Yeah Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe were just discussing this.... The NBA needs to play less games. The game is just way more physically intense than it used to be. I mean there were banging PF that were more physical decades ago than the finesse 4's today... but the nonstop movement and up and down the floor teams do with high intensity on both sides of the ball is just at a higher level than it was decades ago
I'm not sure that's true
I'm checking pace. This season the median pace is 98.9. When the Blazers won the championship in 1977, the median pace was 106.2. So, more than 7 extra possessions a game. About 10 years later when the Lakers and Celtics were taking turns the median Pace was 101.3
by the way, the year the Blazers entered the NBA, the median Pace was 115.7; and Portland led the NBA in Pace at 120.6. In other words, the Blazers had 21 more possessions a game then they did this season
* in 1977, there were 33 players who averaged 35 minutes or more; and 73 who averaged 30 minutes or more
* in 1987 there were 33 players who averaged 35 minute or more; and 83 players who averaged 30 minutes or more
* this season, only 20 players averaged 35 minutes or more; and 73 who averaged 30 minutes or more
.....and the seasons now are more spread out with more rest days than it was back then
in 1977, the Blazers had 17 back-to-backs. This season they had 11
I don't think the injuries are very connected to the pace or the schedule. I'm not sure what's at work, but maybe the NBA should crack down on players wearing whatever loopy looking shoes they want from shoe makers they sign contracts with. All these low cut shoes and fancy soles may be crappy foundations for a basketball floor
