As the Golden State Warriors fell to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night, 120-110, the loss came without the Bucks’ star Giannis Antetokounmpo in the lineup. While some might argue that the Warriors have dominated teams featuring players like Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry, the conversation around load management remains very much alive.
Recently, basketball legend Michael Jordan stated in an NBC interview that load management is unnecessary. However, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr offered a differing perspective. Acknowledging Jordan’s position, Kerr explained the unique challenges his team faces with veteran players such as Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and Al Horford.
“For us, four of our top guys are 35-39,” Kerr said, according to The Athletic. “We now have performance teams. When I played with the Bulls, we had one trainer and one weight coach. And now we have reams of data (from) our performance team, which is comprised of 10 people or so.”
He continued, “They’re advising me when our guys are more vulnerable to injury. I believe in this stuff. I believe in the science, and I believe in having players healthy for the playoffs. And if you can try to get there, and it means resting guys along the way, then I’m all for doing so because that’s what counts come playoff time.”
Kerr emphasized that while there isn’t exact data to predict every injury, there are identifiable patterns. “I do think that there are patterns that we can see, that the experts can see, that can help us navigate through the season.”
### Steve Kerr on the Demands of the 82-Game Schedule
Despite the loss to the Bucks, the Warriors have had a dominant start to the season. When asked about how defense is played in today’s NBA, Kerr highlighted how teams manage the grueling 82-game schedule, especially with constant travel.
“This will be our sixth game in 10 games in four cities. Next 10, I think eight of them are on the road. When all is said and done, of our first 15 games, I think they’ll come in 26 days in 10 different cities,” Kerr explained.
“To ask our players to sprint, either full-court pressure, either dealing with it or applying it, racing out to the 3-point line, covering 3-point shooters, and then playing at this tempo is dramatically different from what it was 20 years ago.”
### Looking Ahead
The Golden State Warriors currently hold a 4-2 record as they prepare to take on the Indiana Pacers this Saturday. With load management strategies in place and a demanding schedule ahead, Kerr and his team aim to stay healthy and competitive throughout the season, with an eye firmly set on the playoffs.
https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-steve-kerr-fires-back-michael-jordans-old-school-load-management-take
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