Modern-day basketball has often been labeled soft by scores of people, ranging from former NBA players to analysts. However, amid narratives questioning the credibility of modern basketball, LeBron James has argued in its defense.  

With criticism of load management, players have also been criticized for failing to sustain the regular-season grind. According to James, it was very hard to play all 82 games of the season because of how the game is played today. He spoke about this on the 'Mind The Game' podcast, per a Complex article from January this year.

"The game is different. I want people and our fans to understand that playing 82 games in the '80s and '90s is not the same as playing 82 games in the 2020s. It's just not."

"The way we play, the level of pace, the level of the speed that we're playing at, it's a different game now. It's a totally different game."

According to the Los Angeles Lakers star, because of the fast-paced basketball, the nature of injuries is also changing. Players were now facing soft-tissue injuries rather than ligament injuries, which were dominant in the 80s and 90s. 

"When I first came into the league, some of the biggest concerns of injuries was a high ankle sprain. You was afraid to step on somebody's ankle, because there was four or five guys sitting in the paint."

"The new high ankle sprain is the calf.”

The surge in soft-tissue injuries has become particularly evident during recent postseasons. 

Is LeBron James Right About Modern NBA’s Pace and Injuries Changes?

After the first month of the 2025-26 season, 14 players were on the injury report with calf-related issues. It was a significant increase from previous NBA seasons.

During the 2023-24 NBA season, only 38 players were reported to have suffered calf injuries at some point. In the following season, the number increased to 63 players. 

The modern game has become a lot faster than it was a decade or more ago. Since speed tracking began in the NBA in 2013-14, players cover more area. During the 2013-14 season, they covered 4.2 miles per hour, and it has now increased to 4.43 miles per hour, per Sportico.

Compared to the 80s, 90s, and 2010s NBA basketball, the increase in 3-pointers in games has been a big factor. Players are covering more space on defense than ever before in the league. Players have also increased the frequency of full-court defense.

Hamstring injuries have also become significant among the NBA stars this season. We have already seen the impact of these hamstring injuries on the postseason. Luka Doncic missed the entire playoffs with a hamstring injury.

Do you think the NBA should consider reducing regular-season games? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Nandjee Ranjan

Edited by

Surjo Ray