Steve Kerr says faster NBA tempo, tight schedule fueling injury spike
kerr-says-nba-pace-schedule-raising-injury-risk
ORLANDO, Fla. — Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said Tuesday he is “very concerned” that the league’s accelerating style of play, combined with a compressed 82-game calendar, is contributing to a rise in soft-tissue injuries.
The warning came two days after Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo sustained a groin strain. Earlier Tuesday, the San Antonio Spurs announced center Victor Wembanyama has a left calf strain and rookie guard Stephon Castle is sidelined by a hip flexor strain.
Five other players — Anthony Davis, Ty Jerome, Dylan Harper, Ja Morant and Jrue Holiday — are also out with calf strains, bringing the total to eight recent soft-tissue injuries highlighted by Kerr.
“[The Warriors’ medical staff] believes that the wear and tear, the speed, the pace, the mileage is factoring into these injuries,” Kerr said before Tuesday night’s game against the Orlando Magic.
Data from ESPN Research shows the league is operating at its fastest average pace since the 1988-89 season. Kerr said offenses now depend on beating defenses down the floor and stretching them to the 25-foot mark because “everybody can shoot 3s,” forcing players to “run faster and further” while games come “basically every other night.”
Kerr, a longtime advocate for trimming the schedule to 72 games or fewer, noted that the Warriors have not held a single practice during their current six-game trip. The club is playing its fifth back-to-back in the season’s first month, facing Orlando on Tuesday and Miami on Wednesday. By the end of the Heat game, Golden State will have logged a league-high 17 games in 29 days across 12 cities.
While Kerr favors fewer games to create “extra rest and practice time,” he acknowledged the financial barriers. “All the constituents would have to agree to take less revenue,” he said, adding that such a move is unlikely in 2025 America.
Source: ESPN
