I agree, we should bench our core guys once every so often. Benefits: Reduces risk of injury Team learns to play without them Better for long run outlook of team
I would agree with this if this league was not a business, however, the good players is what makes the NBA successful business. Most fans go to games and watch games because of the stars. I understand when players have injuries or personal matters to attend to, but rest should not be a reason to sit out. It is not fair to fans at all. As a die-hard, I love the strategy since I want our best players to rest whenever possible, but we really should be looking at this issue from a casual fans point of view. Tickets are not cheap, snacks at the game are not cheap, gear is not cheap, therefore, coaches and players should respect the fans that makes them getting paid so much possible.
Um, the Cavs played like 103 games last year and we played 87. They earned extra rest because they need it. We still don't know one another enough.
It's like the Cavs won the first meeting, so here's one for you Memphis..it's odd in this case, but I get it in general.
Rockets will eventually do it with the current trend. I want to see the Rocks do it because they need to see how the team operate without Harden. It is not a given that Harden plays unscathed.
We're also indirectly resting Brewer by playing him around 10 minutes a game recently We will be ready to go in the playoffs with the added force of Dmo and Brewer
The league should definitely go strong against that. It's not even about the disrespect of the fans that bought tickets to see the stars and got a D League team instead. Memphis is getting a free pass against the champs in a very tight western conference situation. Need I remind you that in 2014 there was 1 game separation between spots 2-6 in the West Playoffs rankings? Back when Stern was in charge he would go mental on Pop for doing that. Now everyone is doing it like it's OK. It's a FU for the fans and for sportsmanship. These players are getting 1/4 million dollars for each game they play. Show up for work!
I dont mind it really. Yeah the NBA is a business but you have to remember these players are multi-million dollar investments and assets to the teams that pay them so in some way they should have the right to protect their investment from their perspective. LeBron getting days of rest I have absolutely no problem with considering hes probably played additional 3 more seasons worth in playoff minutes in his career. When 5-year players are getting rest for no legitimate reason (besides minute restrictions from injury, or chronic nagging injuries...etc) then thats where it gets dicey. NBA wants to protect their product and teams want to protect their investments. I dont see this going anywhere anytime soon.
Yes but a coach doesn't get paid to please the fans of the opposing team. If his job is to win a ring then it makes sense to rest his players so they are fresher come playoffs. The NBA hasn't taken any action regarding this so clearly it's not a problem. Perhaps Memphis fans will be disappointed with no Lebron. Or perhaps they will be happy to get an easier win.
Memphis: Hey Cleveland. We not planning to play Marc at Cleveland. Cleveland: Thanks buddy, we won't put Bron on the plane for the next game then. Memphis: Awww man, that's so nice. We didn't get you anything for Christmas. Cleveland: That's alright. The league gives us a present every year even if we have been bad. It just gets here in June. Memphis: .... Cleveland: I think the name of the gift is called "Easty way to get to the finals" Memphis: Just shut up already.
If it's alright for teams to rest players, it should be ok for refs to call travel more often and for superstars to actually get fouls called on them.
The league is doing this very thing as early as next season, they are looking to start around oct 15, shorten preseason , and implement less b2b for every team.
Yes the NBA needs to do something about this. IMO, there are entirely too many regular season NBA games. It increases the chances of injuries to players, causes teams to schedule certain loses by resting their main players, and it makes the individual games less dramatic. While I obviously want the Rockets to win every single game, if they do lose one I typically don't get too upset because there are 81 more games. Even though the Rockets and NBA basketball is my favorite sport to watch, compare that to NFL or especially NCAAF where every game of the season is important because losing just one game can have a dramatic change on the season's outcome. Shorten the regular season, cut back on the number of games (especially back to backs) and a lot of this issue would take care of itself. Of course the owners wouldn't want to do this because that would mean less revenue. And players can say that they would like to do this, but it would most likely result in re-lowering the salary caps with the combined returning levels of player's salaries. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be as open to that idea at that point. So it probably won't happen. And as long as it doesn't, we will continue to see- and smart coaches should- have players resting for the bigger goal of the playoffs.
I like the theory Feigen alluded to that teams are sick and tired of Back to Backs because they dilute game (lack of rest, lack of practice, unlike any other league, college or hs schedules), so they are rebelling by resting stars. Apparently the league somewhat responded by having less B2Bs this year. Game is not meant to be played this much. See all other leagues, college and hs schedules. And not just basketball. The lack of rest/practice is unlike NFL and MLB. NFL is always a once a week game. MLB sticks to a schedule that preserves pitcher arms. Each level has more pitchers, so you can have more games...
I think given a choice most fans would actually want their stars to rest against scrubby teams so they can play better in the playoffs. I mean, what's the point of having a complete line up against a guaranteed win? As long as the team wins anyway I don't think people have a right to complain, that'd be the same as resting Harden in the 4rth quarter and you have a 40 pt lead and then somebody complains why he doesn't play an entire quarter. As a coach and a basketball team your responsibility is really just to make sure you win a game, there's no clause that says you have to make your game entertaining otherwise everybody would just be playing MDA offense every game. As long as you can say you will still win the game then resting players shouldn't really matter IMHO.
I think the practice is done wrong... Why rest 3 guys? Rest 1 guy 1 night, and another the next, etc... Plus, why sit a healthy player for an entire game? Why not just do a better job at limiting minutes over a stretch of games? I was happy to see us limit Harden's minutes in the midst of a blowout - it should be done far more often... Let your stars start... play 10 minutes or something, then sit them... if the game is close going into the 4th you toss them back in...
The players don't want to lose money so they can't have it both ways and ask for a shorter season, it just doesn't work that way. The owners cut the checks I don't know any job were the owner doesn't make the most money. I'm all for the players getting paid but they need to respect the owners a little more than they do for putting up billions of dollars to make this league Great. I don't think these guys realize that the league was dying just 35 years ago.
I consider this just theory. The vast majority of tickets are sold to STH's. 10 less games (5 less home) does not necessarily equate to lower cost of ownership to be a STH. I know for me as a STH, I'd prefer less games, and would pay the same probably. It's all about locking in Playoff tickets for me. 10 less games should, however, equate to better play each game (more practice time/game planning/strategy....which will make the regular season Greater. There is a reason the playoffs never have B2Bs. Consider also a huge amount of the BRI has nothing to do with game-related receipts = ticket sales, food/beverage or parking. It is TV Contracts and merchandising. TV Contracts will not take a hit at all for less games, as their schedule would remain the same. And if the game actually improves via more practice time, better for TV and all fans of the game. So, I just think the argument strictly about the possibility the BRI drops is arguable and not really good for the actual quality of the game. I mean, why don't we increase the regular season to have more games and B2Bs. Is 82 games some magic number?
