Monroe: Can practice schedule make Spurs dream team?

[Blackjack]

Can practice schedule make Spurs dream team? (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Can_practice_schedule_make_Spurs_dream_team.html)
By Mike Monroe - Express-News


To sleep, perchance to dream; ay, there’s the rub — Hamlet

You need sleep. Sleep means recovery, mental and physical; your body rejuvenates — Popovich

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich announced to his team after its final preseason game that he was implementing a new practice schedule. Until further notice, he told his players, practices would begin at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, rather than 10 or 11 in the morning.

That very night, All-Star guard Manu Ginobili did something he hadn’t done in years: sleep for 12 hours straight, uninterrupted.

“I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “Even the days we have off, I usually wake up at 8 or 9. That day, it just happened. That first day was great. I felt really good, and my legs were fresh.”

If sleeping in is what it takes for Ginobili to return to being the player who energizes the Spurs after a 2008-09 season in which he battled injuries and fatigue, you can be sure Popovich is going to give his new practice regimen a long chance to prove the scientific research that prompted his decision.

The study, authored by Cheri Mah, of the Stanford University Sleep Disorders Clinic, revealed that better-rested athletes, including some members of the Stanford men’s basketball team, made significant improvements in observed athletic performance.

For example, the six Stanford basketball players who participated in the study all saw their free throw shooting improve after switching to a sleep pattern that was more consistent and included more sleep than they previously had gotten.

That, in and of itself, may have been enough for Popovich to give the new practice schedule a try. But when the Stanford study was presented at the annual convention of the Association of Professional Sleep Societies, there was empirical evidence.

“This study ... showed that obtaining extra sleep was associated with improvements in indicators of athletic performance and mood among members of the (Stanford) men’s basketball team,” the report read.

With one of the NBA’s oldest rosters each of the past five seasons, Popovich has been acutely aware of the need to lighten the physical toll on his players. Two seasons ago, he scrapped the game-day morning shootaround, a practice implemented in the 1960s by Lakers coach Bill Sharman.

Other NBA coaches were envious of Popovich’s willingness to fly in the face of coaching convention.

“When I’ve got four (championship) banners hanging from the ceiling in our arena, I’ll stop having shootarounds, too,” Hornets coach Byron Scott joked.

In fact, a number of other teams have begun to skip morning shootarounds, too, including the Celtics. Their coach, Doc Rivers, added his first championship banner to the Celtics’ collection in 2007.

Now, Popovich is taking another step in the direction of rest and recovery.

“We’ve been thinking for several years now: How can we maximize their rest and recovery?” Popovich said. “The shootarounds were the beginning. The next step was actually giving them more time to get more sleep.

“You need sleep. Sleep means recovery, mental and physical. Your body rejuvenates. So we felt getting out of the morning practices was important.”

Popovich was thrilled when Ginobili revealed his long night’s journey into the next day.

“He couldn’t remember the last time he did that, and that recovery for the body, with the job they have, is more important than a shootaround that is not going to make them a better team,” Popovich said.

Adjusting to the new schedule hasn’t been easy for all Spurs players.

“That’s my rest time,” new Spurs forward Antonio McDyess said. “My body seems to shut down about 4 in the afternoon.”

McDyess said he was confident he could adjust to the schedule, particularly since he has no choice.

“I’m sure there are some guys who love it and some who don’t,” Popovich said. “It’s different for all of us. You change when you do things. You have to change what’s going on at home, and what’s going on in the office, but if it will benefit the basketball team without causing misery to people and their families, then that’s what will be done.”

For Ginobili and Tony Parker, who played professionally in Europe before joining the Spurs, the change is a return to routine.

“In Europe, that’s what we do — practice in the afternoons. So for me, that’s not a change,” Parker said. “In the morning, it’s nice to sleep. Sometimes you come in after a game, and you’re stiff and sore, so you sleep in the next morning, and your body gets warm.”

Ginobili said he had forgotten how much he had enjoyed late practices when he played overseas.

“For me, it’s good, because I’m not a great sleeper. Sometimes, I go to bed late, especially after our games, so it’s good to have a couple more hours.”

