Should the NBA shorten their season?

[oplum29]

i know it won't happen, but man, the NBA season is way too long.

i was watching the Clippers-Nuggets game the other night on TNT. Clippers after the game were traveling to Minnesota, and the Nuggets stayed home to host the Cavs.

Nuggets destroyed, wrecked, demolished, and downright embarrassed the Clippers in the 1st half 66-32 at half time.

you'd figure the Clippers would give it a go in the 2nd half, see if they could get something going, but instead, for anybody that paid a ticket to the game, or was watching on tv, you got to see Kahwi and Paul George play exactly 0 minutes in the 2nd half.

ZERO

the announcers were upset (Reggie Miller and Marv Albert) and complaining the entire second half about how the Clippers were supposed to get some momentum and chemistry going, etc. i honestly thought for a second they were going to ask to blackout the game because it was terrible. it turned into a preseason/D-league game instead, which is awesome if you are one of those bench players that rarely sees the court.

i know it's been brought up in the past, about resting players and things like that, but you also see an NBA sometimes where if the game gets out of hand very quickly, a team basically shuts it down early instead of trying to "chip away".

that's something you don't see in a sport like the NFL. for example, the Vikings were down 33-0 against the Colts a few weeks back with almost an entire 2nd half to play. the Vikings didn't turn around and bench their starters (Clippers style), they played the game, chipped away, and eventually came back and won.

so my question is, knowing the NBA plays so many games and that the league can afford to give away a handful or so because of the extended playoffs and the parity in the league between good/elite teams and average/terrible teams...should the NBA at least, consider shortening the NBA season to make it more interesting, more fan friendly, and better to the consumer and sponsors?

[SearchPatrol]

Short answer Yes the season is too long. As the Golden State 73- 9 season taught us, only the playoffs matter. And let's be honest, if the Clippers don't make the playoffs, how much would the players care? It's not like Kahwi and Paul would lose their jobs? Just at time, no urgency in some of these teams.

[KhalDrogo]

MJ didn’t have a problem playing a full slate.

If the NBA and the players are okay with decreased revenue from fewer games, then sure, shorten the schedule. The real answer is for Silver to grow a pair and start taking draft picks from teams who are load managing their players through faked injuries.

[BostonNut]

The NHL plays the same number of games and is a far more physically demanding sport. Those warriors laugh in the face of “load management.”

[SupermanBrandon]

When you let the lunatics run the asylum, this is what you get. It’s like letting a 5 year old run your house. The owners and the league can own all the power…they just don’t realize it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Guitarpatch]

There are a few issues with shortening the season

Money. TV contracts for owners and players. Who is willing to accept less? My guess is none. That’s why the NFL added a game and expanded the playoffs to its season. It’s why the NBA is looking at adding an in season tournament and why they added play in games for their playoffs

Resting players. Even if they play 60 game seasons, teams will still rest players. It’s inevitable. Resting works and keeps players more healthy for the playoffs and possibly extends careers

If they truly want to diminish rest days, they need to eliminate back to backs, 3 games in 4 nights, 5 games in 7, etc…in the schedule and start the season earlier

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by Guitarpatch

If they truly want to diminish rest days, they need to eliminate back to backs, 3 games in 4 nights, 5 games in 7, etc…in the schedule and start the season earlier

But then these babies would cry that the off-season is too short.

[oldgoldy97]

Do they love the game or just the money?

My son got Wolves tickets for Christmas for towards the end of the season against the Lakers. If Lebron/AD don’t play and aren’t hurt, I would want a refund.

[sebreg]

I think the NBA season is too long and shortening to 50-55 games would up the quality of the regular season games and add importance to each game. That said it will never happen because $$$. Players, owners, team/league employees would all lose from a smaller $ pie. It is what it is, I still enjoy watching a lot of regular season games but maybe I am an anomaly as a fan.

[losangelesfan]

no, these guys sit out way too much, not fair to fans who paid to see them. Load management is total BS

[Tomi]

Originally Posted by losangelesfan

no, these guys sit out way too much, not fair to fans who paid to see them. Load management is total BS

Load management back in the day was sitting out a star player in the last couple of minutes during a blowout. Man I miss those days.

[JustinVerlander07]

Love the tough guys and the 'back in my day' guys in here. Does it suck when a guy you want to see play gets rested? Yea, but teams aren't doing this for no reason. There is clearly science backing it up. Guys today are stronger and faster, and thus, increasingly more at risk for serious injury.

Eliminating back-to-backs would solve about 90% of 'load management'.

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by BostonNut

The NHL plays the same number of games and is a far more physically demanding sport. Those warriors laugh in the face of “load management.”

True, but players play a lot less in the NHL.....top forwards are on the ice for around 20-22 minutes a game, and top defensemen for around 24-26 minutes a game.

Whereas in the NBA, the top players play 35-40 minutes a game.

And basketball players suffer from a lot more "impact trauma" to their legs/knees/ankles/feet because they are jumping and landing so frequently.

[BostonNut]

Originally Posted by JustinVerlander07

Love the tough guys and the 'back in my day' guys in here. Does it suck when a guy you want to see play gets rested? Yea, but teams aren't doing this for no reason. There is clearly science backing it up. Guys today are stronger and faster, and thus, increasingly more at risk for serious injury.

Eliminating back-to-backs would solve about 90% of 'load management'.

Why don’t the NHL guys need to do it in a far more violent sport?

[BostonNut]

Originally Posted by mfw13

True, but players play a lot less in the NHL.....top forwards are on the ice for around 20-22 minutes a game, and top defensemen for around 24-26 minutes a game.

Whereas in the NBA, the top players play 35-40 minutes a game.

And basketball players suffer from a lot more "impact trauma" to their legs/knees/ankles/feet because they are jumping and landing so frequently.

A three minute shift in the NHL just might be the most physically demanding activity in professional sports. Are you seriously suggesting the top players play the full 60 minutes of action?

[hermanotarjeta]

I think it's a player motivation issue.

It is obvious that no NBA player cares about the regular season games - the general attitude is that as long as you make the playoffs, regular season games really don't matter.

And it rubs off on the fans. Which leads to viewer fatigue, especially when your favorite players sit out.

They play like it doesn't matter much until the playoffs come around.

Why would I care about the regular season product if they don't.

Basketball cards current reflect that as well, the hobby is as dead as it has been in the last six years.

I wouldn't be surprised if Silver placed a hidden bounty for the individual players to score as many points in a game as possible to generate more interest this season.

I think he sees the writing on the wall.

[mfw13]

I think another factor that hasn't been discussed is the disparity between teams, which leads a significant number of teams to believe that they are almost certainly going to make the playoffs no matter what, and therefore can afford to rest players as necessary.

I'd say the Warriors, Nuggets, Clippers, Suns, Grizzlies, Mavs, Celtics, Bucks, Nets, and Sixers probably all felt that way entering this season. And with the play-in now making it possible to finish as low as 10th in the regular season and still make the playoffs, regular season games are even less meaningful for many teams.

Want to make the regular season matter more? Make it more difficult to make the playoffs!

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by BostonNut

A three minute shift in the NHL just might be the most physically demanding activity in professional sports. Are you seriously suggesting the top players play the full 60 minutes of action?

Regular shifts for NHL players are around a minute....nobody skates 3-minute shifts....you'll likely get benched if you stay out on the ice for even two minutes on a single shift.

And I'm not suggesting anything....just noting that back-to-backs for an NHL play involves far less action than a back-to-back for an NBA player.

[BostonNut]

Originally Posted by mfw13

Regular shifts for NHL players are around a minute....nobody skates 3-minute shifts....you'll likely get benched if you stay out on the ice for even two minutes on a single shift.

