Patrick Beverley rips NBA trend of resting players

Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley says resting players is 'a disgrace' to the NBA.

Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley says the league's trend of resting players, especially for nationally televised games, is a disgrace.

Some teams around the league have taken a stance to rest players for various reasons and have come under scrutiny from some players and the league office.

"I think that's bulls---," Beverley said after Sunday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. "I think that's a disgrace to this league. I think that fans deserve better.

"I could care less about coaches asking players to rest or not. It's up to you to play or not, and if you don't, you're disrespecting the game," Beverley added. "And I don't believe in disrespecting the game, because there was a time where I wasn't playing in the NBA and I was trying to get here. So me resting, I feel like, is disrespecting me, disrespecting the name on the front of the jersey and disrespecting the name on the back of the jersey."

Beverely has played in 59 of his teams 73 games, missing time earlier this season because of knee, quadriceps contusion and wrist injuries.

"We understand that it's tough," Beverley said. "We understand that you can't play all 82, trust me, with injuries and all that. But if you're feeling OK -- a lot of people have been banged up, but if you're feeling OK, then you should play. That's what you get paid for. That's what fans deserve. The fans definitely deserve that. That's what the city deserves.

- Scooby Axson