How should the NBA deal with healthy players resting games?

atlsfinest · Mar 22, 2017

This has become a big issue lately, especially with key players sitting out of marquee prime-time match-ups (Cavs-Clippers from last week comes to mind).

Here's the issue: Resting players is a sound strategy that pays dividends come playoff time, that's a known fact. Lebron probably wouldn't have been able to play 47 minutes in Game 7 of the Finals last season if they didn't take a few nights off in March.

"Make the regular season shorter", "The regular season is too long" ,etc. -- Let's be real here the reason players and owners make so much money is because the season is as long as it is. They're not just going to cut the reason down to 70 games. Fewer games means fewer opportunities to get advertising revenue, gate receipts, etc. Shortening the season is a non-starter IMO.

"Fine the players if they sit" -- The players don't make these decisions unilaterally, Lebron doesn't just say 'I'm not playing tonight'. The coaches, GMs, executives and probably even the owner have a say in the matter.

"Make them get a doctor's note" -- That would just lead to a lot of bogus injury reporting to justify the players sitting, every player would have 'knee soreness' or 'back spasms'. This would change nothing.

It's tough because at the end of the day, the NBA is an entertainment league and they make money because they entertain the public. Healthy players not playing will eventually hurt the NBA's bottom dollar come TV contract negotiation time and its already hurting the NBA's reputation with fans who attend games. I'd be angry if this were my only chance to see Curry, Lebron, Kawhi, etc. and they sat because of rest. At the same time, the NBA is a team game and you're still getting an opportunity to watch the team play.

NT, How do you think the NBA fixes this or is this just a fact of life now? Make the regular season longer with fewer back-to-back games maybe?

hankmoody · Mar 22, 2017

End the preseason. Start the season October 1st. Same number of games but now there are 3 more weeks to work with. That's ample time to work in a number of the coveted 3 day periods of rest.

There's no way it can stay how it is. There is too much money involved. I completely agree with what Zeke said on Players Only this week. It's a partnership. Players have to show up.

CP1708 · Mar 22, 2017

Nothing anyone can really do.

Does it suck for specific games? Yeah, sure. Does it benefit the league in the long run? Absolutely.

You got guys like Kobe, Dirk, Duncan, KG, Pierce, etc all playing 20+ years, and in some cases, starting fresh out of high school, so they have WAY more wear and tear on their bodies than guys from the 70's-80's, and those guys all burned out early.

You're extending these guys' careers by 1-2-3 maybe even more seasons by letting them miss 5-8 games a year that would push the limits of their bodies.

It may suck for ABC, but would they rather have Bron vs Curry for one game, or have them healthy thru 2 months of playoffs? Kind of an easy call, big picture ain't it?

Trying to generate hype for a regular season game is stupid to begin with, fans know when those type of games are on, no need to try and increase viewership a couple extra points just to max out some pennies.

Let the teams/players/coaches handle their business, they know far more than the suits do, or the fans, etc, and the long run will pay off when you see guys playin 17-18-19 years rather than 12-13 years and they break down at 33-34 like the old days.

pmatic · Mar 22, 2017

Start the season in early October and don't schedule the teams playing on national tv the night before or after.

dman14 · Mar 22, 2017

it is fine the way it is
not a big deal if guys sit a handful of gms to rest

ya could limit the back to backs and extend the schedule but teams should be able to do whatever they choose to regarding this
league should step aside when it comes to organizations choosing to sit guys

atlsfinest · Mar 22, 2017

DMan14 said:
it is fine the way it is
not a big deal if guys sit a handful of gms to rest

ya could limit the back to backs and extend the schedule but teams should be able to do whatever they choose to regarding this
league should step aside when it comes to organizations choosing to sit guys

I agree but it's going to cost the NBA owners and players real money in the long run come TV negotiation time. If I'm ABC or TNT why would I pay more and more money to have nationally televised games when its not a guarantee that healthy players will play? I bet you a smooth $5 that the next NBA TV deal will be less than the current one and that differently effects player salaries.

P C H · Mar 22, 2017

Split on this.

On one hand I totally get why we're trying to rest players.

On the other hand, the NBA is in the netertainment business. As i've said before, when you sign on to play in the NBA, you signed on to play 82 a year plus playoffs unless injured. You signed on to not only be a basketball player but to be an entertainer as well. From this perspective, this is why I can't rock with it.

JD617 · Mar 22, 2017

On the other hand, the NBA is in the netertainment business. As i've said before, when you sign on to play in the NBA, you signed on to play 82 a year plus playoffs unless injured. You signed on to not only be a basketball player but to be an entertainer as well. From this perspective, this is why I can't rock with it.

This is such a load of horse ****.

GTA 809 · Mar 22, 2017

I just don't understand why they rest ALL of their starters the same game.

Like we already know what it is, but you letting your skittles hang and doing it blatant instead of resting different starters here and there.

NBA might need a bye week like NFL.

P C H · Mar 22, 2017

JD617 said:
This is such a load of horse ****.

