No sooner had Oklahoma City defeated Boston on Wednesday night than the Celtics’ disappointment was washed away by the anticipation of Friday night’s game at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Big 3 of LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving.

Oops. This just in:

The Cavaliers’ first-year coach, David Blatt, announced that the Big 3 would not play. The team has to fly back to Cleveland for a game Saturday evening against Atlanta. The players need their rest.

I’m making this up, of course. James, Love and Irving are scheduled to take on the Celtics. But this is the kind of tactic the N.B.A. will be increasingly opening itself up to if it does not address the ethical blind spot already being exploited by Gregg Popovich, the accomplished coach of the defending champion San Antonio Spurs.

Last week, Popovich raised eyebrows — yet again — when he announced that five Spurs would not play in Houston in a nationally televised game against the Rockets.