It’s been an almost unanimous sentiment from people who have been watching the high level of play inside the NBA Bubble, especially during the playoffs, that this basketball has been better than the usual basketball we see at playoff time. The thought process has generally referenced the lack of travel for each team, giving players ample time to rest and recover between games. The Los Angeles Lakers, however, aren’t buying that theory.
Almost all of the Lakers games are in the late window, with tonight’s Game 4 being a slight departure from that typical schedule, starting two hours earlier at 7 p.m. Eastern instead of 9 p.m. Lakers head coach Frank Vogel believes the Lakers haven’t benefitted much from the lack of travel because they stay up late anyway, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
“You just remove that element of being in the air, arriving late at night. But our 9 o’clock starts, it feels like we’re playing and traveling during the season,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said Wednesday. “It’s because you’re getting back to the hotel very late, you’re up late.”
LeBron James is very meticulous in his post-game routine, when it comes to icing, getting a recovery meal, and then getting to sleep. Hopefully an earlier start time tonight will lead to a more refreshed feeling on Friday.