I know right

atlsfinest · Mar 22, 2017

blackngold1z said:
I just don't understand why they rest ALL of their starters the same game.
Like we already know what it is, but you letting your skittles hang and doing it blatant instead of resting different starters here and there.

NBA might need a bye week like NFL.

They rest starters together because your likelihood of winning goes down as you lose starters so teams just pack it in and take the L. For example, why play Lebron for 35 minutes against the Clippers (a solid playoff team) when Kyrie and Love aren't playing? Why trot out Steph if Durant, Draymond and Klay aren't playing? You might as well pull all of them. It's an 82 game season and no single game is worth more in the standings than another.

GTA 809 · Mar 22, 2017

I get that, but you rest Lebron one day, Krie another game and Love very very low minutes a third game.

You are probably going to win 1 (maybe even 2) of those 3 games. You stay off the radar. No one gripes or says a word to you.

Even if you lose all 3 games, you have more than a 3 game cushion anyway, and plenty of time to make it up.

CP1708 · Mar 22, 2017

blackngold1z said:
I get that, but you rest Lebron one day, Krie another game and Love very very low minutes a third game.
You are probably going to win 1 (maybe even 2) of those 3 games. You stay off the radar. No one gripes or says a word to you.
Even if you lose all 3 games, you have more than a 3 game cushion anyway, and plenty of time to make it up.

You risk 3 losses, compared to just 1.

Plus, on the day Kyrie doesn't play, you put more stress on Bron and Love in that game anyways, basically nullifying any benefit you're tryin to gain. Same on the day Bron sits, then Love, etc.

gentrification · Mar 22, 2017

Lockout

ballinsam23 · Mar 24, 2017

Since its a business and the NBA wants the fans to get their money's worth, dont let players sit out road games.

Or put a limit on home and road rest days (lets say max 2-4 per season). Problem solved.

dland24 · Mar 24, 2017

While this doesnt help the national television problem, I think that if a superstar player or group of superstar players sit out a game for rest, they should be required to sit at a booth inside the arena and sign autographs for the entire duration of the game, free of charge to the fans. That will at least make the "I traveled __ miles to see my favorite player ____ play, and he wasnt even there" fans happy right?

you go boy · Mar 24, 2017

get rid of the back to backs... this isnt baseball where you just stand around all day

dman14 · Mar 24, 2017

they only do it a handful of gms, it's not even that big of a deal
nowhere on the ticket says that they guarantee you xxx is going to play, only team A vs team B

$tacy · Mar 24, 2017

But if u live in the city of a small market team the price vs the Cavs and vs the suns is a big difference. My ticket plug charge me $10 for floor seats to games for bottom feeders like the nets, 6ers. $25 per for most other teams but Cavs and dubs, tax city. Them shots go to 100 plus per. Only to see earl, frye, tt etc. That's some **** they gotta say at the beginning of the year like hey, LeBron is resting jan 3, Feb 8 etc so nobody waste their money or time. These new N soft n entitled and make triple the money.

Deleted member 37467 · Mar 24, 2017

Sucks for the fans if they don't get to see X player on X day but teams are trying to win in June.

Resting players in meaningless regular season games is just how it's gonna be from here on out and people are just gonna have to learn to live w/ it.

shogun · Mar 25, 2017

Rest in the offseason.

antbanks81 · Mar 25, 2017

dland24 said:
While this doesnt help the national television problem, I think that if a superstar player or group of superstar players sit out a game for rest, they should be required to sit at a booth inside the arena and sign autographs for the entire duration of the game, free of charge to the fans. That will at least make the "I traveled __ miles to see my favorite player ____ play, and he wasnt even there" fans happy right?

I really like this idea. You might rest from the game, but you're going to give the fans something.

I'm against the rest. I do agree they should eliminate the back to backs and three games in five nights scenarios. They should also be smarter with the travel. There's no way you should be in NY and don't face Knicks and Nets. The same with LA and clippers and lakers.

All this rest is pitiful. The folks that are paying the ticket prices and league pass fees don't get to just rest when they feel like it. And they're working more stressful jobs. Let's remember this is a game. If you want rest, sit out practice. If you're greatly, play the damn game. Reduce minutes if you have to, but they need to remember this is just a game. It's not hard labor.

8pm at msg · Mar 25, 2017

I would think constant physical activity almost nightly along with constant workouts on limited rest is hard labor. It might not be blue collar work but its definitely taxing on the body.

jumpman cbt2 · Mar 25, 2017

1. Stretch the season a bit longer to avoid too many back to game games.
2. Bring back the 5-7-7-7 playoff series.
3. Fine healthy players and the team owner who skip a game.

scotthallwithapick · Mar 25, 2017

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How should the NBA deal with healthy players resting games?

atlsfinest

hankmoody

CP1708

pmatic

dman14

atlsfinest

P C H

JD617

GTA 809

P C H

atlsfinest

GTA 809

CP1708

gentrification

ballinsam23

dland24

you go boy

dman14

$tacy

formerly willchamberlain

Deleted member 37467

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shogun

antbanks81

8pm at msg

jumpman cbt2

scotthallwithapick

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