General state of college basketball

[MU82]

You're right. It's not fair. And the league needs to address it by continuing to adjust the schedule.
Beyond that, I'm not sure what else can be done. Is it any more fair to tell teams "Ignore the data, weaken your chances at a title and put your best players' health at risk for the sake of this mid-December road game?"

No sir. I don't really see a way to legislate "load management" out of the NBA.

Knowing that, however, wouldn't make me any less displeased if I paid good money to go to the Hornets-Lakers game only to find out that LeBron and AD were resting due to "load management."

[Dr. Blackheart]

I never claimed it had changed.  I was actually comparing to the pros where oftentimes the coach sits back and let's the players do their thing.

Maybe stay on the OP topic then (change of fandom over time between NCAA vs. NBA). 

[Billy Hoyle]

No sir. I don't really see a way to legislate "load management" out of the NBA.

Knowing that, however, wouldn't make me any less displeased if I paid good money to go to the Hornets-Lakers game only to find out that LeBron and AD were resting due to "load management."

A few years ago my friend's neighbor dropped $2K for courtside tickets for a January game to see Lebron when he was with the Heat, only to have LBJ sit. Money not well spent!  At least when I went to see OKC and the Thunder rested KD and Russ I could understand since it was one of the last three games of the season and playoff positions were already set.

[Coleman]

"Load management" is like buying front row tickets to the Beatles and getting three hours of Ringo and Pete Best drum duets

[LON]

I remember several instances of Phil Jackson filing his nails on the bench. Literally filing his nails! Cracked me up every time.

Better than Jim Boeheim picking his nose, I guess.

[The Sultan]

Maybe stay on the OP topic then (change of fandom over time between NCAA vs. NBA). 

Or maybe you could read what I meant to say.   

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

How have we gotten this far with no one making a load management joke yet?

[Coleman]

How have we gotten this far with no one making a load management joke yet?

"Load management" is required when you have two dates on the same night

[The Sultan]

How have we gotten this far with no one making a load management joke yet?

Apparently JB isn't reading the topic.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

How have we gotten this far with no one making a load management joke yet?

Rocket is doing a nasty root canel today. Hasnt been online. 

[Pakuni]

How have we gotten this far with no one making a load management joke yet?

4ever was too busy cheering on Georgia to read this thread.

[Cheeks]

You're right. It's not fair. And the league needs to address it by continuing to adjust the schedule.
Beyond that, I'm not sure what else can be done. Is it any more fair to tell teams "Ignore the data, weaken your chances at a title and put your best players' health at risk for the sake of this mid-December road game?"

Weaken your chances?  How so?  How many titles were won during that era without load managing players?  Plenty.  When Pop started doing it at the end they won what...one title?

My solution is to schedule 8 minute games when everyone decides it's time to play.  Put up imaginary score of 120 to 120 and everyone has 4 fouls.   . Or how about for Joe average fan if the players don't play, they aren't paid and a refund given to the fan.

[forgetful]

SFA beating Duke last night is an example of why college basketball can be more compelling and entertaining than the NBA.

Nobody is getting excited about the Knicks beating the Bucks during a regular season game this year. It just doesn't mean anything.

But a cinderella upending a #1, who is a hated team by many, is absolutely thrilling. Still doesn't mean anything for the entire season, but there is more excitement and energy around a game like that.

[Pakuni]

Weaken your chances?  How so?  How many titles were won during that era without load managing players?  Plenty.  When Pop started doing it at the end they won what...one title?

When your best players are injured or less than 100 percent, it weakens your chances to win.
Isn't that, you know, obvious?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I enjoy the college game a lot more. The NBA is unquestionably better basketball

[The Sultan]

SFA beating Duke last night is an example of why college basketball can be more compelling and entertaining than the NBA.

Nobody is getting excited about the Knicks beating the Bucks during a regular season game this year. It just doesn't mean anything.

But a cinderella upending a #1, who is a hated team by many, is absolutely thrilling. Still doesn't mean anything for the entire season, but there is more excitement and energy around a game like that.

Great argument.

Neither mean anything.  But college fans will claim one is more exciting while NBA fans will claim the opposite.

[Pakuni]

SFA beating Duke last night is an example of why college basketball can be more compelling and entertaining than the NBA.

