National Basketball Association

Lionel Hollins doesn't believe in resting players

Published Apr. 1, 2015 11:07 a.m. ET

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I'll take "Things Lionel Hollins Would Totally Believe" for $400, Alex.

The Nets coach has an old-school reputation, so file this tweet from Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News in the category of something we'd expect to hear from the man leading the team that currently holds the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Hollins spent the first half of the NBA season and more sporadically resting Kevin Garnett around back-to-backs, though that was a slightly different scenario. Even Hollins has admitted it was K.G. who was calling the shots in terms of when he would play and when he wouldn't.

Most people who know of Hollins' reputation probably wouldn't be too surprised to hear this. He's not regarded as the most progressive or stat-reliant guy, though he insists that rep is unwarranted and has cited times when he's gone to advanced numbers for help on multiple occasions.

As for rest, Hollins played in the '70s, back when guys would get onto the court regardless of how they were feeling. Of course, careers were shorter back then, and one injury could end your basketball life forever. But we'll ignore that for now.

Clearly, the Nets are in no position to rest anyone at the moment. Brooklyn may hold the eighth spot in the East but not by much. The lead is only a half game over the Celtics, 1.5 over the Pacers and two over the Hornets. The final playoff spot is anyone's for the taking. So, Hollins' comments are more hypothetical than anything else.

A follow-up on that quote would be interesting. Maybe managing minutes doesn't lengthen a career, but does it prepare you for the playoffs? That is, after all, part of the reason coaches like Gregg Popovich sit their guys during the regular season. It's not just about making sure someone is still in the league five or 10 years from now. It's also about preparing a player for April, May and June, putting him in a position where he won't be too exhausted come the postseason.

Hollins can just look at his team to find that rest can assist players' performances. What are the two best stretches the constantly hobbled Deron Williams has had this year? The first few games of the season — when he jumped out of the gate winning Player of the Week — and the first couple games after the All-Star break, when D-Will looked tremendous after 10 days off the court. That can't be a coincidence coming from a guy whose body is slowly but surely breaking down.

Is Hollins against rest altogether? Or just the belief that coaches elongate careers by implementing such a strategy? It's a highly different concept, and it's certainly possible he does find some value in sitting his guys, considering he outwardly found no problem with K.G. taking evenings off when Garnett felt it was necessary.