More on Load Management
Brad Townsend: Kristaps Porzingis and Luka Doncic are listed as out for tonight's game against OKC. Doncic with right ankle "injury recovery" and Porzingis with left knee "injury recovery."
Connor Letourneau: Steve Kerr on sitting Draymond Green and Stephen Curry tonight: "Very easy. Draymond, we definitely didn't want to play a back to back on the ankle from the other night, and Steph just needs a rest."
Kendra Andrews: Steph Curry (rest) and Draymond Green (left ankle injury management) have officially been ruled out of tonight’s game at Phoenix. @Anthony Slater first reported earlier today. Kelly Oubre Jr. is listed as questionable with a left wrist sprain.
Joe Mussatto: Al Horford (rest) is out tonight. "It really comes down to our medical team," Horford said on deciding which night to sit on a back-to-back. "I just really lean on them and prepare when I need to go, and when I need to sit I'm there to support the guys."
Ryan Ward: Lakers officially rule out LeBron James, Anthony and Marc Gasol for tonight’s game vs. Kings: pic.twitter.com/7THmYOkAHc
Joe Mussatto: Daigneault on the decision to rest Al Horford on the front end of this back-to-back: "We do it purely based on what's physically best for him. He's very much a stakeholder in that process. To be honest with you, I'm not in the room even on those conversations."
Neil Dalal: With 38 games in 68 days in the second half of the schedule the Wizards will likely look for opportunities to rest Bradley Beal, Russell Westbrook, and maybe others at times (whether that be games off and/or limited minutes). Scott Brooks hinted at such just now.
Josh Lewenberg: OG Anunoby will not play tonight, the Raptors say. Sounds like they're giving him some rest in the 2nd night of a back-to-back as he works his way back from the calf injury.
Joe Mussatto: Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be available tonight after missing the last four games with a left knee sprain. Al Horford (rest) is out on the second night of a back-to-back.
Mirjam Swanson: Tyronn Lue on the Clippers' absent trio, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Patrick Beverley: "They're doing better." On Pat: "Just being cautious and holding him out of back to backs."
Kristina Pink: Clippers Injury Report tonight vs Miami: Paul George (Bone Edema Right Toe), Kawhi Leonard (Left Lower Leg Contusion), and Patrick Beverley (Rest-Healthy) are all OUT.
Chris Fedor: #Cavs Andre Drummond (rest) is OUT tonight against Los Angeles Clippers.
Omari Sanfoka II: Blake Griffin is out tonight due to injury management
Fred Katz: Scott Brooks on what went into the decision to rest Beal tonight: "He needed some rest.” He adds it has to do with the tough schedule the Wizards are dealing with now. Washington has 16 games in 27 days and leaves on a west coast trip next week.
Paul Garcia: "He can't play back to backs," says Coach Pop of Derrick White as he returns from injury. Pop says White will be out for tomorrow's game against GSW.
Fred Katz: Scott Brooks on if Russell Westbrook will play in tomorrow’s game: "That’s definitely an option tomorrow. We don’t know yet. See how he feels tomorrow morning.” Westbrook has missed half of every back-to-back this year.
Joe Mussatto: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort and Theo Maledon are all available for the Thunder tonight. Darius Bazley (low back soreness) and Isaiah Roby (right foot soreness) are questionable. Al Horford (rest) is out.
Omari Sanfoka II: Dwane Casey said Wayne Ellington is probably out tonight with a strained calf. Derrick Rose is also out, resting him on the first half of a back-to-back
Tim Bontemps: Kemba Walker says he won't be playing in one half of back-to-backs for the foreseeable future. Not a surprise, given Boston is trying to build Walker up to be ready for the postseason.
Fred Katz: Russell Westbrook is OUT tonight against the Heat, the Wizards say. Westbrook will rest on the second half of a back-to-back. Raul Neto (left groin) is out once again, as well.
Brad Townsend: Carlisle on Porzingis: "I think there's a good chance that, eventually, he'll be playing back-to-backs. I'm just not exactly sure when." Carlisle says he believes Porzingis is working steadily toward meeting that threshold.
Gerald Bourguet: Rick Carlisle says Maxi Kleber and Kristaps Porzingis are out tonight
Tim MacMahon: Mavs are listing Kristaps Porzingis as questionable for tonight’s game vs. Suns due to injury recovery. They are being cautious about playing Porzingis in back-to-backs — but the Mavs are desperately in need of a win after losing 7 of 9.
Shams Charania: Nets say Kevin Durant (injury recovery) has been ruled out tonight vs. Oklahoma City.
Eddie Sefko: Kristaps Porzingis (knee maintenance) will not play tonight vs. Houston, the fifth game in seven nights for the Mavericks. Victor Oladipo out for Rockets for load management. Rick Carlisle says he's doing exceptionally well.
Salman Ali: Stephen Silas on holding out Victor Oladipo: "The long-term health of Vic is most important and that's how we're approaching it with all of our guys."
Mike McGraw: Otto Porter listed out tonight vs Lakers. Donovan talked this week about possibly resting him on back-to-backs to keep his back healthy. Could open up minutes for Hutchison's return. Wendell Carter (quad) also out. #Bulls
Tony East: Victor Oladipo, whose Rockets are playing on the second night of a back-to-back tonight, is out this evening. He’s still resting on one of the nights of B2Bs, even on his new team.
Omari Sanfoka II: Blake Griffin (injury management) and Derrick Rose (left knee soreness) are out for tonight's game against the Sixers.
John Karalis: Kemba Walker minutes restriction will be similar tonight. Brad Stevens suspects Kemba will "be more and more angry with me" as the keeps the restriction around 20 minutes or so
Brian Robb: Brad Stevens says Rob Williams will be limited to 10-15 minutes tonight in his return to floor.
