Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard sat out Wednesday’s game against the Utah Jazz due to a thing called “load management.”
Load management became part of the NBA lexicon last year in large part because of Leonard. Then with Toronto, the wing sat out more than 25 percent of the Raptors’ 82 regular-season games. With plenty left in the tank, he then barnstormed through the NBA playoffs, leading the Raptors to the title and himself to the MVP award.
“I’ve always done it, really,” said Clippers coach Doc Rivers, recalling a time when he left three key players at home during an entire road trip with the Boston Celtics, which he coached from 2004-2013.