The Spurs lost last night in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals.
Putting them down 0-3 to the Golden State Warriors. Just a single loss away from being swept. However, that wasn't the biggest story this morning.
The biggest story has to do with Kawhi Leonard and the reasons behind him being held out of Game 3.
Apparently Leonard himself said he was ready to play in Game 3 and many fans felt like with 3 days rest between Game 2 and Game 3, he would be ready to go, no problem.
However, just a couple hours before tip off, Greg Popovich (spurs head coach) came out and said that he was shutting Leonard down for the game and that it was his personal choice.
His quote read like this:
"I guess it's my decision. He's not thrilled that he's not playing, but he's not ready, so we're not going to play him."
That doesn't sound all that interesting or unusual, but when a fellow teammate followed up those remarks with these of his own:
"Other teams would have guys play with broken bones, missing fingers, but the Spurs care about guys' bodies and careers."
It gets slightly more interesting.
The Spurs are known for being more of a family-oriented organization than most and this quote would go right along with that sentiment.
Don't get them wrong, the Spurs want to win just as much (if not more) than any other organization but they likely understand that they have little shot at beating the Warriors even with Kawhi Leonard out there. So, they are making sure they don't further injure him when he is slated to be their focal point for years to come.
It's not only about caring for the well being of their players, it is a strategic business move as well.
While it might not be as interesting as it first sounds, nevertheless, my reaction is still the same:
"Good on you Spurs."
Here's to hoping he is ready for Game 4.
Resource (and picture):
http://www.latimes.com/sports/nba/la-sp-nba-report-20170520-story.html
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/spurs-danny-green-thinks-he-knows-why-popovich-sat-kawhi-in-game-3-vs-warriors/
