Karl Malone is unimpressed by NBA players who sit out to rest.
Malone made the comments in a week that saw two nationally televised games hindered as the San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors, and Cleveland Cavaliers all elected to rest several star regulars due to back-to-back scheduling. That excuse does not fly with Malone.
(1/2) HOF'er Karl Malone: "if you don't have at least 10 yrs experience, get your a** playing. It's not work, it's called playing. Besides..
— Sage Steele (@sagesteele) March 19, 2017
(2/2) "…tell our underpaid service members & police & first responders to rest. Dammit, they can't"
— Sage Steele (@sagesteele) March 19, 2017
NBA coaches have every right to rest and preserve their players as they see fit. Just because it isn’t called work doesn’t mean players don’t work hard and exert a lot of effort. The Warriors went for the single-season wins record last season instead of resting players, and while they got it, they appeared to wear down late in the NBA Finals, prompting some to suggest that perhaps it was a tactical error on Golden State’s part.
Other NBA coaches agree — the NBA needs to be smarter with its scheduling. Perhaps if the league did that, Malone wouldn’t have to complain.
