Years back the Spurs started the trend of resting players to ensure they were fresh for the playoffs. Recently, the Warriors and Cavaliers are the most prominent teams using this technique.
We may have reached a tipping point after Saturday’s Cavs Clippers match-up. NBA schedule makers set-up things up for primetime however hours prior to tip, news came down that the Cavs big 3 of Lebron, Kyrie and Love would all sit out.
The Mail Man was a iron man during his playing days so it’s no shock the message he delivered to this new wave of resting players of in the league.
If you don’t have at least 10 years experience, get your ass playing. It’s not work — it’s called playing. Besides, tell our underpaid service members and police and first responders to rest. They can’t.
Malone comes from a different era but he’s on the money. In his 19 year career, he played over 80 games in 17 of those seasons. The thing which has to concern NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is the outcry from fans who pay good money for NBA tickets to miss out on their respective favorite players to sit out the game. What makes this incident even worse is the Cavs play the Clippers only once in Staples Center.
I don’t believe NBA teams should be fined for resting guys but in back channels i’m sure league officials will be pressuring teams to ensure players aren’t rested in mass and especially not in primetime.