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Should the Dallas Mavericks Consider Load Management?

By David Lynch

DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 26: Dirk Nowitzki #41 of the Dallas Mavericks high fives Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks following the National Anthem prior to taking on the Sacramento Kings at American Airlines Center on March 26, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 26: Dirk Nowitzki #41 of the Dallas Mavericks high fives Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks following the National Anthem prior to taking on the Sacramento Kings at American Airlines Center on March 26, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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With hopes of reaching the postseason and making a deep playoff run, Coach Carlisle and the Dallas Mavericks must consider load management for their stars next season…

The NBA season is composed of 82 games over the course of seven months (not including the playoffs). Basketball games are intense and fast-paced. It’s important the Dallas Mavericks understand this.

Night in and night out, our favorite (and not so favorite) players continuously run up and down the 94-foot hardwood, embracing tough contact whether driving in the lane on offense or preventing opponents from doing so on defense (or even running through screens and much more).

This incessant engagement of physical contact, paired with the quick nature of the game, deteriorates the body through wear and tear of muscle tissue and bone strength. This is not a far-fetched phenomenon.

In fact, that may be the most important takeaway from the 2019 NBA Playoffs and Finals.

Before our very eyes, in the quest of the Warriors’ three-peat, basketball fans witnessed Kevin Durant rupture his Achilles tendon (played 78 regular season games), Klay Thompson tear his ACL (also played 78 games), and Kevon Looney with a costal cartilage fracture (played 80 games).

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On the other hand, for the Toronto Raptors, fans heard the never-ending (but monotone) cries from Kawhi Leonard about load management during the regular season, in preparation for the playoffs. Well-rested from the 60 games he played in the regular season, Kawhi Leonard left it all out on the court during the postseason- winning his second NBA championship and Finals MVP.

Sure a task like load management for the Dallas Mavericks stars certainly requires depth and great coaching, but I am confident we have the latter and will make trades and acquisitions to strengthen the former.

I know that Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis (and hopefully other acquired stars) have yet to grace the NBA floor together, so playing a lot of games early in the basketball season and against potential playoff contenders will be crucial in the fruition of team chemistry and success.

However, with both Kristaps coming off his own ACL injury and the goal of a playoff run in mind, we must assure that our young stars’ bodies are healthy, strong, and energized for the postseason by being strategic in the games we ask them to play.

This free agent trio for the Mavs?. dark. Next

Despite being in a highly-competitive and heavily-contested Western Conference, such a strategy should at least be considered if we have ambitions for a postseason run and do not seek to burnout come playoff time.

  • Published on 06/28/2019 at 11:59 AM
  • Last updated at 06/28/2019 at 12:00 PM
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