LeBron Doesn't Play – LA Fans Want Money Back

The Clippers won by 30 points Saturday but a lot of fans in the sellout crowd at Staples Center were far from happy. “Refund, refund, refund,” they chanted because the Cleveland Cavaliers had rested LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Erving.

If you were a Clipper season ticket holder you’d have to go a full season without seeing the star players of the NBA champions because it was the Cavaliers’ only road game against the Clippers in the current 82-game season. Worse, the Cavaliers had all their players in action the next night when the same three combined for 100 points in a game against the Lakers in the same Staples Center.Obviously, this matter of resting uninjured players has run its course. Complaints from fans and NBA business partners have led NBA commissioner Adam Silver into action. On Monday Silver sent a very strong message to NBA owners that they have

to solve this very important problem. He threatened heavy fines and it’s likely something significant will be done before next season. One decision has been made. There will be less exhibition games next season and a week will be added to the regular season. The tactic of resting players was introduced to the NBA several years ago by San Antonio coach Greg Popovich. It was on a lesser scale then but it’s way out of hand now. Cleveland General Manager David Griffin said he regretted that Clipper ticket buyers didn’t get to see the Cavaliers’ star players. But he also said he had to consider that ticket buyers in

Cleveland would be deprived if the Cavaliers lost early in the playoffs because players hadn’t received needed rest. Former Laker Michael Cooper suggests that players who aren’t injured but miss games in order to rest should lose part of their salary. That makes sense until you realize players sometime want to play but are told they won’t be playing. LeBron James is one who wants to play in every game. Sunday night at Staples center the Cavaliers came from behind to hand the Lakers their 50th loss in 70 games.

Laker fans could have felt deprived that the Lakers’ two highest salaried players didn’t get into the game. They didn’t ask for rest but management has decided thay center Timofey Moscov and forward Luel Deng won’t play in the Lakers’ final 15 games so the team’s younger players can get experience. In the remaining years of Moscov and Deng’s contracts they’re owed more than $100 million. Enough is enough.