The Los Angeles Lakers were seemingly peeking at the right time before the NBA decided to suspend the 2019-20 season on March 11 due to the coronavirus.
It is an unfortunate and unforeseen event, but it was in the best interest of the players and teams involved as a global pandemic is much bigger than the game of basketball.
The league has continued to implement measures to ensure everyone’s safety and well-being with the latest round of instructions shutting down team facilities. These guidelines are just a part of the countrywide steps being taken to slow down the spread of COVID-19.
Amidst the situation, Danny Green spoke with Mike Trudell of Lakers about how the season suspension affects the team:
The biggest thing that most people are thinking about, especially contenders, is we have a really good opportunity here – we built the chemistry – and we could be one of the last teams standing. For that momentum, for that rhythm, for all that to be deterred or re-routed could change things. That kinda sucks. But I think with the cushion we have for first place, I think we feel pretty confident that we could finish out the season with a good seeding. But we just want to be healthy, and keep our rhythm so that we’re the same team when we start back up that we were when things shut down.
Teams are normally playing their best basketball or at the very least rounding into shape around March, but the stoppage in play kills any momentum Los Angeles had been building. That kind of on-court rhythm typically carries into the playoffs, so the Lakers will have a serious challenge in trying to recapture that level of play when or if the regular season resumes.
NBA owners seem optimistic the season will continue, but it is still unclear when it will happen. Given the spread of coronavirus and the mounting number of positive tests, the logistics behind a reasonable resume date make the situation a nightmare to figure out.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Green and the rest of the purple and gold will still have a great opportunity to bounce back and chase a championship as they boast arguably the league’s best duo in LeBron James and Anthony Davis and a championship-caliber defense to boot. The more players and the rest of the country follow protocol, the faster basketball is able to come back.