Manage The Minutes & Focus On Health

[ozgod]

Tonite vs Portland is an excellent example of Joe letting his backups rot on the bench instead of giving them some quality time in the middle of the game - Tillman never saw the floor, Queta and Springer played the final meaningless 2 minutes. Has Joe not noticed that when he has finally been forced to give some bench guys consistent minutes, they tend to develop, Hauser, Pritchard, even Kornet and also a guy like Banton when he was traded to another team. Hell no, he has not noticed, Joe is too busy counting 3-point attempts to make sure we take enough to suit him. Both Tatum and White are playing tired right now, first thing to go with tired legs is the jump shot and then defensive reaction time.

Hauser, Kornet, Pritchard and Brissett all played meaningful minutes. Add in the resting starters and Joe will be using a 9-man playoff rotation. I too would like to see more Tillman but along with Springer and Queta, it looks like he won't get much playoff run.

I actually think he will get more run than people think. But he's more of a horses for courses selection, because he offers something different to what Luke does, so it will be dependent on matchups. He will be the Phillips screwdriver to Luke's flathead 

[Phantom255x]

Porzingis + White OUT tomorrow. Brown + Tatum questionable (should be out)

[tenn_smoothie]

What exactly are the new "load management" rules this season ?

(very funny pic, Phantom)

[Celtics2021]

What exactly are the new "load management" rules this season ?

(very funny pic, Phantom)

They’re convoluted, but one of the exceptions was made for teams at the end of the season who’ve clinched playoff berths, so the Celtics are largely allowed to rest guys as they like for the final 16 games.

[ozgod]

What exactly are the new "load management" rules this season ?

(very funny pic, Phantom)

Here they are:

Beginning this 2023-24 season, the new PPP mandates that teams:

• Rest no more than one star player from a game. (For purposes of the restrictions, a “star player” is defined as someone who has been an All-Star or an All-NBA selection in any of the past three seasons. It also will impact for the balance of the schedule players named to that season’s All-Star teams.)
• Make star players available for nationally televised games and In-Season Tournament games.
• Balance the number of one-game “rest” absences a star player accrues in home games vs. road games, with a recommendation that a player more often sit out at home.
• Refrain from any long-term “shutdown” when a star stops participating in games or appears only in a materially reduced role that could affect the integrity of the game.
• Have any healthy players resting for a game present and visible to fans.

The policy includes exceptions for injuries and personal absences, as well as pre-approved absences in back-to-back schedule circumstances based on a player’s age, career workload or serious-injury history.

For example, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and other players who are at least 35 years old on opening night or have appeared in 1,000 career games or logged more than 34,000 regular-season minutes will fall into this category. Their teams must notify the league in writing at least one week in advance explaining why the player’s participation will be limited.

The league office will have authority to conduct investigations and order independent medical reviews in the event of any questionable absences.

A team’s first PPP violation would carry a fine of $100,000, according to an ESPN report. A second offense would cost $250,000 and subsequent fines would escalate by $1 million per violation.

https://www.nba.com/news/adam-silver-load-management-bog-news-conference-2023

CJ McCollum, President of the NBAPA, had this to say:

“I think the league is trying to figure out ways to make our game better, to help grow the game, understanding that fan engagement is important for all of us," said New Orleans guard CJ McCollum, the president of the players' association, via The Associated Press. “As a fan of sports, when you go to a game, you want the stars to play. You’re paying a premium on the ticket … or maybe it’s the cable package or whatever you have, you want to see the best players play.”

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/sports/nba/explaining-the-nbas-rest-rules-for-2023-24-season/3238717/

This wasn't in the official release from the NBA, but I found it on a report from Yahoo Sports, regarding what Celtics2021 mentioned.

There are exceptions for players missing consecutive games due to a longer-term injury, players with a unique injury history, veterans who have logged more than a certain number of career minutes (including Kevin Durant and LeBron James), players missing games for personal reasons and teams that have clinched their playoff position.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-load-management-rules-limit-040100843.html#:~:text=There%20are%20exceptions%20for%20players,teams%20that%20have%20clinched%20their

[Big333223]

There's something about that Phoenix game that felt like, effectively, the end of the regular season. With 16 games left, the Celtics have a 5.5 game lead on the best records in the league and a 9.5 game lead in the East. They should be able to coast to home court advantage against anyone in the playoffs from here.

With a soft schedule remaining, they should be able to get guys rest and still finish something like 10-6 allowing plenty of breathing room between them and #2. 

EDIT: edited for bad math

[Phantom255x]

Lot of guys played heavy minutes last night, including Horford with 38.

Next 4 are DET, CHI, ATL (2x). Plenty of opportunities for rest.

[Phantom255x]

At this point, the only games I feel are "worth it" are Thunder this Wednesday, and Bucks next week. That's it. I guess Kings and Knicks will be good games but those teams are banged up anyways. Rest a bunch of guys now outside of those two games unless you're truly hurt like Jaylen.

[ozgod]

And imagine if they started to hold players out, we went on a losing streak and staggered into the playoffs out of rhythm I'm sure the knives would be out for Joe as well 

This is why it's always a double edged sword from a fan point of view holding players out...imagine if our bench had lost tonight after "sitting the starters too early" (i.e. Tatum sat at the 9:24 mark of the 4th quarter) with a 14 point lead. At the 6 minute mark we had a 19 point lead when Brissett made 1 of 2 free throws. Over the next 6 minutes we gave up a 21-3 run. Fortunately the last 2 points were scored by us to win the game otherwise Joe would doubtlessly have been fired first thing on Monday for giving the game away by resting the players that we needed to win the game too early. Xavier may have saved his new coach's job with his timely recovery of Sam deflection and subsequent floater.

Did we rest the starters too early when we were leading by 19 in the 6 minute mark? When is too early to sit starters? Was 9 minutes too early or should Tatum have played into the 4 minute mark and ended with 37 minutes instead of 33, like Jrue, Derrick and JB did against OKC?? Should KP or Jrue played more than the 24 and 31 minutes they played? Or should it be lead-based...should it be a 30 point lead before the starters sit?

Such are the questions Joe must ponder in these last 5 games before the playoffs start and he loses the opportunity to rest anyone 

(There's also the obvious caveat - Joe should coach the [dang] team better, starters or otherwise, [dang it] )