NBA Commissioner David Stern: San Antonio Spurs Rested Too Many Players Too Early

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - NBA Commissioner David Stern says his $250,000 fine of the San Antonio Spurs was justified because the club went beyond what league owners agreed was a reasonable approach to resting healthy players.

Stern says coaches should have the authority to rest players at the end of the season, but that teams should not rest four starters little more than a month into the season, and the team made matters worse by not notifying the league beforehand.

Last week, the Spurs sent home Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Danny Green before a game in Miami. Stern points out that Green is 26 and Parker 30, and that he doubted any of the players needed rest this early in the season in what was also their only visit to Miami.

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