It’s never too early for Gregg Popovich to think rest — even if it is the team’s home opener.
It’s the first week of the season, but the Spurs have three games in four nights, and Popovich is going to make sure his guys get their rest whether it’s October or March. Whether it’s the Spurs home opener or not.
INJURY REPORT - Manu Ginobili & Tony Parker (rest) and Danny Green (left quad strain) are out for tonight's Spurs-Pelicans game.
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 29, 2016
Detest on this if you want, but whether you buy the analytics or just use the eye test, players perform better when rested, and they are less likely to suffer injuries. It’s that simple.
Popovich is more aggressive with the rest than most, but he also has some older players that he knows he is going to need come April and May. So he starts the rest early.