May have replied to you in the past on this topic, not sure, but I will repeat my view. Morey is Mikes boss. We all know that Morey tracks everything. EVERYTHING!!! Wouldn’t it be reasonable to assume that if the organization believed there was a problem that Mike wasn’t handling correctly that he would step in and make sure the right thing is done? Maybe? I think the resting thing is organizational. It’s not just the coaches decision.
To me, this is the last part of Harden's maturation process, there is no shame in taking a game or two off, he's been busting his ass every night. But we have big goals this season and he has got to listen to his body for sake of those grueling 7 game series that are likely ahead of us. Duncan and Ginobili always welcomed a rest day, Duncan got the "DNP- Old" treatment but he always got the last laugh when he hoisted that trophy over his head every summer.
Duncan didn’t get a single game off for rest purposes until he was well over 30 and had SIX seasons where he played more minutes per game than Hardens career high(which isn’t this year). Won 2 titles in those 6 years.
I'm not suggesting that Harden and Duncan are at the same stage in their careers when they need rest days, just that when rest was needed, regardless of how old he was when he needed it, Duncan welcomed it because he saw the big picture. Harden has taken a beating, he is sore, tired, injured. Take a game off dude.
