Back in November of 2012 (or 433 Alex Ovechkin goals ago), San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich sent star veterans Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili home early from a November road trip. The trio hadn’t been guilty of any misbehavior and were perfectly healthy. They were just, well, older. And Popovich - one of the most astute and successful coaches the sport has ever seen - was more interested in having his best players fresh come playoff time than in having them play a fourth game in five nights for the 13-3 Spurs against the Miami Heat.
Alex Ovechkin and Load Management in the NHL
