Last night Gregg Popovich, the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs (the favorite team of my 99 yr old grandmother), opted to send four of his key players home early from a 6 game road trip. So what’s the big deal? Well, the 6th game of this road trip was supposed to be a marquee match-up with the defending NBA champion Miami Heat. Before the game NBA commissioner David Stern issued the following statement:
This was an unacceptable decision by the San Antonio Spurs and substantial sanctions will be forthcoming.
Of course everybody would have loved to see Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Danny Green battle with LeBron and company, but isn’t it the coach’s decision who plays? This is a scary precedent for David Stern to set because it undermines players, coaches, and teams.
In baseball the strategic positioning of pitchers to play certain games is commonplace and expected. A reality in sports is that some games are more important than others. Spurs fans want Popovich to beat Miami in June, not necessarily in November. Why is it acceptable to rest key players right before the playoffs but not during the middle of the season?
It is no secret that the Spurs have struggled with injuries. Since success for the Spurs depends on the likes of Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili, keeping these aging players fresh and healthy is a top priority. Besides, minimizing wear and tear to key players is not only strategic, but also important for extending the careers of players. Popovich said it best:
We’ve done this before in hopes we’re making a wiser decision and not a macho decision.
While David Stern is reacting to an understandably disappointed fan base, he is also setting a troubling precedent that undermines players, coaches, and teams.
Leaders act based on principles. Stern is reacting based on short-sighted public perception.