Los Angeles Lakers Coach Mike Brown relates injuries with shortened season - NBA Update
Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike Brown has put his weight behind the argument that the shortened season is responsible for the player’s injuries in the post season. He is amongst the few successful coaches this season, who have managed
to steer their team into the semi-finals without an overly injured roster.
Brown was sympathizing with Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose. The number 1 seeded team in the East had to take a fall early in the first round due to their playmaker’s knee injury. After Rose tore his ACL in the 1st
playoff game, Bulls went on a downhill journey that ended with their ejection at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Sharing his views before the 1st game of the Western Conference semifinal series between the Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder, Brown said;
“I probably shouldn't say this because I'm not a doctor and I don't know, but you'd have to think so," Mike said "Some of the injuries that have happened to these high-calibre athletes, running down the floor or jumping in their
air or getting back in transition defence without getting touched, you know? Rose makes that play a million times a season."
The shortened season was tough for everyone. The lockout deprived the players from off season conditioning and training camps, as they couldn’t use the team facilities during the lockout and finally when the stalemate ended, there
just wasn’t enough time for the players to tune their bodies. Then came the regular season in which, each team had to play two more games per month as compared to a normal season, and the tight schedule gradually started to take its toll on the player's fitness
and stamina.
Jeremy Lin, Dwight Howard, Stephen Curry, Al Horford, Ray Allen and Andrew Bogut all succumbed to grave injuries, jeopardizing their team’s chances and now with the injuries to Rose, Iman Shumpert and Chris Bosh in the post season,
the issue is gaining momentum in the league. David Stern, the NBA Comissioner, however believes other wise and is of the view that the players are partly responsible for their injuries.
Fortunately for Mike Brown, he didn’t have to visit that road. For a brief period during the regular season, Kobe Bryant missed the action but he made a speedy recovery. The coach added that he doesn’t want to consider the possibility
of losing Black Mamba or any other player at this point;
“Tries not to think about because if you do it's just another thing you're worried about."
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