Hey Laker Nation! Hope everybody's doing well and finding ways to stay safe in these crazy times we're living in. We all know that the NBA is coming back at the end of July. The top 22 teams in the league are invited to finish up the 2019-20 season at the ESPN sports complex in Orlando, FL. Teams in the lowest seed but are in the hunt are gonna have a "play-in" tournament for the 8th seeds in the playoffs. With that said, the Lakers have the opportunity to finish off what is a "Renaissance" season for the franchise.
In regards to the NBA coming back despite a no end in sight to the COVID-19 pandemic, I feel indifferent about this. Yes, we get to see the conclusion of the 2019-20 NBA season and if the Lakers can win it all after Kobe Bryant's tragic death at the beginning of the year. But regardless, if they win a title or not, it'll feel a bit anticlimactic with everything that's going on right now. The NBA is rolling the dice despite a surge of COVID-19 cases. Not to mention, 16 players have tested positive for the virus. There could be many more to come. But, the NBA is not turning back at this point and they're confident that they have a robust health and safety protocol in place for the players and the personnel. Some players have elected to bypass the NBA's reboot, which I'll address later on.
Prior to the suspension of the league, the Lakers were riding high at 49-14 behind the All-Star prowess of LeBron James and Anthony Davis aka "The King and The Brow." Coach Frank Vogel has pressed all of the right buttons and his coaching has improved the Lakers into one of the top defensive teams in the league. This team was beating teams that they were expected to beat. In the last full week of the season, they cemented their elite status with back-to-back wins against the Bucks and the Clippers en route to the franchise's first playoff berth since 2012-13.
The Lakers did lose the last game against Brooklyn prior to the season's suspension. Honestly, I think that loss is a blessing in disguise for the Lakers as the season resumes. They would've lost a significant amount of edge had they come into the resumed season with a winning streak. Look at their revamped schedule: Clippers, Toronto, Utah, OKC, Houston, Indiana, Denver, and Sacramento. They're going up against given playoff contenders right out of the gate. The Kings could be in that category if the chips fall in their favor during the "play in" for the 8th seed. This schedule is tough, but it's a good test for the Lakers to regain that championship edge.
As I mentioned, there are players who are sitting out of the NBA's reboot of 2019-20 season. One of them is the Lakers' own Avery Bradley. Obviously, the loss will hurt the Lakers because AB is their X-factor. He can defend a team's best back court player and can score when he has the stroke. He was huge in the Lakers' last win over the Clippers with 25 points. He will be missed, but there is merit to his decision to sit out, having to take care of his son. I've seen some backlash of his decision, and all I could say is you guys are beyond pieces of human garbage to call him out. Yes, the common NBA athlete earns more that we do in our lifetime, but these athletes are human too. Regarding AB's decision, I completely understand. Regardless of what occupation you have, you have that uneasy feeling of returning to work in these unprecedented times. No one is safe from "La Corona." We love sports, but in times like these, it's secondary. But, that's the Internet in a nutshell.
To sum it up, Avery Bradley won't play. I respect his decision. It's up to the Lakers to fill in his replacement. What we know is that the Lakers did sign Dion Waiters and seems like a suitable shoe-in for AB. The only problem is we don't know what game shape he is in. I guess we can say the same for every player on the roster. But, the Lakers brought in Dion for his shot creation. Will he play after some time off? We don't know. Other names floating around are J.R. Smith and Nick Young. The Lakers have options and Rob Pelinka will do his due diligence. All we know is that 'Bron is 100%. AD is 100%. Kyle Kuzma should be 100% after nagging foot injuries to start the season. Caruso is gonna Carushow. The Lake Show will be locked and loaded. How the NBA's restart plan fares will determine the fate of all pro sports going forward for the remainder of the year.