Team captain Tim Duncan, who has two young children, understands both the scientific underpinnings of the change and its potential to help the Spurs win. For now, he has given the new schedule a thumbs-up.

“It’s great to get your rest,” he said. “It’s a little different. I understand what Pop is trying to do, trying to get a little closer to game time where our bodies are reacting the same way they would on a game day. It makes sense.

“It’s obviously a big change, and we’ll have to get used to it. But so far, so good.”

[thispego]

bad ass

[silverblackfan]

I love that they are never satisfied. Hopefully this will improve the shooting as the season goes on.

[polandprzem]

Too me it was like slap in a face again about professionals

They figure it out that sleep is good thing for human body?


:shootme

[ploto]

I can assure you that any players with school-aged kids are already getting up in the morning and that they miss the fact that they could get their kids from school and have time with them.

[Obstructed_View]

I can assure you that any players with school-aged kids are already getting up in the morning and that they miss the fact that they could get their kids from school and have time with them.

Poor millionaires. :cry

[Mel_13]

I can assure you that any players with school-aged kids are already getting up in the morning and that they miss the fact that they could get their kids from school and have time with them.

:lol

Never miss a chance to take a shot. This one is kinda silly. Take a look at the roster. This might affect 3-4 players in the way you suggest. Duncan, Manu, TP, Jefferson, Hill, Bonner, Blair, Mahinmi, Hairston, and Mason are not.

[mudyez]

I love the way the spurs are always the ones going forward, experimenting, not beeing shy of trying something new.

[Brazil]

Too me it was like slap in a face again about professionals

They figure it out that sleep is good thing for human body?


:shootme

Don't be sarcastic. They have made a serious study of 10 years, analyzing a sample of athletes, they created a mathematic model to compare curves, they have made blood sample tests, they have implemented cameras to study how guys were sleeping.... and you you sum up all this hard work with a "sleep is good thing for human body"... pffff

[urunobili]

Ain't get no better than this :tu

[Danny.Zhu]

I was told sleeping more than 8 hours a day could be harmful...

[polandprzem]

Brazil :D



:tu

[ElNono]

I was told sleeping more than 8 hours a day could be harmful...

Was that your boss?

[Danny.Zhu]

Was that your boss?

Correct.

But I just searched on Google and found this, maybe there're some merits in it.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/7333.php

[Riverwalkman]

I was told sleeping more than 8 hours a day could be harmful...
Who told you that? Oh yes sleeping through breakfast time is certainly bad for your stomach.:lol

[101A]

by Lakers coach Bill Sharman

Brush with greatness (he was one of the 50 greatest, I believe):

My wife and I, in 2006 - went through his house; were thinking about buying it - had no idea it was anything until we went into the basement; on the wall, in succession - signed jerseys: Magic, Bird, Kareem, Oscar - tipped me off; then the letter on the wall personalized and signed by Red A. sealed the deal.

We had kids, however, and the yard was too small.

As for the sleep deal; sounds logical, every edge can help.

[Samr]

Sleeping for more than 8 hours a day could very well be harmful, if you aren't an elite athlete.

After my brain surgery a few years ago, I felt a consistent, noted decrease in my health when I got more than about 9-10 hours of sleep. But, I was also stagnant for the part of the day when I was awake. I'm sure even your daily routine doesn't count as "activity."

But if you are going hard like these guys are going, sprinting miles on the court on game day and taxing their bodies with workouts on the off-days, I have a hard time seeing too much sleep being a bad thing.

I wouldn't be surprised if I did see noted improvements in the Spurs this year, and that sleep was a reason why. I just hope they are documenting this "experiment" for researchers later. It's a fantastic test..... I mean, why not?

[I. Hustle]

http://skew.dailyskew.com/uploaded_images/ric-flair-woooo-779108.jpg

[SpurNation]

After being physically active myself for 30 + years and having kids that have been in athletics...I didn't need scientific research to let me know how important giving your body proper rest would mean.

It makes all the difference in the world when it comes to performance.

Good for the team. Good that they are implementing it. It will make a significant positive impact. Especially for the older players.

