NBA players in the 1960s and 1970s did not have access to trainers, machines, whirlpools, massages, and other current technologies to recover from games. Plus travel was not as comfortable or as convenient for players 50 or 60 years ago. However, despite an 82 game schedule, like today, they did not take days off and they played through minor injuries. There was no “load management” if you played for Red Auerbach or Bill Russell.