- Steph says load management can extend a player’s basketball shelf life
- Curry feels “fresher” than he’s ever been after following team medical advice
- Warriors star denies that players don’t want to play all 82 games
Among the many modern trends of the NBA, load management is undoubtedly one of the most hated. Whether it’s fans, experts, or former players the practice has become widely scrutinized for being an act of selfishness and carelessness towards the fans who pay good money to watch them perform.
Even still, some argue that load management is a necessary evil in today’s NBA and Warriors star Stephen Curry is one example of a star who has aligned with this way of thinking. In a chat with the media, he elaborated on his position and explained why managing the load for players can add years to one’s career.
“I know there’s this load management conversation, and a lot of that falls from the narrative perspective on the players like they don’t want to play 82 games. That’s not it,” Curry said. “There’s smart, professional, well-studied individuals that prepare athletes to play not just now, but for years and years and years and years, and perform at a very high level. That’s why going into my 15th year, I feel as fresh as I’ve ever been.”
For Steph, load management isn’t about getting a free night off, it’s about preserving your body and extending your career to ensure maximum success. Whatever your opinions are on the practice, it has worked pretty well for Curry, who had one of the best seasons of his career at 35 years old.
Is Load Management Bad For The NBA?
Despite the outrage from fans directed toward guys like Kawhi Leonard, it’s likely that load management will only grow in popularity over time, and regular-season games will only become less and less important.
Of course, while some have embraced this trend, others have gone out of their way to condemn it.
“I don’t particularly think it’s good for the game. When I played, we took pride in playing each game,” said Ray Allen. “Sometimes it doesn’t work out, you have injuries or something happens. To get to the end of the year and you looked up and you played 82. You never remember game 58 when you were tired and want to sit down and take a rest, but you didn’t. It’s easy to say I will take tonight off because I’m sore. We constantly felt like we had to play for each other, regardless of what was going on during the season.”
This issue has become highly debated in league circles and it’s likely something that will continue to drive debates. At this point, the decision falls on each individual player to take their stance on load management and how they treat regular season games in November and January will speak volumes about their priorities as a player.
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