The toll of the olympics

[TrueTorontoFan]

Just wondering what your guys thoughts were on the positives and negatives of having 3 players play on the olympic team. Do you think it really helped them to become better players or did it cause to much of a toll on their bodies. Kyle Lowry, Demar, corey, and Jonas.

[rocwell]

Is Jonas playing for Lithuania this year?

He should focus on his career.

[Rudy Bargnani]

Nice idea for a thread.

In our case I view it as a negative.

Lowry needs rest. ( needed rest)

Corey Jo needs to work on his 3.

JV should be married to a skipping rope working on his foot speed all summer.

[slaw]

I think it absolutely has a negative physical impact when you're playing ~ 90-100 games in the NBA and then going straight to national team stuff and then having offseason workouts and right back into training camp. Raps played 102 games last year. They played 92 playoff games this year. Start to think about those numbers over a two year span.

There's a reason why it's so hard to repeat as champs in sports: the extra games take a massive toll on players' bodies and minds. Add in a bunch of games and practices in the summer and it has to stress the body and mind.

[SkywalkerAC]

Maybe Kyle should have gotten that wrist surgery instead...

[TrueTorontoFan]

What about the positives though. Do you think that continuing to play at a high level such as at the olympics ended up having some benefits?


I think Demar will get a well deserved break and come back refreshed and still be in shape. This time though he won't have to be playing in the olympics right from the get go. I think it helps Kyle as well.

[JamesNaismith]

Sorry but its a lame excuse.

Kyle has been broken down for several years in a row...when do the Philly Cheesesteak joints finally get some blame?!

The rest of the team was just fine.

[JamesNaismith]

FYI Klay, Draymond and Durant all played in those same Olympics.

[Hotshot]

Team U.S is still a cut above all teams, so Kyle and DD didn't play heavy minutes and get to practice against the best players in the world so its a positive.

Jonas and Joseph are still young so even if they log on heavy minutes in a span of 2-3 weeks in the summer, they have enough time to rest as well as work on their game in the highest level of competition you can get outside the NBA which is positive.

Someone like Ibaka however isn't going to get better at his age, is in his prime but not really consider young and because he has a big body and would be logging on heavy minutes with team Spain, I would prefer someone like him not to be playing.

[TrueTorontoFan]

Team U.S is still a cut above all teams, so Kyle and DD didn't play heavy minutes and get to practice against the best players in the world so its a positive.

Jonas and Joseph are still young so even if they log on heavy minutes in a span of 2-3 weeks in the summer, they have enough time to rest as well as work on their game in the highest level of competition you can get outside the NBA which is positive.

Someone like Ibaka however isn't going to get better at his age, is in his prime but not really consider young and because he has a big body and would be logging on heavy minutes with team Spain, I would prefer someone like him not to be playing.

The travel?

[psrs1]

Nice idea for a thread.

In our case I view it as a negative.

Lowry needs rest. ( needed rest)

Corey Jo needs to work on his 3.

JV should be married to a skipping rope working on his foot speed all summer.

All good points but not likely to happen.

[psrs1]

Sorry but its a lame excuse.

Kyle has been broken down for several years in a row...when do the Philly Cheesesteak joints finally get some blame?!

The rest of the team was just fine.

And should we really invest 30 million per year in him? IMO no way. Huge mistake. He's good but we will be hamstrung. Just ask DanH.

[TrueTorontoFan]

FYI Klay, Draymond and Durant all played in those same Olympics.

yeah but durant was injured again this year.also they have 4 allstars so that always helps

[DanH]

And should we really invest 30 million per year in him? IMO no way. Huge mistake. He's good but we will be hamstrung. Just ask DanH.

We'll definitely be hamstrung.

We should also definitely invest 30 million per year in him, if we have any designs on competing for the playoffs, not the number one pick.

[S.R.]

OP - some guys yes, some guys no. For DeMar or Lebron, these guys are high usage machines who so rarely look tired or physically wear down and become injury prone, while in their primes I think they can handle it. For a guy like Lowry, with a track record of wearing down, a really physical playing style as a small player, and a body he has to fight with a bit to keep in peak shape, he should be pacing himself more.