Udonis Haslem addresses whether the faster pace is what's causing injuries in the NBA

The current NBA season is being played at a pace not seen in nearly 40 years. The average pace of 100.5 to start the 2025-26 campaign is the highest since 1988-89. This season, a total of 25 teams are playing with a pace of at least 100.0.

Also, there are 10 teams that are playing with an average speed of 4.50 miles per hour, which is faster than last season's league-leading 4.48 miles per hour.

Because of this, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr recently complained about the scheduling of games. Because of the way the current game is being played, a tough schedule leaves players prone to soft tissue injuries.

However, Miami Heat icon Udonis Haslem does not agree.

"I understand the scheduling situation and that's something you can't control," said Haslem on the NBA on Prime Video studio show. "But as players, and I've said this before, we always focus on the things that we can't control. What can we control? How we prepare for the season." 

You can't just show up without preparation and play in today's era

Haslem, who is vice president of basketball development for the Heat, said that he watched head coach Erik Spoelstra push his players every day in camp, running suicides to prepate. He mentioned Heat forward Andrew Wiggins, a former No. 1 pick and a 12-year vet in the NBA and one who has won a championship before, do what everybody else did and not complain.

According to UD, with how the game is currently played, players can no longer afford to take the entire summer vacation off. If it means that teams have to prepare longer to be able to play this kind of pace and if this is the pace that's going to lead to championships in today's era, then that's what they should do because with this style, players can't just show up and play.

"So they have to figure out whether they want to take less games. But if the pace is what's making teams better, if the pace is what's getting you to your best version, if the pace is what's going to help you win a championship, damn it, run," Haslem added.

Related: "Your resume has to be better" - Draymond Green brutally rips Kenyon Martin for calling him soft

Kerr said the fast-paced game is causing player injuries

Kerr said that he and his medical staff agree that today's game is much tougher for players' bodies and that a hard schedule could lead to injuries.

"The Warriors' medical staff believes that the wear and tear, the speed, the pace, the mileage is factoring into these injuries," Kerr said. "Across the league, everyone understands that it's easier to score if you beat the opponent down the floor, get out in transition. But when everybody's doing that, the games are much higher-paced. Everyone has to cover out to 25 feet because everybody can shoot 3s. We have all the data. Players are running faster and further than before. We're trying to do the best we can, but we basically have a game every other night. It's not an easy thing to do."

But Kerr's pronouncement was rejected by former Pistons head coach Larry Brown, who argued that the lack of practice is what's causing injuries. While Haslem did not say it outright, that was also what he was trying to imply.

Related: Larry Brown disagrees with Steve Kerr on the reason behind the injury increase

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 23, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.