Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Thursday 23 March 2017
Gregg Popovich ing the national television become a problem now,
schedule to avoid games because I sit out a couple
Continued from Page 17 that have one team at the games?”

“Luckily all the participants tail end of a grueling part Miami coach Erik Spoelstra
are sane people and care of the schedule. said he was on board with
about the same thing and He also said coaches the idea of better tailoring
want to get it right,” Popo- should consider trying the schedule to accom-
vich said on Tuesday be- to rest players at home modate national television.
fore the Spurs played the more than on the road, “It makes sense that our
Minnesota Timberwolves. where fans don’t have the best product is being shown
“It’s not about anybody chance to see their favor- to the masses,” Spoelstra
having power or wanting ite players as often. said. “And if that’s not hap-
to issue orders. It’s about “Whatever it is, more dis- pening then we need to
trying to get it right. That’s cussion with TV partners figure out how to find a so-
the great thing about the so the product isn’t put in lution.”
league and what we’re that type of position. There The problem, as Popovich
doing. It’s all good.” is an inordinate number of sees it, is that the Spurs ap-
The issue was thrust to the games that are national proach has withstood the
forefront in the past two that do end up in the back- test of time.
weeks when the Golden to-back sort of situation,” San Antonio has won five
State Warriors and Cleve- Popovich said. championships and Tim
land Cavaliers each sat Silver issued a memo to the Duncan, Manu Ginobili
their stars for national tele- league’s owners imploring and Tony Parker have all
vision games on consecu- them to take a more active enjoyed long careers and
tive Saturdays. role in the decision-mak- remained effective as they
After ABC/ESPN and Turn- ing process, saying it can got older in part due to San
er paid a combined $24 “damage the perception Antonio’s commitment to
billion for the broadcast of our game.” rest.
rights, the practice made San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich reacts to a call in “I love what Adam is do- “We have definitely added
several stakeholders un- the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis ing for our league, but I years to people,” Popov-
easy. Grizzlies, Saturday, March 18, 2017, in Memphis, Tenn. don’t see how that (would ich said. “So it’s a trade-off.
Associated Press
The 2017-18 regular season help),” Cavaliers star LeB- You want to see this guy in
will begin early to help the stretches of four games in And Popovich said they ron James said at practice this one game? Or do you
league reduce the num- five nights. should also look at tailor- in Los Angeles on Tuesday. want to see him for three
ber of back-to-backs and “I don’t understand why it’s more years in his career?q