Lakers vs. Nets: LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, Trevor Ariza out in 'Star-Studded' Preseason Opener
The "star-studded" preseason opener between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets will not happen as head coach Frank Vogel said that LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Russell Westbrook, and Trevor Ariza would all be out on Sunday.
Vogel's announcement after the team's third practice of training camp loses the fans' interest in the long-awaited opening match.
Missing Los Angeles Lakers Stars
According to SilverScreenAndRoll, Frank Vogel, the Los Angeles Lakers head coach, said that LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Carmelo Anthony would be out to rest after several days of doing multiple training camp practices.
While Trevor Ariza, who missed the team's practice on Friday, which was his second-straight day being sidelined, would also be missing the preseason opener due to a sore foot.
"There may be others, but as of right now those are the guys that we know will not play," Vogel noted.
Despite losing a lot of stars in the constellation of the city of Angels, the Lakers will at least have one star. Vogel said that Lakers big man Anthony Davis would be playing.
However, he noted that it would only be just the first quarter on Sunday as they were still checking his physical condition.
Moreover, Vogel said the team would be huddling up after practice, and the Lakers' organization would be determining whether there would be other guys who would be missing the preseason opener against the Brooklyn Nets.
The Lakers head coach emphasized that they were focusing on the team's health prior to the regular season.
With all those veterans out, the purple and gold squad were expecting young guys like Lakers rising talent Talen Horton-Tucker and newly acquired players like Malik Monk, Kendrick Nunn, and Austin Reaves to all get plenty of minutes in the opener.
The available player's performance in the preseason game against a rival star-studded team, Brooklyn Nets, would be solidifying their case for roles in the Lakers rotation.
The absences also featured three of the LA Lakers' rumored starters for this season and their two main playmakers. The absence will likely prompt sports analysts to consider that the team's preseason games tend to give them very little meaningful basketball to analyze.
The Lakers and Nets are still scheduled to tip-off at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 3, at Staples Center. The game will be televised locally on Spectrum SportsNet and nationally on NBA TV.
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Brooklyn Nets' Problem
Since the game would be playing on the road, the Brooklyn Nets would have a chance to see their star, point guard Kyrie Irving, on the court.
Kyrie Irving has yet to comply with the COVID-19 vaccination protocol imposed not only by the league but also by the state of New York.
The personal preference of Kyrie Irving threatened him to miss a chunk of money in his contract because he may not be able to play during the Nets home games due to the state-imposed health protocol.
This article is owned by Latin Post
Written by: Jess Smith
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