[Whisky Dog]

I had always wondered why they practiced in the morning not because of sleep or rest but because of mental and physical memory. To me you play the majority of games and almost all playoff games in the evening so why would you get your mind and body used to morning work when you never play in the morning? The later the practice time the better suited they'll be for their games.

[TDMVPDPOY]

I had always wondered why they practiced in the morning not because of sleep or rest but because of mental and physical memory. To me you play the majority of games and almost all playoff games in the evening so why would you get your mind and body used to morning work when you never play in the morning? The later the practice time the better suited they'll be for their games.

iverson what for?

[Samr]

^^^ Good point Whisky Dog

When you walk into an elevator, which way to you look? At the door. Because that's the way you've always done it.

When you put on your belt, which side the buckle? The side it's always been on.

The standard distance between rails on the railroad is 4' 8.5". Sounds like a weird number. And it's not scientific, either (in fact, trains would be more stable if the gauge was wider). Why isn't it 5 feet, or even 6? Because when people from England built our railroads way back when, "that was the way they always did it" in England.

Whisky Dog above me makes a great point, and the Stanford researchers did too. Pop did away with morning shootarounds, even though "that was the way they always did it." And coaches got jealous. Why? Because sometimes "the way we always did it" is wrong.

Pop is incredibly smart. But one of his more valuable attributes is that he isn't just a basketball mind. He thinks independently, and rationally, and when evidence presents itself that goes contrary to "the way we always did it," Pop isn't afraid to buck conventional thinking.


Good read. I'm always fascinated by these kinds of articles. I really hope it works... except I'm afraid that if we win, people might try to put an asterisk by this season's championship as well.

*denotes the way we haven't tried it





(kidding, that last part)

[Agloco]

I'm callin BS....

Methinks Pop just wants time to recover from his late night forays into his wine cellar. You just know he's got one of these puppies at his house or just outside the AT&T center........ :hat

http://www.luxurylaunches.com/entry_images/0109/23/Spiral_Wine_Cellars_6.jpghttp://www.luxurylaunches.com/entry_images/0109/23/Spiral_Wine_Cellars_5.jpg

http://www.luxurylaunches.com/entry_images/0109/23/Spiral_Wine_Cellars_3.jpghttp://www.luxurylaunches.com/entry_images/0109/23/Spiral_Wine_Cellars_4.jpg

AT&T Center officials should be on the lookout for hollow sounding floors, or any other suspicious looking barriers.

[Samr]

I'm callin BS....

Methinks Pop just wants time to recover from his late night forays into his wine cellar. You just know he's got one of these puppies at his house or just outside the AT&T center........ :hat



I have second-hand knowledge that his cellar is actually extremely extensive. Though I'd much rather go for the "cool" factor of one of the puppies you showed above.

[temujin]

The change makes a lot of sense.

Now, the next thing I would definitely change is the habit to take a flight after a game, go to sleep in another city at 2 or 3 AM and expect to be fresh the next morning.
Unimaginable.

See the Chicago game, where the whole team was lethargic.

Go back home, or in a hotel if you are on the road, and take a flight the very next morning.
Fresh and well rested.

[temujin]

I had always wondered why they practiced in the morning not because of sleep or rest but because of mental and physical memory. To me you play the majority of games and almost all playoff games in the evening so why would you get your mind and body used to morning work when you never play in the morning? The later the practice time the better suited they'll be for their games.

Totally agree.

Actually, 4PM is still early.

[hater]

hahahaha "dream" team now I get it... :pctoss

[TheSullyMonster]

“When I’ve got four (championship) banners hanging from the ceiling in our arena, I’ll stop having shootarounds, too,” Hornets coach Byron Scott joked.

Does give you a bit of leeway.

[wildbill2u]

One more reason why Pop is so good at coaching. How many coaches would read or be interested in a scientific study in a medical journal? He is always trying something new that will give his team an edge.

[HarlemHeat37]

Now all we need is for a study to come out that explains how limiting Michael Finley's minutes leads to success..

[nkdlunch]

One more reason why Pop is so good at coaching. How many coaches would read or be interested in a scientific study in a medical journal? He is always trying something new that will give his team an edge.

