NBA pushing '82-game' mindset to players ahead of regular season - ESPN

Joe Dumars — the league's executive vice president and head of basketball operations — said the NBA has communicated to its players and teams that «we are really emphasizing that this is an 82-game season» and that the league has data that shows player rest doesn't necessarily translate to players being healthier.

«I think it was a given conclusion that the data showed that you had to rest players a certain amount and that justified guy sitting out,» said Dumars. «We've gotten more data, and it just doesn't show that resting, sitting guys out correlates with lack of injuries or, or fatigue or anything like that.

»What it does show is guys may be not as efficient on the second night of a back to back. But in terms of injury and things like that, that we thought that it did prior, as we got more data, we realized that's not really holding up."

Dumars' comments come as the NBA is trying to increase participation among its top players heading into this season, and as the league is beginning the process of negotiating its new national broadcast rights deal, with the current one set to expire after the 2024-25 campaign.

The NBA's new «player participation policy,» which ties players winning the league's top individual awards — including winning MVP — to playing at least 65 games, includes a fine system for teams that intentionally rest players without any injury issues. The new policy stems from an ongoing trend over the past several years where teams have placed a greater emphasis on resting players in an attempt to avoid injuries, particularly when it comes to playing games on back-to-back nights.

Last year there were several instances, including the last two NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets,