Silver tells team owners to heed rest issue

MIAMI - NBA commissioner Adam Silver sent a memo to the league's board of governors on Monday, calling the way teams are choosing to rest starters in some games "an extremely significant issue for our league" and pressing owners to be more involved in the decision-making process.

Silver also told owners the matter will be discussed at league meetings next month after nationally televised games on back-to-back Saturday nights were diluted by decisions to rest star players.

"Decisions of this kind can affect fans and business partners, impact our reputation and damage the perception of our game," Silver wrote in the memo, which was obtained by AP.