Load Management: Why it’s necessary for Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers
By Joey Linn
What about the first seed?
For the first time ever, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Lakers are on even playing field. With that comes brand new dynamics that have never before existed in this league, and one of those is the battle for the top spot in the West.
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The Lakers sprinted to an extremely hot start, winning 23 of their first 26. Talk around the league quickly became directed towards the Lakers and their ascension to the top, with many in the media even crowning them the league’s best team.
Since then, the Lakers have lost three of four, and all three losses coming in succession. To start the season, their schedule ranked amongst the league’s easiest, with the back half increasing in difficulty. They are beginning to hit that stretch of tough games, and they may be going into it less than full strength.
LeBron James admitted to playing through an injury in the loss to Milwaukee on Thursday. The overexertion kept him out of Sunday’s contest in Denver, in which Anthony Davis played 34 minutes also at less than 100% health.
While the Clippers have the most difficult part of their schedule in the rearview mirror, the Lakers are approaching theirs through the windshield. Despite that fact, just 3.0 games separate the two teams in the standings ahead of their matchup on Christmas.
The reason for pointing this out, is that not only has load management kept the Clippers among the trees to this point, but it also has not disqualified them from a chance at the top spot out West.
The depth, coaching, and top-tier talent of this Clippers roster has allowed them have sustained success, despite not only load management, but a lot of misfortune and lack of continuity. Assuming the Clippers and Lakers do end up first and second in the West, who grabs which spot would be irrelevant anyways, due to the fact that a series between the two would see all seven games hosted in the same building.
The NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint. For those who have championship aspirations, this is even more true.
The Clippers are pacing themselves, yet still remain right at the front of the race. When those running with them begin to fatigue, the Clippers will have just a short amount of ground to make up with an ample of energy to do it with.
When the Los Angeles Clippers win the marathon, those who sprinted at the beginning will have wished they paced themselves, or in this case, load managed.