Acutallly looks like Doc Rivers and Macmillan thought it up first....

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/10/24/bedtime_story_was_court_order/

Bedtime story was court order

Celtics have scheduled more sleep into routine
By Frank Dell’Apa

Kevin Garnett is more concerned with synchronizing the Celtics’ defensive switches than having their Circadian rhythms analyzed. Garnett is accustomed to rising early and arriving at practice midmorning, even if a game the night before resulted in only a few hours of sleep.

But the Celtics have changed that schedule. No more morning shootarounds on game days, practices starting at noon.

Sleeping in is in.

Coach Doc Rivers made the switch after weighing the advice of sleep medicine specialist Dr. Charles A. Czeisler of Harvard Medical School and Brigham & Women’s Hospital.

“Later practice is all right, whatever Doc wants, man,’’ Garnett said after practice yesterday afternoon. “Ain’t my cup of tea. I don’t sleep anyway. It’s good, you’ve got to find good in everything, if that means sleep till 8:30 or 9, so be it.’’

The NBA is a layup case study for sleep deprivation. Players burn the candle at both ends. They perform high-stress, physically demanding tasks late at night, then awaken in a different time zone to repeat the routine. They are penalized for a shot clock violation, but when a body clock alarm sounds, it is ignored.

“What we are trying to do is leverage the power of sleep,’’ said Czeisler, who pioneered sleep study in the 1970s. “As pro athletes, they spend so much time trying to practice and master the skills of the game - and sleep turns out to be a very critical part of the process. There is evidence that you can significantly improve free throw percentage and reaction speed if you optimize levels of sleep.’’

Czeisler started working with the Portland Trail Blazers and, briefly, with the Celtics last year. Both teams might have been skeptical at first.

“When I talked to the Celtics, it was the same thing that happened with the Trail Blazers,’’ Czeisler recalled. “The coach told me I had 10 minutes, and I ended up having 2 1/2 hours worth of questions. These guys know how important sleep is, because they know what happens when they don’t get adequate amounts of sleep. If your reaction time is 250 milliseconds, it goes up to 700 to 800 milliseconds if you stay awake all night - you are impaired as if you were drunk.

“If you’re traveling to Europe and going through customs, it’s not going to make much difference to you. But that can be critical if you are a professional player and you depend on timing.’’

Portland coach Nate McMillan was desperate to find an answer to his team’s difficulties on the road. Long trips to the Midwest and East Coast were particularly tough. The change in sleep schedule produced immediate results.

“It’s the low-hanging fruit,’’ Czeisler said. “Teams that take advantage of this can really enhance their play. It’s been shown in baseball. The Blazers took a few simple steps and they were performing on the road as well as they were at home.’’
Czeisler got the players’ attention when he told them 250,000 drivers in the United States fall asleep at the wheel every day.

“We are such a sleep-deprived society,’’ Czeisler said. “But the message is beginning to get through, that sleep is important for performance. If you are learning a move in basketball, perfecting a throw in football, practicing piano - if you get the proper sleep that night, you will be 20-30 percent better, even if you don’t practice it again. But it has to be the night immediately following the practice.

“It’s all about making sleep a priority. If you look at the Celtics’ schedule, they finish the game at 10 or 11. You can’t eat dinner, but you worked hard and you have to eat. You can’t possibly go to sleep right away. You have to wind down, have some dinner, and then, by the time you are home in bed, it’s the wee hours of the morning.

“There is no sense in having practice early that morning. If you didn’t get to bed until 3 a.m. and you wake up early, you can become chronically sleep-deprived. But, once you set sleep as a priority, it’s not that complicated how to do it right.’’

Czeisler’s suggestion was to make the morning hours “Celtic Time.’’ Instead of rushing into the HealthPoint gym, clashing with each other in workouts, the Celtics are rolling over and allowing adenosine to dissipate, cognitive functions to rejuvenate, protein synthesis to generate.

“I love it,’’ guard Eddie House said. “A lot of guys, we don’t go to sleep until late anyway, that’s how our bodies are conditioned. Later practices are perfect, we get more sleep, have more energy. We get our rest, no matter what time we go to sleep.

