The NBA is providing some more leeway in regards to its resting policies for non-nationally televised games this upcoming season.
Teams playing back-to-back contests will be permitted "to rest a key veteran player who played a substantial role on a team that advanced deep into the 2020 playoffs or to rest a player who is still returning to full strength after recovering from COVID-19," according to a league memo obtained by ESPN's Tim Bontemps.
The additional flexibility should particularly help the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, who are returning to play after 71 and 72 days, respectively. The average turnaround between The Finals and opening night since the 1983-84 campaign is 141 days, according to ESPN's Kirk Goldsberry.
However, teams will still be prohibited from resting healthy players for a "high-profile, nationally-televised game." This rule has been in place since 2017 and clubs that don't abide by the regulation could be subject to a fine of at least $100,000.
