You heard about the term "load management" all season long from the Toronto Raptors regarding Kawhi Leonard's workload.
Whether it was the media, Nick Nurse, or the management team led by Masai Ujiri, the topic was a popular topic amongst Raps fans and those covering the team.
After appearing in only nine games last year, Leonard was limited to just 60 in 2018-19, the least amount of games he's ever played in a season, besides the 2017-18 campaign, opting to sit out the second-half of back-to-backs.
Kawhi wasn't that vocal over the year about the Raps' approach to monitoring his minutes, but now, he's finally opened up about it.
Speaking with ESPN's Rachel Nichols, Kawhi believes he wouldn't be at the level of where he's or, or even playing if it wasn't for load management.
According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2016, load management is defined as follows.
“The aim of load management is to optimally configure training, competition and other load to maximise adaptation and performance with a minimal risk of injury. Load management therefore comprises the appropriate prescription, monitoring and adjustment of external and internal loads.”
While many believe the whole notion was used to downplay the risk of injury, it also helped keep Kawhi at the top of his game when he played, and if you've watched the Raps this post-season, then it's hard to argue that load management wasn't worth it.
