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Bobby Motus
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Thursday, March 30, 2017
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THIRTY NBA teams have travelled a lot across the US for the 82-game schedule and it’s taxing for the players. Teams played as much as four times in five days including back-to-back matches, and the risks of injuries due to fatigue increased. Come playoffs time, there will be 21 games if it goes the full distance. Another 7-game series awaits for the league title.
To preserve players’ health, teams opt to rest their starters and allow the reserves to go on attack mode. Resting players is not only confined to playoff-bound teams for obvious reasons but also to the rest of the league as they also need positioning to be in the running for a top ten draft pick.
For the team and players’ perspective, rest is best because come playoffs, every player must be healthy and be ready for the final push. Besides, considering the way contracts are given, players need to be in top form to maximize their earning potentials. Homecourt advantage is always a plus during the post-season but winning on the road is also important. Teams need their full complement for those road victories.
Based on reactions, a good number of fans don’t agree with the DNP (Did Not Play) practice. There is a feeling of deprivation as they were denied the chance to see their favorites in action, often after tickets to the games have already been purchased. Having bought choice seats, one will be asking for an explanation if their preferred athlete is just sitting on the sidelines in street clothes chewing on his fingernails instead of playing.
Teams admittedly have invested a fortune for their star players but assigning two or three of them to the bench at the same time doesn’t do justice to the fans. They’re receiving ridiculous amounts of money for their talents and it’s just fair to see them play. Restricting their minutes is a better option instead of not letting them play to their expectant fans’ dismay. But this practice, like it or not, will be norm and we will be seeing lots of it in the seasons to come.
San Antonio coach Greg Popovich is largely responsible for the extended careers of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker as he had successfully managed to limit their minutes. It can be observed that for the past several years, the Spurs went deep into the playoffs because their star players were given rest at the right time and were refreshed and ready to go when duty called. The DNP-Rest could be Coach Pop’s invention and teams, specially the contenders, are now embracing it.
Players themselves want it and LeBron James even publicly said that he deserves a day off once in a while. Most of the current stars probably are not as vocal (or overly dramatic) as LeBron but I suppose they would also welcome a few days’ rest. If you’ve seen the Spurs-Cavs game the other day, the sport’s biggest cry baby and king of flop was at his finest.
San Antonio was up by a mile and with a little elbow nudge from David Lee, LeBron did his theatrics before the end of the third quarter and left the game for good. Yes, if you can’t beat them, roll on the floor with assorted facial contortions for a full effect.
Tanking is similar in a way but with a different purpose. Teams try to act like they’re not deliberately losing games but if you’re playing like a high school squad with a non-existent defense and an offense where everyone shoots from behind the three-point line, then that becomes effing queerer than China leaving the West Philippine Sea.
Bottom-dwelling teams are also in a race for the Draft Lottery where losing games are more advantageous than winning. These teams need to have more losses than wins to improve on their chances in landing on the top 10 selections.
Brooklyn (16-57) is the league’s doormat followed by the Lakers (21-52) and the Suns (22-52). LA has 8 games left and if we follow their pattern of wining one and losing five in a row, they have more than 50 percent chance of staying at the top 3 selections. If the Suns lose more games than the Lakers, Phoenix’ odds for the top 3 picks gets better. These three teams are in a battle for the top three selections in the 2017-2018 NBA Draft.
For the league’s whipping boys looking for redemption in the Rookie Draft, losing is winning, winning is losing. For the ordinary basketball fans like you and me, losing is simply disturbing. Since when did defeat become victory?/PN
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