Why do Coaches take out there best player at the end of the game when they are in foul trouble? Heat could have won with Whiteside in. Erik Spoelstra is a great coach but sometimes I question his coaching. With about 6 minutes left Erik Spoelstra decided to take Hassan Whiteside out of the game with 5 fouls down 8 points. They had a better chance of winning with him playing. It did not make any sense for him to be taken out of the game. Please coach better in situations like that. We want to win every game so we can to make the playoffs.
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Of course coaches really want their top players on the basketball court as much as possible. However when a player encounters foul trouble the coaches goal should do whatever he can to maximize their players time on court. Benching the player the only guarantees that the player’s time on the is reduced. I believe that the player understands that he is in foul trouble. If you make a habit of pulling the player out with early foul trouble the message can go two ways. One way it can go when the player does get into foul trouble he may be apprehensive to defend aggressively, fearing he may foul and the coach will pull him out of the game. Another way it may go is that the player understands the fouls trouble but still plays aggressive but smart defense because the coach trust him and allows him to stay in the game even with five fouls. I do understand the logic and reason behind the coach choosing to bench the player in early foul trouble to save him for the end of the game for defensive vulnerability. I doubt seriously that most coaches act under this type logic. But I cannot fathom why a coach want to take out his best player down 8 points with 6 minutes to go. There is always a 50/50 chance he will not foul out. Odds are that leaving the player in the game will give the team a better chance of winning. Who knows, a special play, or single shot can make difference between losing or even winning the game.
The beginning or middle part of the game,is not that much of a disadvantage for a coach to have their star player sit on the bench. Now, I am not talking about coaches resting their players like Greg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs. Nor am I talking about LeBron James resting on the bench because of tired legs. Well coaches do react to what the other coach does. If the other team rest starters then they most likely will rest theirs. That is why you see bench players enter when the game is close to tied. I know that the fan want to see the best players on the court but in reality they get tired too. But you can not deny the psychological effect on players when in foul trouble. So, of course the other team wants to attack the player that is in foul trouble.