Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
Should LeBron James have gotten more rest in the Finals?
That’s the question posed to Burgess and Athletic Lab’s Dr. Michael Young, two of the world’s top sports scientists. James averaged over 46 minutes per game, and the Cavs were without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love for the Finals (Irving was injured late in Game 1).
Both Young and Burgess are amazed by James’ efforts and his ability to overcome fatigue. With an exhausting schedule that included three games in five days and cross-country travel, maybe James would benefit from getting a game off, perhaps Game 4 up 2-1, to preserve his body and keep it fresh for Games 5, 6 and a possible 7…
…But even with all the worries about fatigue, Burgess doesn’t think resting James for Game 4 would have been practical.
“I certainly wouldn’t want to be the fitness coach who goes up to the coach and says, ‘Listen, I have this idea: rest LeBron,'” Burgess said.
Young agrees that it probably wouldn’t go over well to rest James. But he saw James nearly fall asleep at practice press conferences. He saw James hobble on and off the court. He saw several of James’ late jumpers miss short in the series.
Burgess discussed the possibility of resting James with his colleagues.
“What we ended up coming to is that the damage is already done,” Young said. “They should have been resting him throughout those 82 games and the playoffs. But you have to deal with the hand that you’re dealt at this point.”
ESPN: Biggest winner of the Finals? Rest!
As we know, the 2015 NBA Finals saw much hand-wringing about and endless analysis of LeBron James’ fatigue level. We heard constantly how LeBron was exhausted from carrying his shorthanded team. How coach David Blatt tried to find a minute here and another there to give King James a breather. And how, despite his weariness, LBJ was delivering MVP-worthy production: 35.8 points per game, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists over the six contests.
But a look at the facts begs the question: Why was he so tired? LeBron is 30 years old, still in his prime, and presumably in peak condition. He didn’t play excessively in the regular season – 69 games and 36.1 minutes per game (three below his career average). Nor in the playoffs – 20 games overall at 42.2 minutes per (almost exactly his career playoff average). His playing time increased only during the Finals, when he logged 45.7 minutes per game, a big jump from the 37.8 minutes he averaged in the 2014 Finals.
Old-time Celtics would scoff at those numbers.
Consider the 1968-69 season, when Boston won its 11th championship. John Havlicek, 28 years old, played all 82 regular season games and averaged 38.7 minutes. Bill Russell, at age 34, tallied 77 games and 42.7 minutes per, right in line with his career averages. Russell did this while also serving as Boston’s head coach.
The Celtics played 18 additional games in the postseason. Havlicek rang up 47.2 minutes per game and Russell averaged 46.
What’s more, in the 7-game Finals versus the Lakers, Russell and Havlicek both played 336 minutes. That’s 48 minutes per game – in other words, they never subbed out. They were effective, too. Russ grabbed 21.1 boards per game and had a team-high 5.1 assists, while Hondo put up 28.3 points and 11 rebounds.
Another talking point of the 2015 Finals was that, after Irving’s injury, Cleveland basically went with a seven-man rotation. Well, so did the old Celtics. In the ’69 Finals, seven players ate up 1,631 of 1,680 total minutes. They did that while making five cross-country trips in 13 days and playing every other day. There were no chartered jets, advanced training techniques, or hyperbaric chambers. Hell, Russell didn’t even have an assistant coach.
So remember that when someone says LeBron needed more rest in the Finals. And please do get off my lawn.
On Page 2, James Young is figuring it out
The court of public opinion seems to have decided that Young’s inability to crack the Boston Celtics’ rotation during his rookie season suggests that he doesn’t have the desire to work for a role. When former teammates visit for draft workouts, they are quizzed about Young’s desire. The 19-year-old Young, the No. 17 pick in the 2014 draft, squeezes his palms together tightly when presented this information and shakes his head.
“I see it, I hear it,” Young told ESPN.com after a recent morning workout at the Celtics’ training facility. “It just motivates me. When they talk about me like that — man, I got here for a reason. I have the drive. I’m not worried about anything. I’m just out here trying to get better.”
Here’s what most haven’t seen: If the Celtics maintained a leaderboard for offseason hours in the gym, Young would be near the top. A familiar presence since the end of the season, he often engages in two-a-day sessions at the team’s training facility. The results? He’s carrying 15 pounds of additional muscle, has trimmed his body fat and has added three inches to his vertical over the past year, the fruits of a newfound dedication to the weight room.
ESPN Boston: James Young working to silence the doubters
When you’re a first-round NBA draft pick who winds up in the D-League, that should get your attention. In this interview with Chris Forsberg, Young admits that his many trips to Maine caused him to think seriously about what he needs to do to earn his place in Boston.
Players always say they only worry about things they can control. Working hard is one of those things. After achieving little as a rookie, Young must know that this coming season could make or break his NBA career. It’s good to see he’s doing everything in his power to go in the right direction.
Finally, Pierce vs. Kimmel
In case you missed it – and you probably did, since it was on well after the Finals trophy presentations – Paul Pierce appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel show for the NBA tie-in “Sink It or Swim” contest. The former Celtic and the host shot baskets against each other, with the loser plunged into a dunk tank. Enjoy.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYGYurRww-Y]The Rest of the Links:
ESPN – Celtics with 11 of 50 best NBA teams ever
CSNNE – Mannix: Cauley-Stein the ‘dream scenario’ for Celtics
MassLive – Boston Celtics would love Willie Cauley-Stein if they move up to No. 9
Herald – Celtics Notebook: Versatility a weapon
MassLive – Kevon Looney’s combination of size, skill impresses Boston Celtics
YouTube – LeBron James’ Full 2015 Finals Highlights, running time 32 minutes, 19 seconds (h/t to @KWAPT)
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