Fans who attended Friday’s game in Cleveland to watch Stephen Curry‘s only visit of the season left the arena disappointed. Not only did the Cavaliers lose to the Warriors, but Curry sat out the game for load management along with Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins.
Golden State was coming off an intense Finals rematch with the Celtics the night before. Curry, who recently returned from a shoulder injury, logged 43 minutes in that overtime game. Thompson, Green and Wiggins each played at least 36 minutes, so it was in the team’s best interest not to push them on back-to-back nights.
“I feel terrible for fans who buy tickets expecting to see someone play and they don’t get to see that person play,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters, including Tom Withers of The Associated Press. “It’s a brutal part of the business. It’s why I’m going to continue to advocate for 72-game seasons.”
Kerr believes a reduced schedule would cut down on injuries and create a better overall quality of play. It would also result in fewer games where fans pay big money for tickets and wind up seeing the league’s top stars in street clothes.
“You take 10 games off the schedule, it always feels like with 10 games left in the year everybody’s sort of had it anyways,” Kerr said. “That creates enough rest where we don’t have to have some of these crazy situations. I think you’d see way fewer games missed from players.”
The pace of modern NBA games is placing a greater strain on players, points out Mike D. Sykes II of USA Today. In the 1990s, there were only 93.7 possessions in an average game, but that number has risen to 99.27 in the 2020s. The increase in three-point shooting also means there’s more of the court that defenses have to cover, so players are constantly in motion.
Fewer games would mean less wear and tear on players, which should result in a higher quality of competition every night and a better chance that teams will be at or near full strength for the playoffs.
Of course, there are revenue concerns that would come with a shorter season, which may prevent league officials from ever considering such a change. A proposed mid-season tournament could help mitigate that, but the league and the players union have yet to agree on the specifics of how that tournament would work.
A shortened season would also result in fewer games being available for television and streaming, which would be a major issue as the NBA negotiates its next broadcast deal. The current contract expires after the 2023/24 season, and the league is hoping to top $75 billion with its next TV package.
We want to get your opinion. Do you agree with Kerr that the league would be better off with a 72-game season? And do you believe it’s realistic? Head to the comments and give us your feedback.
They haven’t played 72 games yet and people are still injured and load managing.
72 is not a magic number.
It could be 22 games and the Zions, Kawhi’s, and Anthony Davis’ are still gonna get nicked up or sit out games.
The idea is to remove back to backs. The goal isn’t to 100% prevent injuries from happening.
I never wanted to work for UPS because lifting boxes ain’t my cup of tea.
If back to backs and 82 games are too tough, find another profession or simply go overseas – they don’t play as many games.
You can’t become a mailman and then say we have to walk too far everyday.
Ha ha – as if 82 games is a magic number?
Wow. Now if you could only learn to read English, you could understand what he actually said.
Learning to read and reading comprehension are two different things.
The league would never take the revenue loss of 10 fewer games, but why not just get rid of back to backs? Load management will probably never go away, but it seems like it’s especially an issue on the second night of back to backs. Just get rid of them.
The Cavs, for instance, have 12 back to backs this season, and only four of those are back to back home games. They also get two days’ rest between games 14 times (not counting the All-Star break), so you’d think it would be a pretty easy fix. Even if they had to add a few days to the season to spread it out, the league would probably love a few extra days to market the season anyway.
Bingo. Take away B2Bs, or at least make them only happen without travel, and things would improve.
Take away ten games per team and all that revenue? No way the league agrees.
The league goes from mid-October to mid-April. In that 6 months/180-ish days, that should be plenty of time to play 82 games without having to play a game in one city on Tuesday and another city on Wednesday, while still taking an All-Star break.
Not when you try and avoid Sundays because of NFL.
“Load management”? That’s a euphemism. We’re in an era where players expect to be paid more to play less. Like starting pitchers. Like NBA players.
You act like I made up that term myself. That’s literally what it’s called lol
Kerr wouldn’t say he wants a 72 games season if his team only played 82 games…. Teams that can’t make the playoffs don’t mind the 82 because that is all there revenue… make the playoff and play an extra month… just extend the time of regular season to get rid of the back to backs
They would have to come up with some form of revenue sharing for the playoffs.
This is ridiculous. The players of the 70’s, 80’s, & 90’s laugh at this generation. If you’re going to alter anything just have back to back games both be at home so there’s no travel.
Those players didn’t have to play as hard with the slower pace. This kind of old man stuff is garbage, but your take on B2Bs at home is right on.
When you consider the fact that Kerr, the guy making who came up the idea, played from 1988 – 2003, we can consider you ridiculous. What makes you think you know more about NBA players of the 70s to 90s than players who played then?
