Part 5/9:
The speakers share their own career insights, noting that they came into the league with a mentality of playing as many games as possible. One veteran mentions that even in his 40s, he wanted to play, despite management's efforts to reduce his load. His desire to compete and the rigorous nature of training camps and back-to-back games in earlier decades shaped a different approach.
They recall players of the past, like Karl Malone and John Stockton, who regularly played 82 games and advanced deep into the playoffs, setting a standard for durability and consistency. The culture of physical toughness and high volume of games was the norm, creating an expectation that durability was integral to a player's reputation.