“They did studies, showed the numbers. They say you need eight hours, so if you get six and a two-hour nap - as long as you get eight hours in, it’s good, however you get it.

“We were getting four or five hours sleep. Now, I think everyone is energized, everyone comes to practice ready to go. You don’t have guys dragging because they are a little tired, no matter what they did the night before.’’

Said Rivers: “I think they’re fresh. I think we’ve had better practices, [but] it may be because we’re a better team than we were last year. I do like it, I think our guys love it. They weren’t 100 percent sold on it because they like getting it done early.’’

Asked if players initially resisted the change, Rivers replied: “Kevin, and Ray [Allen] is an early guy. But they both actually expressed that they liked it.’’

Allen is usually among the first players to arrive at practice.

“I can still get here early and still get more sleep,’’ Allen said. “You get home a little bit later, it delays that, but, for the most part, it’s not cramping your morning as much, where you really have to wake up at 7 and get breakfast. So, at least when we get here, everybody’s body is pretty awake, you’re not feeling groggy, and you don’t see that sleep in anybody’s eyes. I think it’s a good formula.

“I don’t think my wife likes it, because she has to take the boys to school in the morning. I know I don’t have to get up as early, so when I go to bed at night, I know I can sleep in a little bit. So, it doesn’t get to that point, where you get that feeling where you wish you had more sleep. And I’m home more with my son more than I would be otherwise. I do like being around the family more. It does take half the day off, but I think it’s working out.’’

Former NBA guard Tyronn Lue was hired as the Celtics’ director of basketball development . . . Brian Scalabrine (sprained ankle) did not practice and is questionable for Tuesday night’s season opener at Cleveland.

[Samr]

Now, the next thing I would definitely change is the habit to take a flight after a game, go to sleep in another city at 2 or 3 AM and expect to be fresh the next morning.


I thought this was part of the reason Pop did away with the morning shootarounds?

I imagine it'd be quite difficult to go to sleep immediately after a game, especially a close one, with all the endorphins and thoughts going through your head. It seems like it may just be easier for players to wind down on a flight and get sleep earlier that next day.

[DaBears]

I know when i get to much sleep i tend to get headaches.. But i am not professional so how knows................ Whatever improves our chances of wining im all for it....

[nkdlunch]

I agree too much sleep makes me slow and lazy too.

But I am also not a morning person. My perfect time to wake up is 9:30am after sleeping 6-8 hours.

[Blackjack]

Those Tired Old Innovators
by Timothy Varner


The Spurs are often cast in the role of league bore. Implicit to this claim is the frequently smuggled-in connotation that the Spurs represent an older school of basketball, that they’re a tiny band of staid traditionalist. One hears jokes, for example, about Gregg Popovich’s disapproval of the dunk shot or his controlling, deeply-repressed fears of modern-game athleticism.

The problem with all this–aside from the contrived and unimaginative nature of the claims themselves–is that these claims are a wild misconstrual of the actual situation in San Antonio..

- Read more (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/11/03/those-tired-old-innovators/) -

[boutons_deux]

back 2 back games are unnecessary and an abomination that cheats both the players out of rest and the fans out the best entertainment.

[Sobe_Kucks]

Now all we need is for a study to come out that explains how limiting Michael Finley's minutes leads to success..

+1 :rollin

[ploto]

I am willing to bet that most players will just start staying up later since they got up later. That is what seems to happen to most poeple who switch schedules.

[ploto]

Never miss a chance to take a shot.

I am just passing on the opinion of some NBA players who would not like it if their team made this change. The Spurs are not the only ones messing around with schedules. Most teams have considered these changes, but many players don't like the idea. Many NBA players are also used to taking a nap in the afternoon- they do it on game days all the time. This is going to take a while for their bodies to adjust, like McDyess said. He is a long time NBA vet and he has a routine, and this disrupts it and will require an adjustment.

[Manufan909]

back 2 back games are unnecessary and an abomination that cheats both the players out of rest and the fans out the best entertainment.

