One of the best things about the playoffs so far has been the night-after-night aspect of them. There has only been one night since April 19th that there hasn't been a game played. And there will be a game every night until June 2nd, if the two conference finals go the full seven.
This was no big deal earlier in the post-season when there were 16 and then eight teams going. But now there only four teams alive and they'll be going every other night until someone gets eliminated.
NBA players are accustomed to that pace; after all, they play 82 games in 170 or so nights during the regular season.
But for a team like the Celtics and a lesser extent the Spurs, the pace is pretty unrelenting. By getting extended to seven games in their first two series the Celtics played their 16th game in the last 32 days last night.
And because these are playoff games the competition – obviously – is tighter, the games more physical. The rotations are tighter so Boston's so-called Big Three are all playing more minutes than in the regular season, though only Garnett has taken a real jump – from 33 to 38 minutes a night.
And though last night's game was thoroughly entertaining with each team making shots down the stretch, you have to wonder if some of the Celtics breakdowns on the defensive end were at least partially attributable to fatigue.
At first glance it seems unlikely: these are elite athletes in their primes, after all.
But we're not talking lay-on-your-back-and-pass-out tired. We're talking just a few differences in degree; the difference between feeling great and feeling okay, even if the passion of the play offs does give you an extra boost.
The Pistons had a full week off and were understandably rusty in Game 1. You could guess they might find their legs in Game 2 and they did. If I had to make a prediction it would be that they will only get stronger as the series goes on. You see that in the regular season. Most teams best stretches come during parts of the season when they get an extra day off or two to get fresh and then, with some strong legs, they play great, build some confidence and ride the wave.
Elite athletes are like thoroughbreds: ultimately they just want to run and left to their own they'll often run themselves into the ground. But when the proper amount of rest is measure out they gain strength rather than wear down.
Right now the Celtics are probably hanging more than they want to admit, and a 48-hour turnaround before Game 3 in Auburn Hills will allow them to feel okay, but will they feel great? Legs twitching with energy? Perfectly poised to play the most important game of their season?
I'd be surprised, and I bet the Pistons will just be starting to feel themselves after their layoff. I wouldn't be shocked if Detroit blew Boston out in Game 3.
And what about out West? The Lakers had that extra couple of days rest having dispatched Utah in six, while the Spurs were pushed to the limit by the Hornets. Then there was the airplane debacle, where they had to spend the night on the runway rather than flying directly to LA and a nice hotel.
Meanwhile the Lakers were rested and comfortable at home. Even Phil Jackson thought that the Spurs 20-point second-half meltdown was influenced by fatigue.
And it's not just falling short in terms of energy and focus. The Spurs tough schedule – they're now at the end of a six-day road trip – also means injuries continue to nag and linger rather than heal. That seems to be the case regarding Manu Ginobili and his sore ankle according to Johnny Ludden's column on Yahoo Sports the other day:
Ginobili jammed his left ankle in the opening game of the playoffs against the Phoenix Suns, and he hasn't been the same since. Compensating for the injury also stressed his groin, but the sore ankle is what has lingered the most. Ginobili still has played brilliantly at times in these playoffs, scoring 29 and 31 points in separate games against the Suns and New Orleans Hornets. But each of those performances was preceded by two days of rest. Given only one day off between games, he's averaging 14.4 points while shooting worse than 38 percent.
The problem for the Spurs: Every game in these West finals is separated by just one off day.
So it looks like Lakers-Pistons for your NBA Finals. May the rest(ed) team win.