The early 70’s NBA: 7 games in 9 nights including a sequence of 4 games in 4 nights in 4 different cities: Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit, Seattle. Additionally there were frequent 3 games in 3 nights pieces to the schedule. 5 games in 6 nights all in different cities? You bet. Gather from that what you will. Marichal and Spahn pitched a 16 inning COMPLETE game (1-0) against each other in 1963.
And children used to work in factories for 18 hours a day…things change, hopefully for the better.
Not to mention, why do you watch sports?
Is it because of an OCD need to see every i dotted and t crossed? Or are you watching because these are the greatest athletes humanity has ever seen?
And do they have to suffer like their forebears for it to be ok with you? And if so, why!?
I advocate for 86 games, these guys are professionals & their job, which is very well rewarded is to play, it ain’t that hard to play 82 games, half of the players have 6 months off a year, surely ain’t a killer, right?
Lmfao why don’t you advocate for 32 NFL games next. It ain’t that hard to play 16 games, half of the players have 8 months off a year, surely ain’t a killer, right?
@Real 2k Insider Football players get bashed around all game. They put their lives on the line. NBA player injuries result more from wear and tear or minor injuries that are not life threatening. MLB has a 162 game season, the NBA should be around 90 games with all this load managing going on
It is. 7 foot 300 lb guys are not built to sprint 3 plus miles on a nightly basis. Your body needs a recovery period. Sure they can go out and get through it but the body needs that rest and recovery. It leads to injuries.
If they weigh 300, they need to lose some weight. How many 300 pounders do you think are in the NBA?
Shaquille O’Neal playing weight was 325.
Gotta love it when someone says something someone else has to do is “not hard”.
Well of course it’s not hard for you, you’re not the one doing anything!
Always a sign of a real sociopath.
If only the players of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s played at the level of intensity that the players from the 2020’s do.
Keep in mind I’m 46 back so I’m an old head but in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s you just made an inlet pass to your big man and waited for 22 seconds. I love the post games of Ewing, Malone and especially Olajuwon and I kind of miss it but honestly it was boring AF at times.
Thank you!
Exactly this!
Put a hall of gamer from the 70’s on an NBA team today and watch him get cut after the first practice. Most teams would find them too slow, with terrible shooting percentages and way too many fouls for todays game.
Finally a rational “old head. Most “old heads” refuse to acknowlege the talent level of the present generation and seem to stuck in the past with the same old BS such as “there’s no defense in this era” or “how today’s players wouldn’t last in the past eras” or “how the players from the past would dominate today’s era”. Arguing with these kind of people is like banging your head against the wall.
Majority of the players from past eras wouldn’t be able to keep up with the pace and intensity of today’s era.
Stop trying to ruin sports
How is he ruining sports? What is so sacred about the number of games in a season?
72 games would be way better. Stretching the games to a greater time span…
Don’t think it’s realistic tho. Too much money lost. Maybe someone’s gotta be creative with new broadcasting events…
The league is going to expand to 32 teams in the short-to-mid term.
32 teams in 4 divisions:
Play every team twice (=62 games)
Play your own division 2 more times (=14 games)
Grand total: 76 games
Eliminate back-to-backs and use the 6 games you save for the mid season tournament (which is gonna be awesome). Perhaps add one or two weeks to the season as well. It’s not just the back-to-backs, ideally every team should be able to take one or two breathers throughout the season.
82 games gets really boring, and I’m a junkie that only watches hoops. The fact every team plays the same style makes it worse. Iso 1 on 1 3 point shooting contests. Maybe adapting Jeff Van Gundy idea of getting rid of corner 3’s would really help.
Or a three second rule for corner threes, like you have in the post.
Bad for the business side of thing, great for the fan though.
Fans pay a lot on the secondary market for these tickets. It’s bad for the NBA brand when the fan gets screwed. It leaves a bad taste in their mouth.
Some of these tickets, esp games after a Christmas are given as gifts. I would try to list all of my bigger named season tickets before the holidays bc people would buy them. It would suck for someone to pay that and not watch their guy.
Less games means more is on the line with each win. This is one of the reasons the NFL is so successful. MLB played their shortened season a few years ago and it was way more exciting. You can’t afford to take a night off.
The NBA has a problem with back to back games. They should do away with them. I think the Sixers just played a home game and had to turn around and play in LA the next day. That is pure stupidity on the league scheduling.
Now if you can only learn to read English. Maybe you would understand what Kerr actually said.
Since his reply was in English, I’m thinking he can read it too. Instead of throwing insults, why don’t you explain what Kerr said. Or grow up.
Kerr’s proposal is to allow for increased recovery time for injured players so they don’t have to sit out games. This would also allow for players to play more seasons. He believes 5 more seasons. Star players with longer careers
And how is what they wrote so different that it’s necessary to insult them?
OK, I was a bit off there.
Cut games from reg seasons add to the post which is what EVERYONE wants to see anyways. With a 32 team league, top 4 in each conference get a 1st round bye and the other teams are matched by seed and play a best of 3 with poorer team hosting the first game. After that play your normal 7 games series.