Anthony Slater: Warriors have a home back-to-back against the Spurs and Knicks coming up. No plans to rest anyone on either side of it, per Steve Kerr.
Nick Friedell: Kerr gave some of his veterans a day off in advance of the upcoming back to back against the Spurs and Knicks. Kerr said as of now everybody’s minutes will remain the same — but he wants to see how the games play out.
Roy Parry: In addition to Evan Fournier being out tonight vs. Milwaukee, Magic F James Ennis also will not be available due to right hamstring injury management, the team said. For more Magic coverage tonight, follow @OS_ChrisHays and go to OrlandoSentinel.com.
Dane Moore: Ryan Saunders says that Karl-Anthony Towns won't necessarily miss all back-to-backs. Saunders says "the plan is fluid". Saunders says this situation is unique because KAT happened to return on the front-end of a back-to-back.
Josh Robbins: The decision not to play Aaron Gordon (left hamstring injury management) was taken because this is the first game of a back-to-back, Steve Clifford said. Clifford added the hope is that Gordon won't need to be held out any more games in back-to-backs for the rest of the season.
Cayleigh Griffin: #Magic injury report gets longer as Aaron Gordon is OUT (Left Hamstring; Injury Management) Aminu, Carter-Williams, Fultz, Isaac, and Okeke are also out. Fournier is questionable (Back; Low spasms)
Jim Owczarski: The #Pistons will have Blake Griffin back tonight off rest while Josh Jackson (ankle) is considered questionable. They lost Killian Hayes for a long while the other night. The #Bucks, once again, will be without Pat Connaughton, Torrey Craig and Sam Merrill.
Tom Azarly: Kawhi Leonard, who isn't listed on the Clippers injury report, is expected to play tonight against the Warriors. It'll be his first back-to-back set since April of 2017.
Eric Woodyard: Pistons’ Blake Griffin (left knee injury management) and Josh Jackson (right ankle sprain) are out today vs. Milwaukee, according to the injury report.
Mark Medina: Steve Kerr said it's clear how much he will increase Draymond Green's workload. He was at 18 minutes on Friday against Portland. Kerr: "We're not going to all of a sudden throw him out there for 30 minutes tomorrow."
Duane Rankin: #Suns injury report vs. Nuggets Dario Saric (right quad soreness, injury management) OUT. Part of #Suns plan in bringing Saric back as this is 2nd of back-to-back for Phoenix. Played at Utah last night. Abdel Nader (concussion protocol) and Jalen Smith (left ankle sprain) OUT
Josh Robbins: Al Horford (rest) and George Hill (neck spasms) will not play tonight in Oklahoma City against the Magic, said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault.
Brandon Rahbar: Daigneault on if Horford will rest on every back to back: “Remains to be seen but we’ve had success (with Gallinari). It’s certainly not us dictating to Al, we’ve had conversations with him. We’re going to have him on a plan this year to have him play at a high level all season.”
Joe Mussatto: Al Horford (rest) is listed as out tonight against the Magic. Ty Jerome (left ankle sprain) is also out. George Hill (neck spasms) is questionable.
Rod Beard: #Pistons injury report for Monday at #Hawks: OUT: Blake Griffin (left knee injury management) Derrick Rose (rest) QUESTIONABLE: Jahlil Okafor (right ankle sprain) PROBABLE: Sekou Doumbouya (right foot soreness) #DFS
Malika Andrews: The Nets will decide tomorrow morning if Kevin Durant will play in this back-to-back, Steve Nash says. The Nets face the Hornets tonight and the Grizzles tomorrow.
Jovan Buha: Vogel says the Lakers will approach every back-to-back assuming LeBron James and Anthony Davis are going to play, but they will evaluate each one on a case-by-case basis.
Quinton Mayo: Russell Westbrook WON’T play tonight (rest) Wizards announce.
Alex Schiffer: Durant said he's going to talk to Nash and the training staff about the Nets upcoming back-to-back. Wants to play as much as he can, including Sunday, but wants to do what's best.
Ava Wallace: Scott Brooks said the team is still deciding how to handle Russell Westbrook and Davis Bertans' minutes with a back-to-back this weekend. Brooks has said Westbrook won't play back-to-backs. Bertans' minutes will "slowly increase."
“Obviously, every game matters, but we’re competing for something that’s [bigger]. We don’t ever want to shortchange our stuff,” James said before the season. “For me personally, that’s a fine line with me, but understanding that it’s a shortened season. … The offseason is going to be the shortest season for any professional sport ever. We’re very conscientious about what we’re going to do going forward as far as me personally.”
But with a compressed schedule and the disrupted rhythm of a typical NBA offseason, rest will likely be more rampant. Lakers coach Frank Vogel said his plans for James to rest are “definitely fluid.” “There will be conversations between the coaching staff, the front office, the medical team and LeBron,” Vogel said. “Just sort of on a day-to-day basis, see how he’s feeling and we’ll see how that plays out.”
Dave McMenamin: The Lakers will not play LeBron James and Anthony Davis in their second preseason game against the Clippers today, a source tells ESPN.
A new study on NBA teams in the bubble has examined the effect of travel-related sleep issues and sports performance. The study revealed there’s truth to the idea behind “home court advantage,” according to a press release on the study: It found travel-related sleep issues like jetlag can mess with players’ accuracy and performance.
Researchers found the NBA teams that didn’t travel had improved shooting accuracy and better rebounds compared to before the pandemic. In other words, home court advantage — the idea that a sports team performs better when they play on their own court or field, rather than having to travel to the opposing team’s city — is real.
