“Playing and Traveling”: Lakers Coach Address The Frustration Over Late Game Timings in Orlando Bubble

The Los Angeles Lakers have found their rhythm on the court. With a tough matchup facing them, they are in a 2-1 lead against the Houston Rockets. Lakers’ star LeBron James went into complete vintage scoring mode and bagged 36 points with Anthony Davis being the subsequent high scorer with 26 points. It has been a pleasure to watch this duo slay the floor and we certainly hope better performances in the remaining series.

Coach Frank Vogel even talked about how the return of their point guard, Rajon Rondo was critical in helping them win game 3. However, there are other aspects beyond the court that the Lakers seem to be struggling with.

The shift in game timings can be really stressful for the Lakers

The Lakers have been accustomed to playing games around 7:00 pm. However, ever since the season resumed in the Orlando Bubble due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, adjusting to the Eastern Time Zone, they have had to play games at 9:00 pm as well. With that being said, the Lakers feel that the late games have restricted the advantage of not having to fly to the road arenas.

“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 per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “It’s because you’re getting back to the hotel very late, you’re up late.”

A lot of times the games are also pushed back for half an hour. This leads to the team sleeping only limited hours before they have another game already scheduled for them the next day.

Vogel also talks about his own schedule after a late game. He stated, “I watch film until I fall asleep, which is typically not before 3 but typically not after 5. I’d say before 3 and 4 is when I typically go to bed after a 9 o’clock game.”

Can these abrupt sleeping patterns harm their energy on the court?

Most definitely yes. Players require a good night’s rest before they can return and play with the energy that they require. LeBron James also commented on this topic and said, “I get right to work right after the game. Win, lose or draw, I start my treatment already in the locker room; when I get back to the hotel, I’m going to do some more. Be up pretty late tonight.”

However, it looks like their prayers have been answered. Game 4 for the Lakers has been scheduled at 7:00 pm against the Rockets. Hopefully, this will provide them some relief that they have been craving for a while.