minutes as they had 4 games in 5 days on a road trip which included a double overtime outing in Toronto. Not to mention 2 starting caliber players have gone down injured in the last week.

Sitting these guys was all in good nature. Would you like to enjoy them for 98% of the season or would you rather they be injured and miss half the season? (If you are the Spurs)

The Spurs bench isn’t to be laughed at, they dug in against the world champions and made them quiver. Something the 29 other NBA teams and fans must have taken some enjoyment out of.

When you hear David Stern say something like this it just makes your heart sink a little.

“I apologize to all NBA fans. This was an unacceptable decision by the San Antonio Spurs and substantial sanctions will be forthcoming.”

There is no apology to NBA fans or get square revenge needed here. This team has the championship in mind which is after all what all teams are striving for?

There’s not even need for an apology to TNT as the game in a way did live up to the hype it received.

Looking at David Stern’s remarks last April from the Golden State game perhaps it’s the fact we’ve got a full 82 game season that has brought about the punishment.

“We knew in some ways it (needing to rest starters) might be intensified by the compactness of the season. That’s something we have tried to do in recent years, is not try to coach for the coach.”

Quotes from huffingtonpost.com

Exactly David Stern you had it right the first time! Don’t coach the coach! Popovich is our best in the league.

Let him manage and supply the basketball talent that brings the big bucks in to the NBA and focus on something else like the raging Rajon Rondo.

I tell you what Mr Stern, call me if the Spurs rest their players against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, then and only then should the Spurs be fined.