The suspension to NBA play put a grinding halt to the Los Angeles Lakers’ stellar season.
Now that the team’s two players who tested positive for COVID-19 have been cleared from all symptoms, head coach Frank Vogel said they are working to stay in basketball shape.
“It has been interesting,” Vogel said. “It’s been a different time than I think most of us have experienced in our lives, but it’s a time to make sure that all of our loved ones are in good health and being safe.”
The Lakers tallied wins over the Bucks and Clippers just prior to the season’s suspension, and were scheduled to play the Rockets the day following the unprecedented announcement on March 11.
“Rob Pelinka [Lakers Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager] had been in constant communication with the league and was reporting back to us about what was going on,” Vogel said. “We knew that a suspension of play was a possibility, but we obviously didn’t think it was going to happen that night.”
With the team currently cleared from COVID-19, Vogel said they are training to stay game-ready.
“We’re going to stay in top physical shape,” he said. “The coaching staff is going to continue studying the game at a high level, and when we’re able to get back to work, hopefully we can have enough time to get back in the gym, get our legs under us, work on our rhythm and timing and pick up right where we left off.”
Stopping play is not ideal for any team, but with the Lakers in championship contention, Vogel said team leadership will be key if play resumes.
“We’re going to have to recreate it [our recent success],” he said. “We have to reestablish our chemistry, work ethic, conditioning, rhythm and our timing, but every team in the league is going to have to do that. With the veterans we have on this team and the way we came together so quickly as a new group, I have reason to be encouraged that we can accomplish that very quickly again.”
The delay will have unknown influence on every player in the league, but for LeBron James specifically, the time off results in speculation.
“We don’t really know what kind of an impact this is going to have on him [James] specifically,” Vogel said. “I know that he’s going to take care of his body better than anyone in the league, but whether this break is going to end up helping him or hurting him is yet to be determined. I’d like to be an optimist and think that this could help him, but it’s an unknown. I think it’s up to every player to make the best of this situation.”
With much still up in the air, Vogel said the team will be understanding under any circumstance.
“It would be a huge disappointment if we weren’t able to play,” Vogel said. “However, we understand that this is bigger than basketball and us getting back on the court is not the most important thing for the world right now. Hopefully we’ll have that chance, but I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