OR
World Cup style…32 teams are drawn into 8 x 4 team groups. Play home and away 6 games total. 1st and 2nd in each group move and start 7 game series. Ah but you say there could meaningless games in group play. The solution to that would be that is to seed for the draft lottery by how well the group play losers did. The better that you did the better your chance of getting the #1 pick. No more tanking because it does not pay off.
I get the argument of a shortened season or even a league contraction (reduce number of teams) ……… However, there’s just too much talent now, too much load management and too much revenues going around, to justify a 72-game season.
Kerr always complains when his team isn’t dominating.
Reducing the games to 72 won’t fix it because the bigger issue is that basketball players see themselves as corporations that need to be protected and load management is the best way to do that. However, I think that eliminating the B2B’s is a good compromise.
Eliminating back-to-back games will get to 72 games. Why do you he wants to cut the season back to 72 games?
Compromise – 76 or 78 games then, see if there is any trade-off there.
There’s 15 guys on a team. Play your starters less minutes. Play your reserves more, and the starters won’t get worn out. Same number of games, back to backs, the rest of it.
When I play pick up ball and I go three games that’s perfect. If I go 5 or 6 games I am worthless the next day or two. Way more sore than going three games. So the less minutes plan sounds good to me. No lost Revenue no fan disappointment.
So, you want to lower the quality of play. Why?
An issue in this thread is reducing the number of games to avoid load management and player injuries. I really don’t want to reduce the number of games so I threw out my idea. There’s probably no good solution to the problem, including mine.
I read the statement Kerr made on this yesterday; he has been advocating for this for a few years now. And his proposal makes a lot of sense. Reducing the amount of regular season games can lengthen a players career.
72 games with 2 more expansion teams could work
I think you mean, “there be’s 15 guys on a team”
Thanks for the catch. Poor english.
There are 15 players on every team.
I KNOW you’re a lot sharper than that! I’ll refill your coffee cup upon orders! :)
Yikes the probe of instigation. Try all you want there’s nothing here.
But as you’ve seen before I’m sure, I won’t let an idiot take slide. So here you go again for your pleasure….
You’re the problem. You’re the instigator. Hope that’s a satisfying life for you.
But as you also seen before, I make my statement then I’m done, and all is forgotten. Do as you wish I won’t engage. I wish you well.
There is more talent across the world today. Meaning there should be more talent across the NBA today. Every team carries 15 players who can play. There is no reason why you can’t go 10 deep. And manage your team mins that way.
There shouldn’t be back to back gms, eliminate them. Eliminate the play in gms too. Nothing wrong with 82 gm season.
Why do you want to lower the quality of play?
play same team 2 or 3 times in a row less travel
I would personally quite like a double round robin season, with no conferences or divisions. Every game would immediately be almost 40% more important. Teams 1-12 qualify for playoffs, teams 13-20 for the play-ins.
That would mean you don’t necessarily get an East-West Finals and thus there aren’t any Eastern and Western champions anymore but…
To fill in for the other 20-24 games, you could work with an Eastern and a Western Cup/championship. There are many ways to get to that number (pool play, a round robin, a Swiss system, etc).
That way, instead of 1 trophy, you get 3. They’d be meaningful, make the regular season more important, and work with the current NBA calendar.
People are missing the point. Players are expected to be far more mobile, and receive far less coaching than they did 20 or 30 years ago. This increases the chances for injuries, as is happening. If you don’t give players adequate time to heal, you decrease the quality of play and longevity of player.
Shortening the season, the lame play-in, and other mid season tournament ideas with an elam ending are the dumbest gimmicks ever. I will laugh if the 72 games, and all this other stuff is implemented & stays. Cheesy, gimmicky, fluff.
Allow all 30 teams to enter the playoffs at the end of the season. 1st round is a 1 game series, 2nd is a 3 game series, 3rd is a 5 game series, and all the remaining rounds are 7.
The Elam ending, Play-In, Mid season tourney, and garbage like that is for video games, not real life achievment.
Yeah make the game a 72 game season and you will still have some of these bums “load managing”. I understand if you take off about 4 games a year during a back to back or resting the last game of the season but this is completely a mix of cheating the fans and laziness on the NBA player’s part. Kawhi will still take half the season off or more. These guys are still gonna want the same pay they get for an 82 game season instead of it being prorated because they load manage anyway
Just going from 82 to 72 games (by itself) will do very little to address the issue. But making regular season games (i.e., winning them) more important to the trophy might, and I could see a 72 game schedule being more conducive to it.
As long as the league continues to use its regular season for the limited purposes of eliminating a third of the teams (many of whom are in their own race, to the bottom), and determining playoff seeding for the rest, effort will be managed.
Currently each team has 10 opponents per season who they host twice. Make those the back-to-backs so that neither team travels in between games.