Indeed. Possibly the only thing I have ever agreed with ducks on is that the season is too long, and by playing conference teams 3x and the other conference 2x, the season will go from 82 games to 72 games. Hopefully, most, if not all of the b2bs will be erased. And the schedule computer program needs to be improved, so that there is no more than 2 days between games, 4 days is fucking ridiculous.

[Mel_13]

I am just passing on the opinion of some NBA players who would not like it if their team made this change. The Spurs are not the only ones messing around with schedules. Most teams have considered these changes, but many players don't like the idea. Many NBA players are also used to taking a nap in the afternoon- they do it on game days all the time. This is going to take a while for their bodies to adjust, like McDyess said. He is a long time NBA vet and he has a routine, and this disrupts it and will require an adjustment.

None of which you said earlier. You based your criticism on how it would affect players with school age children. Who is that on the Spurs?

[TDMVPDPOY]

pop needs to show them

CHLOROFORM

[temujin]

I thought this was part of the reason Pop did away with the morning shootarounds?

I imagine it'd be quite difficult to go to sleep immediately after a game, especially a close one, with all the endorphins and thoughts going through your head. It seems like it may just be easier for players to wind down on a flight and get sleep earlier that next day.

Most games are over by 10 PM.

You can be asleep two hours later, wake up at 8.30 and still get your 8 hours sleep.
If you catch a flight to Chicago at 10.30 PM, instead, you are probably falling asleep for an hour or so during the flight. Not a resting sleep, I guarantee you that. You won't be able to go to bed for good before 2 AM, even later.

Getting enough sleep is crucial but respecting the circadian rithms is also very important.

You can probably get away with that if you are young and it's the beginning of the season. As you are in your 30s, it gets difficult.

[Mr.Robinson]

I love the way the spurs are always the ones going forward, experimenting, not beeing shy of trying something new.

How? Bonner and Finley are still playing 28+ minutes a game.

[JWest596]

Naps are good

but not during the game.

[Hooks]

Does anyone know how long the practices are?

[ploto]

You based your criticism on how it would affect players with school age children. Who is that on the Spurs?

You do realize that the practice time effects a whole lot more than just the 15 players- right?

Several players and most of the coaches have school-aged kids- Bud, Brett, Don-- not to mention RC.

Practice at 4:00 PM pretty much keeps the dads from their elementary-aged kids after-school activities that they used to be fortunate to be able to attend when they were not having a game and were at home. It was a nice trade-off for all the days they are gone.

[Mel_13]

You do realize that the practice time effects a whole lot more than just the 15 players- right?

Several players and most of the coaches have school-aged kids- Bud, Brett, Don-- not to mention RC.

Practice at 4:00 PM pretty much keeps the dads from their elementary-aged kids after-school activities that they used to be fortunate to be able to attend when they were not having a game and were at home. It was a nice trade-off for all the days they are gone.

I responded to the words you used in your post. You mentioned players with school age children, nothing else.

[NRHector]

the spurs should play this song at home games, yes is from the 80's


VF5ADzXdIjE

[romsho]

This article says Coach Gregg Popovich implemented this policy of no more morning practices or shootarounds, only afternoon practice. My understanding is that this decision was made by Tim Duncan. Tim doesn't want morning practice, so they don't. Judging by the results thus far, I would hope Pop reconsiders...looks like this this team needs all the floor time together and practice it can get. Pop needs to shake this team the fuck up, and re-establish who is in charge. This team is playing like one that has tuned him out-and it starts with the Hall of Famer. Where is the sense of urgency?

[ploto]

Maybe it's time for game morning shoot-arounds to resume.

[Johnny RIngo]

I've been wondering about the way the practice schedule has affected the team. Doubt all of the Spurs problems can be attributed to this though.

[HarlemHeat37]

It seems unlikely that the problems are attributed to this, but it wouldn't hurt to go back to the old way..something needs to change on this team, even if it's something trivial like sleeping and practice regimens..

[Bukefal]

They should get out of their beds and start working their ass off!

[Jason R]

Of course all the troubles can't be attributed to this... and yet I haven't been able to shake thinking about this article for a while now.