The Case for NOT Playing All 82 Games

tomjc · 03-12-2010, 12:23 PM

Point 1. Injuries are an undeniable reality in every basketball team. Knowing that at least 4 of your players can be injured in a given year, teams cannot expect that players will play entire 82 game seasons.

Point 2. Resting players prolong longevity and thus maximizes wins and player value in the long term.

Point 3. All championship bound teams do it, look at San Antonio resting starters last year and Cleveland resting Lebron for a week.

http://www.nba.com/2010/news/feature...19/index.html?

Point 4. The goal for every team should be getting deep into the playoffs not just in regular season games. Thus a great regular season is considered a disappointment for teams not going far into the playoffs and a poor regular season is considered a success for teams going far.

Conclusion, teams should rest starters/injury prone players (ie. Yao/K-Mart next year) in games where wins do not contribute to playoff success. ie. it would look bad if the Rockets lost to the Raptors, but who really cares since it doesn't impact our homecourt.

Tb-Cain · 03-12-2010, 12:28 PM

injuries are most often random events. a player can just as easily be injured in game 1 of the season vs. game 82.

it does make some sense when the playoff standings are secured.

otherwise, these players are paid to play and fans pay to see them play. and other teams who are competing for playoff positions deserve to have a fair competition.

if the players can play, and there are playoff implications, the players should play.

Old Man Rock · 03-12-2010, 12:44 PM

I agree. We should rest all of our starters and key role players the rest of the season. A lineup of Jeffries, Conroy, Armstrong, Jermaine taylor, and limited minutes for Hill. Hayes and Cook can come off the bench. Yeah I know Cook is not with the team but we could bring him back and buyout Scola now.

Rip Van Rocket · 03-12-2010, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Man Rock

I agree. We should rest all of our starters and key role players the rest of the season. A lineup of Jeffries, Conroy, Armstrong, Jermaine taylor, and limited minutes for Hill. Hayes and Cook can come off the bench. Yeah I know Cook is not with the team but we could bring him back and buyout Scola now.

I like the way you think. You are making a very modest proposal. I'm sure all the season ticket holders feel the same way.

redao · 03-12-2010, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rip Van Rocket

I like the way you think. I'm sure all the season ticket holders feel the same way.

Commuting to the arena is dangerous, season ticket holders need to rest too.

NIKEstrad · 03-12-2010, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomjc

Point 4. The goal for every team should be getting deep into the playoffs not just in regular season games. Thus a great regular season is considered a disappointment for teams not going far into the playoffs and a poor regular season is considered a success for teams going far.

You don't know which games are going to matter vs. not. That extra loss may have cost you home court advantage in a later round.

The Cavs are doing it now since their seed is pretty secure. And San Antonio did it at the end of the season when they knew where they would end up.

Late season losses also hurt momentum. Look at the Warriors v. Mavs in the 07 playoffs (aka, the Fear the Beard series). The Mavs lost a game late in the regular season to the Warriors in part due to resting regulars -- very well could've given the Warriors more confidence as they went into that series.

Sweet Lou 4 2 · 03-12-2010, 01:03 PM

If this were true, then injuries should occur more during the later parts of the season and not the early parts.

I don't think that's the case.

shaggylambda · 03-12-2010, 01:40 PM

Ticket sales would go down the toilet. Fans won't be happy thus owners won't be happy thus managment and players won't be happy.

towW · 03-12-2010, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaggylambda

Ticket sales would go down the toilet. Fans won't be happy thus owners won't be happy thus managment and players won't be happy.

As long as we are winning at a decent rate and slide into the playoffs fans won't care too much. I personally wouldn't as long as we have a long and healthy Playoff run. If other contending and champs do it I can't see why the Rockets shouldn't.