The Philadelphia 76ers' season could already be on course to come crashing down spectacularly if their head coach, Nick Nurse, continues to pummel his exciting backcourt into the ground with unsustainable minutes on the court.
So far this campaign, the Sixers have registered five wins out of their eight regular-season games, with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe stringing together a scintillating set of performances that has clearly piqued the interest of Philadelphia's coaching staff.
These impressive showings have naturally been rewarded with more responsibility and trust in the offensive game plan; however, in an era obsessed with load management, the numbers reflecting the pair's role in the rotation make for worrying reading for the latter stages of the year.
Overreliance on young stars could have detrimental consequences
Despite already featuring in two back-to-back games, the dynamic duo have not been granted a significant period for recuperation. Maxey (41.3) and Edgecombe (38.5) lead the league in minutes per game, respectively -- even though there have been matchups where Philadelphia's destiny had been sealed early.
In their most recent 121-132 defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the 76ers headed into the fourth quarter with a 20-point deficit to cut through. When analysing the opposition's talent, the fact that this was at Cleveland, and that we have barely scratched the surface on the regular-season, this was undoubtedly an opportunity to rest players who are critical to the Sixers' success.
Even if he ended the game with 27 points, seven assists, and nine rebounds, is it reasonable for Nick Nurse to field Maxey for 11 minutes in the fourth quarter of a game that is a foregone conclusion? Especially given that the 25-year-old had recorded 39 minutes in a 111-113 defeat to the Chicago Bulls the night before.
Edgecombe is already showing signs of fatigue
The transition from the NCAA to the high-octane world of the NBA is rarely a seamless process, even for the most talented of players. Nevertheless, Edgecombe has attacked the league with the same ferocity and fearlessness that he displayed throughout his time at Baylor and has now emerged as an early frontrunner in Rookie of the Year debates.
In the eyes of the head coach, the rookie sensation has earned his place at the head of the snake alongside Maxey as a leader of the offense. Unfortunately, one factor that has not been taken into account is that at 20 years old, Edgecombe's body is still growing accustomed to the demands of the professional game.
Over his last two matchups, Edgecombe has shown a slight decline in his efficiency -- whether this is related to fatigue or his opponents have manufactured an effective game plan to contain his explosive movements is up for debate. But what cannot be argued with is that he has only drained seven out of his 26 field-goal attempts.
The season has barely gotten off the ground, and Nick Nurse has already established a 'Tom Thibodeau' style rotation, which, inevitably, will be the catalyst for a litany of injuries to his star players if an adjustment isn't made. Philadelphia cannot afford to lose Tyrese Maxey or VJ Edgecombe if they wishes to be a championship contender.