Top 100 Minutes Played Chart

[Captivus]

I put this little chart together to see if my intuition was correct, and it was.
Only including Top 100 players in MP.
For example, Atlanta has 5 players that average 33 minutes (average between those 5, not each of them).

Team	MP	Players	Avg.
ATL	165	5	33
MIN	170	5	34
PHI	172	5	34
POR	173	5	35
WAS	177	5	35
CHI	128	4	32
DAL	133	4	33
DET	141	4	35
GSW	134	4	34
HOU	148	4	37
IND	129	4	32
LAC	140	4	35
NYK	138	4	35
PHO	130	4	32
TOR	137	4	34
BOS	92	3	31
BRK	93	3	31
CHA	98	3	33
CLE	104	3	35
MIL	96	3	32
NOP	98	3	33
OKC	105	3	35
ORL	103	3	34
UTA	105	3	35
MEM	68	2	34	Gasol, Conley
MIA	69	2	35	James, Wade
DEN	37	1	37	Lawson
LAL	32	1	32	Blake
SAC	31	1	31	Cousins
SAS	32	1	32	Parker
Totals		100

• Except WAS, the other 4 teams leading the list are currently in the POs. Coincidence? That has to catch up eventually.
• Houston has the highest value in minutes, with 37 between 4 players, all of them, are actually Top 50 in MP!
• SAS and MIA are the only contenders with 2 or less players in the Top 100. Coincidence?
• What is WAS doing? Is their bench so bad? Why not try some players? Why not be as SAC, at least they are giving other players a chance to show themselves, and who knows, maybe they even find a new starter.

There are many things to say about this chart, but I don't want to start over-analyzing every team.

[freetiago]

Its amazing what Popovich has done to everyones brain in here
they legitimately believe playing 5 more minutes from 30 minutes to 35 minutes will put someone in a wheelchair by the end of the season
these are professional athletes and 35 minutes isn't even a lot
and you have to consider these are 2 hr 30 minute games with multiple timeouts, tv breaks, half time etc so theyre not playing 35 minutes straight

Miami plays its best 2 players the highest minutes
the rest of their roleplayers are interchangable and like 35+ years old

Leonard should easily be playing 35+ minutes a night

[smaka]

I agree about Kawhi, he should be playing more than 28 mpg.

[Chomag]

28 minutes average per game is baffling I have no idea why Kawhi is playing such low minutes. He is in his very early 20's and what is best for a young player is floor time minutes.

I guess pop is so used to playing old washed up vets that he forgot how to manage a younger player

[Juggity]

28 minutes average per game is baffling I have no idea why Kawhi is playing such low minutes. He is in his very early 20's and what is best for a young player is floor time minutes.

I guess pop is so used to playing old washed up vets that he forgot how to manage a younger player

Kawhi has an injury history from last year (knees, I believe). Considering he's absolutely crucial to the spurs' success (no real backup SF), him sustaining an injury form being overplayed would be catastrophic.

[ChumpDumper]

Yeah, if we played Kawhi more we'd have the best record in the league right now.

[james evans]

Its amazing what Popovich has done to everyones brain in here
they legitimately believe playing 5 more minutes from 30 minutes to 35 minutes will put someone in a wheelchair by the end of the season
these are professional athletes and 35 minutes isn't even a lot
and you have to consider these are 2 hr 30 minute games with multiple timeouts, tv breaks, half time etc so theyre not playing 35 minutes straight

Miami plays its best 2 players the highest minutes
the rest of their roleplayers are interchangable and like 35+ years old