Nobody is getting excited about the Knicks beating the Bucks during a regular season game this year. It just doesn't mean anything.

But a cinderella upending a #1, who is a hated team by many, is absolutely thrilling. Still doesn't mean anything for the entire season, but there is more excitement and energy around a game like that.

You're not wrong given these choices, but what if your choice were instead a double overtime thriller between the Bucks and Lakers or a mid January game between Oregon State and Colorado?
I think the circumstances matter way more than whether it's a college game or an NBA game.

[MU82]

You're not wrong given these choices, but what if your choice were instead a double overtime thriller between the Bucks and Lakers or a mid January game between Oregon State and Colorado?
I think the circumstances matter way more than whether it's a college game or an NBA game.

Exactly.

Folks obviously are allowed to prefer college hoops to pro hoops, or vice versa, but anybody can cherry-pick games.

I like 'em both.

[Cheeks]

When your best players are injured or less than 100 percent, it weakens your chances to win.
Isn't that, you know, obvious?

You didn't answer the question.  Most teams that have won it all didn't choose load management.  Even in the last decade.  Throwing out the Raptors and Spurs two times does not offset all the other times it wasn't the case.

[Pakuni]

You didn't answer the question.  Most teams that have won it all didn't choose load management.  Even in the last decade.  Throwing out the Raptors and Spurs two times does not offset all the other times it wasn't the case.

It was a dumb question undeserving of an answer because load management wasn't widely practiced until a few years ago.
And yes, most teams who have won it in the past five years rested their key players at times during the season.

But as with everything else, you're the expert. NBA coaches, front offices, doctors, physical therapists, sports scientists and analysts all have it wrong and should set aside their silly facts and data and bow to your vastly superior knowledge on the subject to which they've dedicated their professional careers.

[forgetful]

You're not wrong given these choices, but what if your choice were instead a double overtime thriller between the Bucks and Lakers or a mid January game between Oregon State and Colorado?
I think the circumstances matter way more than whether it's a college game or an NBA game.

The choices were because both were a bad team beating a great. The thrill of the cinderella team is part of college. It will never be part of the NBA regular season.

The Bucks v. Lakers is like Duke v. Kansas. Both leagues have those games. The difference to me is Duke v. Kansas has some consequences. Bucks v. Lakers during regular season means largely nothing. 

Oregon State v. Colorado, is honestly like your garden variety regular season NBA game. Let's say Minnesota vs. Memphis. No big excitement except for fans of the teams.

My point was the uniqueness of the cinderella game to the college basketball landscape that highlights a unique aspect of entertainment.

[The Sultan]

The difference to me is Duke v. Kansas has some consequences.

Like what?

[Cheeks]

It was a dumb question undeserving of an answer because load management wasn't widely practiced until a few years ago.
And yes, most teams who have won it in the past five years rested their key players at times during the season.

But as with everything else, you're the expert. NBA coaches, front offices, doctors, physical therapists, sports scientists and analysts all have it wrong and should set aside their silly facts and data and bow to your vastly superior knowledge on the subject to which they've dedicated their professional careers.

Interesting, so when coaches, GM, players etc day defense ain't a thing in the NBA...they are wrong...but wi Th load management..they are right.

For the record, I'm not saying they are wrong on load management, I just hate it.  Plenty of teams won just fine playing their studs all the time.  Including the last few years...you claimed a bunch of the more recent teams that won also rested players..I guess it comes down to how much rest accounts for load management. 

At any rate, fans are screwed by this.  The players can handle the stress of playing and "travel"...that was awesome.  They choose not to and the teams have no choice.  I guarantee you some of the very GMs you speak of know quite well these guys can do it, but they don't dare say a word because the NBA is run by the players, not the other way around.

[Pakuni]

My point was the uniqueness of the cinderella game to the college basketball landscape that highlights a unique aspect of entertainment.

Well, when the NBA expands to 325 teams, we might just see comparable cinderella games.
I'm kidding, of course, and I'm not knocking your preference. But in this case, there's really not an apples to apples comparison.
I have no issue with people who say they prefer the college game. It's the people who think the college game is better because they try harder, etc.,who are dopey.

[MU82]

Somebody forgot to tell one of the NBA's best teams that defense doesn't exist in the league and that nobody gives defensive effort.

https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/story/2019-10-01/clippers-defense-could-be-among-best-in-nba