Kings resistant to load management trend because ‘every day matters’ in NBA playoff race

Perhaps no team throughout this NBA season has been as healthy as the Sacramento Kings.

That is due to good health, yes, but also their unwillingness to participate in the “load management” trend that’s become prominent in the league in recent years.

Sacramento as of Thursday ranked first the NBA with just 51 games missed by players dealing with injuries or health protocols, according to tracking site ManGamesLost.com. The next closest were the New York Knicks at 76. Head coach Mike Brown has credited the team’s performance staff, led by director of athlete health Jas Randawa.

“They’ve been great the entire year. Our guys have, too, because they trust them and go to them and do a lot of maintenance with their bodies,” Brown said. “But our performance guys, they have a lot of input in terms of load management.”

Ask Domantas Sabonis about the idea of load management and he’ll look at you sideways.

“Sitting out for no reason, it just feels weird,” he said. “Even when you’re hurt, it’s a weird feeling being on the bench.”

Sabonis doesn’t take nights off when he doesn’t have to. Sacramento’s All-Star center has missed two games all season, one Dec. 27 after suffering an avulsion fracture to his right non-shooting thumb, and another Jan. 18 when he was under the weather. His thumb injury may eventually require surgery, but he won’t consider it until the season is over.

Instead, he plays through it on a nightly basis, hoping a small wrap and splint will prevent the injury from getting worse. He has a playoff chase to worry about in the meantime.

“We need to win games,” Sabonis said. “We need to put ourselves in the best position for playoffs. If I miss a game and we lose, I’ll never forgive myself.”

However, the Kings’ injury situation could get a little more complicated with starting guard Kevin Huerter dealing with a right popliteus injury suffered in the first quarter of Thursday’s win over the Brooklyn Nets. An MRI on Friday revealed no significant structural damage, but Huerter was ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Washington Wizards.

Load management is a hot topic in the NBA. Team performance staffs are tasked with getting the most out of players over a seven-month regular season, which lasts two months longer for teams that reach the NBA Finals. That means finding the balance between winning games and resting players to make sure they are fresh for the most important moments.

Blowback comes from fans who spend money to see visiting players who might only visit cities once or twice a season. It also doesn’t reflect well on the league when players miss high-profile games on national television broadcasts.