Since I am relatively new at this, I have some questions regard player minutes going into playoffs.   For lack of better term, does player surplus minutes get carried over into the playoffs?   And, in the other direction, if my player was fatigued at end of season, and I had a bye, would that fatigued player get improved as the result of not playing the first round?  Lastly, Is it considered unsportmanlike to rest starters if you already have playoffs assured?  Thank you for all your input in advance.

When the playoffs start are players are "reset" in regards to minutes per game.  So if a player starts the season with a target of 35mins a game then they will start the playoffs with a target of 35mins a game.  Fatigue however does not reset when the playoffs start however you do get some rest in the playoffs for days off.

I don't have a ton of experience in the game so I can't answer with any more detail beyond that.

fatigue does a moderate reset when the playoffs start, and the playoffs are treated like a separate season.  This means the following things for you:

1)  You can't save up minutes.  100% is the max fatigue you can have at the start of the playoffs.  Thus resting your starters at the end of the season is almost pointless (see next item)

2)  Your players who are slightly fatigued will be reset to 100%.  More severely fatigued players will get some fatigue back, but they won't be at 100%.  So if you've clinched everything  you can clinch and have some starters in the 95-97% range, then yes, resting your starters some will help.

3)  If you get a first round bye, your players will get a tremendous (almost unfair) amount of rest in that first series.  Use that extra fatigue wisely and it's hard to get upset in round 2.

Thank you guys for the clarifications.