The Lakers don’t have time to rest after clinching seven seed in the Western Conference. Already on Tuesday, Los Angeles is set to play against Minnesota in the play-in tournament.
Over the course of the season the Purple and Gold have been dealing with injuries of their key players, most notably LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Newcomer D’Angelo Russell has also missed time due to injury.
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham says that the team will be smart in how it will use the time between now and the play-in game. He also noted that the players are well aware of the significance of the game but it can also weigh on them.
“We got to find our guys some rest time obviously,” Ham said. “Be efficient with how we spend our non-game days. Make sure they’re getting proper treatment between now and Tuesday.
“And again, dive into the film, maybe walk through some stuff out on the floor. But they’re aware, man. These stakes are high and a lot of times, I don’t want to call it pressure, but the challenges of guys knowing what’s at stake can weigh on them a little bit. Here we are, we know what’s in front of us.
“We’ll play either one of those two teams and we’ll all set to go [the comment was made before it was known that the Lakers will face the Timberwolves]. Just between now and then just being smart as possible with our preparation.”
If the Lakers were to lose, they would still have a chance to make the playoffs as they would face the winner of the Pelicans – Thunder game.
