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Load (silly?) management
NBA says science doesn’t support it
See the NBA’s Player Participation Policy approved for this season, which will bring the league billions more by enacting a looser policy that addresses issues that will definitely impact TV viewers. I thought this was an attempt to gain favor with the broadcasting partners. Star players will miss games. I don’t say this as a disdain for the league. It’s a smart move to help negotiations.
In the latest from Sam Amick and Joe Vardon, the NBA is escalating its attacks on “load management.”
Or “injury management.”
Or, executives say, “We’re trying not to have guys on nine-figure contracts burdening us.”
NBA vice president of basketball operations and Hall of Famer Joe Dumars said the league is trying to re-establish a culture of 82-game seasons. How does the NBA make that happen? The league has now announced that science shows players are not more likely to avoid injury by missing games.
From Dumars:
“Previously, it was a foregone conclusion that the data indicated a player needed some rest and that justified their absence.
“We’ve got more data, but it doesn’t show that players resting or sitting outside correlates with less injury, less fatigue, etc. What I think is that players are probably not as efficient on the second night of a back-to-back.
What’s important to note is that while players are blamed for laziness on the load, management teams often force this practice on their employees. This is how you preserve your $200 million investment. The NBA has often tried to tread carefully on this issue until recently with the enactment of the aforementioned PPP with minimum game appearance requirements for certain awards such as MVP.
Dumars may have a point. Retired players often denigrate load management practices. They are I managed their careers. Some believe that this is having a negative effect on the game as a whole and on the players themselves, as they are not receiving the same training that the male players did when they were playing as much as possible.
Tom Thibodeau’s experience in Chicago may be a little different, but load management may not help avoid injuries. Either way, the NBA is committed to eradicating this practice…at least until billions of new dollars are thrown in.
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Shams latest information
Charlotte on track to acquire 2021 first-round pick
The Hornets have waived 2021 first-round pick Kai Jones, league officials said Wednesday. The team confirmed the move last night.
Jones was drafted 19th overall by the New York Knicks and traded to Charlotte soon after, but he left the Hornets for personal reasons and missed training camp. The Athletic reported on September 30, but the team remained in contact with him.
About a month ago, the 22-year-old went viral for an Instagram Live clip in which he appeared to be sweating and talking rapidly. he later Drugs and intoxication denied With a clip.
Jones played in 67 games for the Hornets over two seasons, averaging 2.7 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.
Return to Zach for more team previews.
lakers preview
Have they created a true title contender?
The team preview for the 2023-24 season has begun. As the NBA regular season approaches, we’re competing against teams from the West and East every day.Reverse order of last season’s rankings.catch up hereIn case you missed it.
The Lakers battled injuries with two of their star players last season, but still finished with a record of 43-39 and earned the No. 7 seed in the West. They made it to the conference finals but were overwhelmed by the Nuggets and their trash talk. Can the Lakers make a comeback?
Featured players: anthony davis
They wanted to pass the torch to Davis. YearAnd we finally started to see some of that pay off last season when LeBron James was sidelined. To set the tone, Davis will need to take responsibility as the leading scorer every night. And he has to stay healthy while playing great defense.
Contract year man: D’Angelo Russell
He has an $18.7 million player option for next season, which has been controversial in recent years. Russell can sometimes score at his best. The Lakers need him to be a big floor spacer and not be too defensive. That way he would be able to earn a large salary.
Big question: Are the stars healthy enough to become elite?
LeBron missed 27 games last season and has missed 111 games since joining the Lakers in 2019. Davis missed 26 games last season. It’s great that the Lakers were able to hit .500 even when one or both of them didn’t play. But that’s holding them back from building a path to the playoffs.
Big hurdle: Survive in time other than LeBron.
It’s no secret that offenses fall off a cliff when LeBron sits or goes out completely. The Lakers have struggled to fill time outside of LeBron with consistent offensive production. I feel like this roster is well-equipped to keep up the scoring, but we’ll see if that’s the case.
Best and worst case scenarios:
Best: LeBron and Davis have been healthy for most of the season, all the role players have been healthy, and the Lakers are off to a strong start to the NBA Finals after a great regular season.
worst: Star it’s not Since they are healthy, this team has no momentum. They don’t have enough size to avoid Nikola Jokic’s dominance again.
Total wins over/under: 47.5
It all depends on trusting the health of LeBron (age 38) and Davis (age 30), but the Lakers have the talent to win 50 games.
prediction: I think the Lakers stayed healthy enough and fought through a 49-win season to easily avoid the play-in tournament.
hawks preview
Have Atlanta’s cultural problems been resolved?
The Hawks changed coaches for another year, with Quin Snyder coming in midway through the final 41-41 season, where they finished in seventh place. They won the play-in tournament but lost to Boston in the first round of the playoffs. So where will the Hawks go?
Featured players: Trae Young
Young is an exceptional player, but I feel like we’re waiting for him to be that. and He’s more of a leader on the court. This season is important for his growth. We know the numbers are there. But victory will only come if we can maintain our focus as if 2021 were here again.
Contract year man: Onyeka Okongwu
There is a lot of excitement about Okonggu. If the two sides do not agree to an extension by the start of the season, he will become a restricted free agent next summer. The Hawks already have Clint Capela. He will eventually pass the torch in Atlanta. Okongwu could make a lot of money this season.
Big question: Can Quin Snyder fix the team’s culture?
Many years ago, Lloyd Pearce was in trouble. Then Nate McMillan fixed everything before it became a problem. Now it’s Snyder’s turn after a strong performance with the Utah Jazz. How does he keep this team focused? They completely lost the magic of making the playoffs in 2021, but they have too much talent to be mediocre.
Big hurdle: He truly respects the hardships of the regular season.
After the Hawks reached the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, Young admitted that the regular season was boring compared to the postseason. It’s tough getting back up for regular season games after the excitement of the playoffs, but that’s the job and that’s what good teams do. The Hawks need to utilize all of their talent and keep everyone pushing the pedal.
Best and worst case scenarios:
Best: As the Hawks click on both ends of the floor toward a top-four East finish, you can see Young begin to realize his true star potential.
worst: It’s the same with the Hawks, and Snyder can’t focus on them. They hobble into the play-in tournament, but are forced into another early exit as rumors of a trade for Trey grow.
Total wins over/under: 42.5
Their talent says the end should be rock, but history says they can’t be trusted.
prediction: I’m taking a “let them prove it” approach before believing the Hawks will do well. If we qualify for the play-in, we’ll probably win about 40 games.
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(Top photo of Kawhi Leonard: Harry Howe/Getty Images)