Could new NBA rules on resting stars hurt the Boston Celtics?

After many years of NBA fans spending money for games just to have their favorite players in street clothes on the sidelines, Adam Silver and the NBA have stepped in. Silver has initiated a new rule that prevents NBA teams from resting two-star players for the same game. The Boston Celtics, who have two All-NBA players in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, will be directly affected by this.

Ultimately, it begs the question: will the new rules hurt the Boston Celtics?

Although the Celtics have been a team that has not utilized rest for the majority of the Jays era, the signs were pointing to them potentially starting that next season. In the last few postseason runs, Tatum and Brown have both dealt with lingering injuries that are most likely a result of them taking on a heavy workload in the regular season.

For Tatum, it was a wrist injury that he dealt with as well as an ankle injury this past season, and Brown has also dealt with injuries. It would not have been surprising to see the Celtics prioritize rest this season due to the past injuries in the postseason. The Boston Celtics also did start resting Tatum at different points last year, which was rare in the past.

The NBA’s new resting rules could negatively affect the Boston Celtics during the 2023-24 season

I think the Celtics could be negatively affected by the new rule because they will have to change their plans in regards to resting their star players. Although the Cs are not in a position like the Los Angeles Clippers, where both of their stars are old, it would be nice to be able to consistently rest Tatum and Brown.

Managing Tatum and Brown’s workload will be key to a deep playoff run next season.