And I'm not suggesting anything....just noting that back-to-backs for an NHL play involves far less action than a back-to-back for an NBA player.

In crunch time the top players regularly skate two-three minute shifts.

Jake DeBrusk just won the Winter Classic with a broken bone in his leg.

Blake Wheeler ruptured a testicle during a game and proceeded to finish the game.

Anyone defending load management in the NBA is out of their minds.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

I think it's a player motivation issue.

It is obvious that no NBA player cares about the regular season games - the general attitude is that as long as you make the playoffs, regular season games really don't matter.

And it rubs off on the fans. Which leads to viewer fatigue, especially when your favorite players sit out.

They play like it doesn't matter much until the playoffs come around.

Why would I care about the regular season product if they don't.

Basketball cards current reflect that as well, the hobby is as dead as it has been in the last six years.

I wouldn't be surprised if Silver placed a hidden bounty for the individual players to score as many points in a game as possible to generate more interest this season.

I think he sees the writing on the wall.

Team scoring is the highest in 55 years.

Despite the proliferation in three point shooting, FG % is the highest in 30 years.

Defense is non-existent. Few players give any effort anymore. As much as I love seeing Luka drop 50, it doesn’t feel special. This is the most bored I’ve been with the NBA as far back as I can remember. I only watch the Mavs, and don’t even watch every opportunity I have.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by BostonNut

In crunch time the top players regularly skate two-three minute shifts.

Jake DeBrusk just won the Winter Classic with a broken bone in his leg.

Blake Wheeler ruptured a testicle during a game and proceeded to finish the game.

Anyone defending load management in the NBA is out of their minds.

13 has to. Because his team is one of the biggest offenders.

[oplum29]

Originally Posted by JustinVerlander07

Love the tough guys and the 'back in my day' guys in here. Does it suck when a guy you want to see play gets rested? Yea, but teams aren't doing this for no reason. There is clearly science backing it up. Guys today are stronger and faster, and thus, increasingly more at risk for serious injury.

Eliminating back-to-backs would solve about 90% of 'load management'.

Clips played back-to-back, and both Kawhi and George sat again.

idk, but as a competitor, idc if i'm down 30 at halftime of football or basketball, i'm playing the game.

like Joe DiMaggio said "there's always some kid who may be seeing me for the first time. i owe him my best".

so yeah, that older generation was more bada$$ than this new group, not all of them of course.

[Tomi]

Originally Posted by oplum29

Clips played back-to-back, and both Kawhi and George sat again.

idk, but as a competitor, idc if i'm down 30 at halftime of football or basketball, i'm playing the game.

like Joe DiMaggio said "there's always some kid who may be seeing me for the first time. i owe him my best".

so yeah, that older generation was more bada$$ than this new group, not all of them of course.

I can understand close to seasons end before playoffs start but January and they're doing it. Just like pulling a pitcher with a perfect game in the 7th with only 80 pitches thrown. Athletes may be bigger and stronger but sure as he'll ain't better.

[Digerati]

YES.
One home game and one away game against each team.
Make the games matter. The rest falls into place.

[Scottish Punk]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

Team scoring is the highest in 55 years.

Despite the proliferation in three point shooting, FG % is the highest in 30 years.

Defense is non-existent. Few players give any effort anymore. As much as I love seeing Luka drop 50, it doesn’t feel special. This is the most bored I’ve been with the NBA as far back as I can remember. I only watch the Mavs, and don’t even watch every opportunity I have.

Agreed. All these big numbers and triple doubles don't really feel earned. You could be a bottom tier guy in the league and make a name for yourself if you just try on defense. Harden, Luka, Trae, Ja, etc are all big time offensive players and give very little effort on the defensive side. I guess you can say conserving energy, but whatever.

Isiah said something on NBATV that makes sense to me. He stated there is a lot of younger coaches and they don't have any developed defensive schemes. Everybody just switches on pick and rolls. The Offensive player gets the same look every posseson, and can do picks until they get the match-up they want.