NBA Cup elimination means Lakers get valuable rest and time for physical practice

[ad_1]

Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) tosses the ball to guard D’Angelo Russell (1) to start the offense against the Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Go to Phoenix on Monday, play Tuesday. Fly to San Antonio late Tuesday and play the next day. Back to Los Angeles late on Thanksgiving eve, off for the holiday and then play the Thunder on Friday. Fly to Utah the next day, play the Jazz on Sunday. Then off to Minnesota on Sunday night, land late and play the Timberwolves on Monday. Then go to Miami for a game Wednesday. Then go to Atlanta for a game Friday. Off for a day, then host Portland on Sunday.

And then, for the first time in weeks, exhale for 48 hours.

The Lakers practiced Wednesday after two full days off, a rare oasis in an early schedule that featured them playing six preseason games outside of Los Angeles only to begin the season with the second-most road games in the Western Conference through their first 24 contests.

The time off is a benefit of elimination from the NBA Cup, the Lakers idle during the knockout games this week. While the more than $500,000 in prize money eluded them, they got something that could be more valuable.

Lakers coach JJ Redick talks with forward Cam Reddish during the a game against the Trailblazers at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

JJ Redick said the team used the time to first relax and then regroup. The Lakers coach met individually with players Tuesday as the team begins an advantageous stretch of schedule. Wednesday the Lakers tried to maximize it with the kind of practice, Redick said, they haven’t had in two months.

“We have a great opportunity the rest of the month. Today was one of six potential practice days that we have and we got a lot done today,” Redick said. “And I think the group came with a good, workmanlike approach and yeah, we’re going to try to get better. We’re going to try to get better. I thought coming off of Friday, coming off of Sunday — where we played the right way where we were competitive, we were together, connected, all of those things — we have something to…

[ad_2]
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-cup-elimination-means-lakers-222029113.html

Author : LA Times

Publish date : 2024-12-11 22:20:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.