Leonard should easily be playing 35+ minutes a night

man u can't believe how many people I have this conversation with. not to beat a dead horse, but I was pissed at game 6 and popobich resting the starters in the 4th quarter. I asked over and over again, "what the fuk are they resting for?". people kept saying, "they were tired". tired from what though? it's a 48 minute game that lasts about 2 and a half hours. u hae 14 timeouts per half(7 per team), freethrows, , ridiculous amout of minutes for break in half time, tv timeouts, and ball stops like turnovers. there is no reason for a professional basketball player to get "tired' if you're not playing Loyola Marymount paul westhead basketball. there are too many breaks in the action and u are not running at full speed for 48 minutes straight. i'm not comparing myself to an nba player because that i'm not, but my team had a league game last year in which we made it to the finals. now only 5 players showed up for the final 2 games. we won the first which put us in the championship game IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING. this was a 40 minute game with not halftime show, not a lot of freethrows(if any), and the other team had about 14 players that they were subbing on the regular. we won the first game and lost the 2nd because we all were catching cramps in our legs. we played 80 minutes straight and I wasn't tired, just cramping like crazy. tim Duncan is a little bit older than I am. there is no excuse for a guy like leonard or our other younger players not to be playing a lot of minutes with all of the breaks they are given.. I understand they practice daily too and need breaks sometimes, but during a game, that limiting the minutes I will never fully understand....

[CitizenDwayne]

While 28 minutes is a little low, I can't complain until his lack of minutes causes us a game.

Like one where, I don't know, the opposing SF goes off for a triple double. Something like that.

[TrainOfThought5]

Yeah, if we played Kawhi more we'd have the best record in the league right now.

yeah youre totally righ -- AAAH i see what you did there!!

[exstatic]

Kawhi suffers from quad tendonitis, also known as "Jumper's Knee". It's a condition that can become chronic. Best to ease into the season.

[anakha]

long term thinking, the players. i want wins.

[cd021]

10 games in. Mediocre compe ion, new rotation players 72 games remaining. Leonard and Parker will get more minutes as the season goes on.

[james evans]

8 more minutes a game is not gonna end anyone's career anytime soon. i'm sure u agreed with popovich resting the starters in the 4th quarter of game 6 as well. i mean, we couldn't have them tired for the parade right?

[Raven]

Kawhi and green should be playing 40 minutes per game.

[anakha]

8 more minutes a game is not gonna end anyone's career anytime soon. i'm sure u agreed with popovich resting the starters in the 4th quarter of game 6 as well. i mean, we couldn't have them tired for the parade right?

1) at you assuming I'm in favor of any and all coaching decisions.

2) 8 minutes a game, over 82 games of the regular season, plus another 20+ games (hopefully) in the playoffs, over a number of seasons, playing at the HIGHEST ING LEVEL of the sport against the best the sport has to offer. And that doesn't even include practices (full-contact or otherwise) or playing in international compe ions in the offseason.

at you comparing that to playing 80 minutes once one night.

3) at you repeating the same thing over and over like a parrot, hoping you'll actually get someone to buy what you're selling.

[hater]

we deep as rite now. thus the minutes. wake up

[Man In Black]

Kawhi suffers from quad tendonitis, also known as "Jumper's Knee". It's a condition that can become chronic. Best to ease into the season.

It's actually... Suffered. He's 100% and has been since he left San Diego.

[anakha]

It's actually... Suffered. He's 100% and has been since he left San Diego.

Maybe my memory's failing me, but didn't he have some minor knee issues this past season?

[boutons_deux]

"That has to catch up eventually."

didn't "catch up" to James and Wade last season. Wade has been injury prone his entire career so it's not the long minutes in MIA that hurt him.

and yes, not having the starters or the closing 5 play all the CHAMPIONSHIP '13 Game 6 is on POP. resting them up for OT?

WTF? playing all of the 4th qtr of the biggest game of the season is why you rest them all season.

[jsandiego]

we deep as rite now. thus the minutes. wake up

This tbh. We have to get the new guys integrated, and we have, while keeping the best record in the league, and the 2nd best defense. I have a feeling by the end of the year, Kahwi will be playing more minutes.

[BillMc]

Maybe my memory's failing me, but didn't he have some minor knee issues this past season?

You're right. He missed a string of games with it.

[Bartleby]

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...- le-chances

[hater]

Yeah, if we played Kawhi more we'd have the best record in the league right now.

80 thousand posts and finally 1 decent take

It's beyond me why ppl complaining about Kawhi's #s. I'm sure he'll be playing 40 mins when it matters in the playoffs.

[DesignatedT]

Lol complaining about minutes played 10 games into the season with a 9-1 record. Think about it. You think Kawhi is going to be playing 28 minutes a game down the stretch and in the playoffs? Who cares how many minutes he plays during game 5 vs the in wizards. Use your brain.

[DesignatedT]

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...- le-chances

Just all over this thread.