I doubt they started the game with the intention of tanking but once the score got out of hand (didn't SA shoot over 70% at the half?) then it probably didn't make sense to continue to play the starters and risk injury.
Sure they tanked... ...why they were only the team with the biggest home/away disparity in the league, and freely wanted to give up home court in round 1. ...sure, big doofus Okur whacking Oberto (and nearly getting suspended) had nothing to do with the frustration by getting humiliated on the scoreboard by the team that pummeled them last year. If anyone had the most motivation to tank it was the Spurs, because by winning they now face the one team they could have drawn that presents them a real threat (they own Utah, and Houston w/o Yao just doesn't have the match-ups for them).
hard to say. and don't care. probably not from the get-go; otherwise williams could have sit from the start. utah, phoenix or san antonio, it hardly would have mattered. in the p/o just play our best and give it all. if we do that i'd be happy to take whatever outcome.
You forgot to mention that they were being blown out. Blowouts usually lead to decreased minutes. I don't think they tanked.
