NHL certainly doesn’t suffer from the NBA’s ‘load management’ virus
Tyler Seguin could have easily asked out Game 2, but there is one “code” National Hockey League players universally follow that the National Basketball Association players badly need to embrace.
The Dallas Stars centre took a shot off his lower leg late in the Stars’ Game 1 loss in the Western Conference final in Las Vegas that left him badly hobbling.
Of course he played in Game 2. Because the leg is still attached. Because this is the playoffs. Because this is hockey.
Because, in the NHL, “load management” is a load of bull ... (fill in the blank).
If Seguin was affected by the puck to the leg, he didn’t really show it in the Stars’ 3-2 overtime loss against the Vegas Golden Nuggets.
The Stars blew this one. They allowed the game-tying goal with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.
Vegas, for the second consecutive game, scored the game-winner less than two minutes into overtime.
Game 3 is Tuesday night at the American Airlines Center.
The difference between the NHL and NBA in “load management” could not be more evident, and pathetic.
It’s become a major problem for the NBA in its effort to market its product.
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich’s little creation to rest his star players, specifically Tim Duncan and Tony Parker years ago, has morphed into a widely accepted practice that is doing permanent damage to the NBA.
Why does one league that plays an 82-game regular season not have this issue whereas the other does?
This is about one league that encourages guys, who are in the best shape of their lives and making millions of dollars, to take a night off or two versus one that says, “You’re a player. It’s game time. Go play.”
“These (fans) might have enough money to come to one game,” Minnesota Timberwolves forward Anthony Edwards said during the NBA’s all-star weekend. “And you’re sitting out?”
Yes. Look no further than the best players in the respective sports.
The NBA’s regular season MVP was Philadelphia 76ers centre Joel Embiid. He played 66 games.
The three finalists for the NHL’s Hart Trophy as its most valuable player are Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, Boston’s David Pastrnak and Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk. The first two played 82 games, the latter only 79.
The Dallas Mavericks featured no players this season who played all 82 games.
Their leader in games played was Reggie Bullock, who appeared in 78.
Where have you gone, Cal Ripken?
The 1985-86 Mavericks roster featured five players who played at least 79 games.
The Dallas Stars roster has 11 players this season who played in at least 79 games, including eight who appeared in all 82.
It’s not as if hockey is a safer sport than basketball. It’s not as if the travel is any less in the NHL than the NBA.
The players have access to the best nutrition, training and medical care conceivable.
This all starts with the empowered player, and scared coach/general manager.
The NBA superstar can play more. In Dirk Nowitzki’s 21-year career, he played in at least 77 games 14 times.
Michael Jordan played 15 seasons. He played 82 games nine times. In his final season, when he was 39 years old, Michael Jordan played 82 games.
Milwaukee Bucks all-star Giannis Antetokounmpo is in the prime of his career, and he appeared in 63 games this season. He has not played in 72 games since the 201819 season.
Some of this is injury. Most of it is generational thinking.
Some of the NBA’s great all-time images are guys playing through hell: Willis Reed, playing on a broken leg in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA finals; Michael Jordan in the “flu” game; Larry Bird playing through a back injury to come back and beat the Pacers in the decisive Game 5 of the 1991 playoffs.
The NBA now is loaded with a generation of stars who, once they are offered the chance not to play, grab it.
In fairness, not every star embraces the notion of load management.
“I always value the one kid that drove 1,000 miles (over 1,600 kilometres) to come see me play this random night,” L.A. Clippers guard Russell Westbrook said. “If I don’t play, I feel like I am letting the one fan down.”
The NHL has its problems, but “load management” is not one of them.
Watching Tyler Seguin suit up and play Game 2 on what would have been a badly bruised leg was not a surprise.
It’s hockey.