Back to backs: real detriment or convenient excuse

[oldgoldy97]

Growing up watching the rough and tumble 80s and 90s, I don’t remember hearing anything about the dreaded back to back games. Today, we have load management typically around these games.

Is playing games two days in a row a real problem for player health or are they over exaggerating the situation?

[jcardstore]

Back to backs were never a problem until players started making crazy money

[rhigh2390]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

Back to backs were never a problem until players started making crazy money

Yep. A lot of the competitiveness is gone and it's all about how long you can drag your career out to get the most contracts now. Which is why reducing the number of games isn't going to happen because players aren't taking paycuts and they are fine just playing 60 games a year out of the 82 because they're already getting paid as if they are playing 82.

[Diamondjake]

The league is a bloated cesspool of grifting weak boys.

Ever since league changed Hand checking for Lebaby and screwed Defense the slow crater into flopaholics anonymous and load management blossomed.

Sorry but even the greats will tell you that you haven't watched real basketball in some time. This is a version of basketball, sure, but this era is pumped up because what they lost with MJ and Kobe cannot be force replicated.

Real competitors play 82 games and show up for the guys in the stands who paid their months paycheck just to come see that superstar play. Anyone that robs that guy is a complete a**bag and does not deserve to be called a true player.

[kipgen]

Not sure in regards to player health but it definitely has an effect on the play

Compare a team's performance in the first game of a b2b with the second and it's like night and day

B2Bs should be gone for that alone, it's just ugly to watch

[rhigh2390]

Originally Posted by kipgen

Not sure in regards to player health but it definitely has an effect on the play

Compare a team's performance in the first game of a b2b with the second and it's like night and day

B2Bs should be gone for that alone, it's just ugly to watch

Of course teams are tired on the second night of a b2b, but that's part of the grind and every team has them. If we are only worried about the players being fully rested and not having to play too much, then they should skip the season, just do playoffs and play 1 day a week.


It's insane to me that with all of the travel accommodations, sport science, team doctors, team nutritionists, team physical therapists, etc. that now is the time that we should get rid of b2b's. Like JCard said, there have always been b2b's and it was never a problem until the money became so much. These are grown men getting paid millions of dollars... they can play a game 2 straight days.

[kipgen]

Originally Posted by rhigh2390

Of course teams are tired on the second night of a b2b, but that's part of the grind and every team has them. If we are only worried about the players being fully rested and not having to play too much, then they should skip the season, just do playoffs and play 1 day a week.


It's insane to me that with all of the travel accommodations, sport science, team doctors, team nutritionists, team physical therapists, etc. that now is the time that we should get rid of b2b's. These are grown men getting paid millions of dollars... they can play a game 2 straight days.

Yeah but that's not some innate part of basketball, it's just a scheduling thing. Removing B2Bs makes it easier on the players and more entertaining for the viewers. Nobody really loses out except for the few people who really care about watching their team two nights in a row.

Not to mention it's very common that one team is playing on a B2B and the other had a full day of rest before that game. So now due to a scheduling error one team has had more time to prepare. How is that fair?

[oldgoldy97]

I’d like them to go to set days of the week, kind of like how the NFL sort of does it now.

[rhigh2390]

Originally Posted by kipgen

Yeah but that's not some innate part of basketball, it's just a scheduling thing. Removing B2Bs makes it easier on the players and more entertaining for the viewers. Nobody really loses out except for the few people who really care about watching their team two nights in a row.

Not to mention it's very common that one team is playing on a B2B and the other had a full day of rest before that game. So now due to a scheduling error one team has had more time to prepare. How is that fair?

I just find it funny that the same guys that are saying how bad players used to be (yet played 82 games, without complaints, while making pennies to what guys make now) are the ones saying they need more days off, higher pay, etc. all while seeing how good players have it today compared to eras before.

[rhigh2390]

Originally Posted by oldgoldy97

I’d like them to go to set days of the week, kind of like how the NFL sort of does it now.

How do they get to 82 games with that type of schedule?

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by rhigh2390

Yep. A lot of the competitiveness is gone and it's all about how long you can drag your career out to get the most contracts now. Which is why reducing the number of games isn't going to happen because players aren't taking paycuts and they are fine just playing 60 games a year out of the 82 because they're already getting paid as if they are playing 82.

I think it's partially this, and partially because now the league has tied gambling revenue to the 82 game model.

No way the gambling companies are going to let the NBA cut the number of bettable games

[oldgoldy97]

Originally Posted by rhigh2390

How do they get to 82 games with that type of schedule?

Not once a week. Set days. There’s close to 180 actual days in the season. They could set up every other day. Trim out a playoff series if needed to make the regular season more important.

[oldgoldy97]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

I think it's partially this, and partially because now the league has tied gambling revenue to the 82 game model.

No way the gambling companies are going to let the NBA cut the number of bettable games

I’ll believe it once D Jones says so.

[Cactuspies]

feel like back in the 80's 90's the players cared about the fans too. you were paying to see the stars on the other team also. going to games was a treat back then. maybe I'm biased because I was in MA and tickets to the Garden weren't always easy to come by for cheap. I can't imagine seeing MJ, Bird, Magic, Nique, etc sitting out. They wanted to compete and be the best and play the best.

Now a days teams are content with just making the playoffs. I think the Spurs really started it knowing they could cruise through with so many teams eligible for the playoffs and then be rested up to make the finals. I'm sure it's partially why there are play in games to make players play (and more betting!). you can be .500 or under and be an 8-12 seed.

Maybe they all need to be like Zion & Kawhi and sit out 80% of the games

[Chryghst]

Was reminded of this thread as I watch my fantasy team lose again this week because multiple players are resting on the 2nd night of a back to back.

Honestly, if the teams are creating their own internal schedules, the league needs to change theirs also. Fantasy is obviously not that serious, but it’s ridiculous that the teams treat it like a 62 game season while collecting 82 game revenue. It’s just greed. The product would be better with no back to backs. The teams know this. The teams just pretend back to backs don’t exist. So why not change the league schedule to match the schedules that the teams themselves follow?

[drobfan8]

Yeah they really need to get rid of the back to backs. These "assets" are worth too much to franchises so they're playing it safe.

These dues all want to play 20 years and be billionaires.

They need to play more. Just laughable these days how often they sit. We all know the intensity come the Playoffs, they just cruise through regular season games anyway.