http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5088363

A few quotes by David Stern in there. He basically says nothing will come from it but that it will be a topic of discussion.

It seems like in every sport this is an issue when it shouldn't be at all. There is definitely no universal definition of 'healthy.' Teams and players don't owe anyone anything. Even if there were a rule about this teams could easily say nothing more than "(insert superstar) is experiencing soreness, he is day to day." In baseball, guys get days off all the time. By the end of a given year, a team is what it is. If you're locked into a playoff spot, you have much more important games ahead. If you've been eliminated from a playoff race, you have every right to shut a guy down for a multitude of reasons.

I legitimately think arguing that a player should always play when healthy is on par with saying Lebron or Kobe should play 48 minutes every game or Tim Lincecum should start 162 games a year in terms of stupidity.

You can't do anything about it as a League.

The only thing I can see is dishing out fines, but that isn't what Stern is about IMO. And I'm pretty sure most NBA stars wouldn't care about a $25K fine for not playing a 100% completely meaningless game.

Then coaches will just go the Bill B. method for the Patriots and put all his main players down on the injury list as probable, questionable etc.

Then when the game comes, you can either play the guy or sit him due to his "injury".

Honestly, they wouldn't even have grounds to fine them I don't think. All it would really take is a, "Well, Melo tweaked his ankle yesterday in practice and is experiencing soreness." Even if, as the article stated, they could have doctors verify any injury or lackthereof there really is no way to guage some stuff.

It's pretty simple to get around proving an injury...

"Before tip Bron has the shits, so he's sitting this one out"

I also think as a fan you should realize this in pretty much every sport. If you purchase a ticket to a late regular season game there is the possibility of this type of game.

It's a little different in the NFL with only eight home games but obviously in the NBA you have 41 chances to see the home team.

For fuck's sake, let the coaches coach.

Can't fix it.

At what level of complaint from the fans or coverage by ESPN does this become an addressable issue?

Can't change something that only involves a wink and a nod to circumvent...gimme a break.

I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be crying if their team was resting starters after having locked up the overall #1 seed.

QQ

David Stern just being David Stern. He will never change this.

Imagine if LeBron had torn his ACL tonight in a meaningless game in Atlanta?

^^It would be part of being an athlete.

It could happen in any game, even a preseason game.

Sage wrote: Imagine if LeBron had torn his ACL tonight in a meaningless game in Atlanta?

I agree...but I still think the Cavs should have played 24 mintes tonight with their starters....including Shaq.

wildcats20 wrote: ^^It would be part of being an athlete.

It could happen in any game, even a preseason game.

Exactly. So why play meaningless games?

Footwedge wrote: Can't fix it.

Nope, you can't fix something that isn't broken.

SQ_Crazies wrote:

wildcats20 wrote: ^^It would be part of being an athlete.

It could happen in any game, even a preseason game.

Exactly. So why play meaningless games?

I've given my opinion on it, but I have never bought the "risking injury" view. You risk injury every time you lace them up, practice included.

Footwedge wrote:

Sage wrote: Imagine if LeBron had torn his ACL tonight in a meaningless game in Atlanta?

I agree...but I still think the Cavs should have played 24 mintes tonight with their starters....including Shaq.

Cleveland would be better off just going 5 v 5 hard in practice with the lineup Atlanta put on the floor tonight. They didn't have any of their main guys going just like Cleveland sat LeBron, Mo, and Shaq.

It would have been a pick up game if Atlanta kept Johnson, Hoford, Crawford etc on the bench while Cleveland played their main guys.

Kind of how it was with the Cavs studs not playing and only a couple of the Hawks studs playing??

wildcats20 wrote:

SQ_Crazies wrote:

wildcats20 wrote: ^^It would be part of being an athlete.

It could happen in any game, even a preseason game.

Exactly. So why play meaningless games?

I've given my opinion on it, but I have never bought the "risking injury" view. You risk injury every time you lace them up, practice included.

Exactly my point. There is no more or less risk in these games, but they are meaningless--once you've clinched, it doesn't matter obviously. So why even take the risk?

And a prime example of all this...

The Machine, you might know him as Sasha Vujawhateverthefuckhisnameis, went down in the second quarter with a pretty bad sprained left ankle. I have NO IDEA what the Lakers are going to do now going forward in the play offs.

They're going to be glad it wasn't Kobe.

if they are afraid of injury, they should be put on bed rest. that way they dont fall down the stairs or slip in the shower.

LMAO! Because the chances of him falling in the shower and being out for the playoffs are better than turning an ankle in a basketball game..

All I know is that Eric A. Wedge rested starters in 07 after clinching a playoff spot....and because of that, the tribe had to play game 7 in Boston instead of Cleveland. Tribe and Boston both ended up winning 96 games.

And Eric B Wedge's team lost game 7 in Boston. Red Sox then swept the Rockies in 4 straight.

Moral o. t. story: Don't rest your players if you can win home field/home court.

????