Load Management

Load management is not an injury. It is a scheduling decision, which is precisely why it is so disruptive: the player is available and simply isn't playing.

It clusters predictably. Back-to-backs, the second night of a road trip, and games against weak opponents are the usual candidates, and veterans with heavy career mileage are the usual subjects.

The NBA has tightened participation rules over recent seasons, including restrictions on resting multiple stars in the same game and in nationally televised games — so the practice has become more constrained, not eliminated.

For anyone reading a lineup, load management is the single best argument for checking the report on game day rather than the day before. It is rarely announced early.