Why the NBA’s to blame for DNP-Rest

NBA fans want an exciting postseason featuring teams as close as possible to full strength battling to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy. They also want to see the visiting team’s star players during the regular season, and they’re understandably frustrated when those players sit out because they need rest.

It’s easy to blame the coaches or the players themselves for this phenomenon - especially if you’re a member of the media who doesn’t want to call the league out - but it’s also misguided. The NBA’s aware of the science suggesting that road back-to-backs are more likely to lead to injury. Teams know that winning 50 or 60 or 70 games in a season doesn’t mean much if you don’t win a championship. Coaches know they’re more likely to win a championship with healthy players. If resting players for a few games during the regular season won’t seriously jeopardize your chances of making the playoffs or affect your seed much, the calculus becomes pretty easy.

So sure, you can be mad that Steph Curry and LeBron James sat out while healthy on occasion. But it’s the NBA and its refusal to lighten the regular season load to improve the overall experience for players and fans alike that deserves your anger.