The 2020-21 season has been a trying one for most NBA teams as they wrestle with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as well as the social injustices that continue to plague America.
However, one issue that has begun to really impact teams is the condensed season schedule as players have struggled to stay healthy throughout the year. The Los Angeles Lakers have seen Anthony Davis and LeBron James miss extended time, and other stars have also been sidelined with their own ailments after the short offseason.
Unfortunately, the Denver Nuggets saw Jamal Murray go down in their loss to the Golden State Warriors on Monday night. Murray was later diagnosed with a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the season.
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel wished Murray well before their game against the Charlotte Hornets. “It’s a heartbreaking injury to see Jamal [Murray] go down like that,” Vogel said.
“Wish him a speedy recovery. He’s a big-time gamer. It’s sad news for the whole league, but in terms of anything changing with trying to get through a difficult year with the pandemic, I just don’t think anything is going to change. I know I haven’t communicated anything to the league in terms of the schedule.”
Murray has drawn the ire of Lakers fans for some of his previous antics, but it is never good to see players go down to serious injuries. While it is hard to definitively say that his injury was attributed to the truncated schedule, it certainly did not help.
The scoring guard’s injury sends ripple effects throughout the standings as the Nuggets may struggle to win as many games without him in the lineup. Like Denver, Los Angeles is dealing with their own set of injuries but there is optimism they will be just fine once everyone is back.
Vogel has not complained to NBA about schedule
It is well documented how the shortened offseason impacted the Lakers the most after their title run, but Vogel admitted that he has yet to contact the league about the schedule.
“I have not communicated anything like that to the league,” Vogel said. “I don’t think it’s going to change anything. I think there’s inherent risks with a condensed schedule and we all have to just make the best of it and hope for the best.
Vogel historically does not make excuses for his team, and this is yet another example that he and the rest of the roster are prepared to face challenges head-on.
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