NBA claims load management is no longer supported by scientific data / News - Basketnews.com

Joe Dumars, NBA's executive vice president of basketball operations, criticized load management, stating that data does not support the practice. He additionally voiced a call to all players to try and play all 82 games of the regular season.

Credit: AFP – Scanpix Credit AFP – Scanpix

Former player and current NBA executive Joe Dumars talked about load management, stating that there is no scientific data to support the practice in question, which is said to prevent players from getting injuries.

"We've gotten more data, and it just doesn't show that resting, sitting guys out correlates with lack of injuries, or fatigue, or anything like that," noted the former NBA All-Star.

However, he issued the following disclaimer: "What it does show is maybe guys aren't as efficient on the second night of a back-to-back."

Nevertheless, Dumars believes players shouldn't look for excuses to miss games.

"Everyone should want to play 82 games. And that's the culture that we are trying to reestablish right now," Dumars noted.

Dumars's statements come after regulations put forth by the NBA Board of Governors in September, which restricted teams from imposing load management for star players in cases of games broadcast for American national television and the In-Season Tournament.

Teams are also restricted in their ability to rest multiple star players for one game and are further limited in sitting out players during away games.

According to The Athletic, only 12 players out of the top 50 scorers of the NBA played in 70 or more games of the regular season, which points out the regularity of the so-called load management practice.

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