The Los Angeles Lakers met on Monday morning for one final practice before hitting the floor against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday. The embarrassing loss to the Clippers was a couple days in the past, and now, it was time to get back to work.
Looking around, though, the Lakers didn’t have too enough able bodies available to practice. Pau Gasol was undergoing an MRI on his left foot after sustaining an injury during Friday’s loss. The seriousness of the injury was unknown by the time practice was getting underway.
“Mark (Madsen is) coming out of retirement,” Nick Young joked about the lack of bodies.
Young was unable to practice on Sunday due to a sore back, and the former USC Trojan told a couple reporters the team was forced to play 3-on-3 due to a lack of healthy guys. Assistant coaches Larry Lewis and Madsen were taking part in practice along with assistant video coordinator J.J. Outlaw.
With the coaches mixed in, the Lakers had 11 bodies willing to practice.
Before Young and company could get onto the court, however, they still had to address the open wounds left over from the game against the Clippers.
“I didn’t even want to see the Lakers gym two days ago,” Young said on Monday. “I wanted to go out that night too. (After the game) I didn’t want to show my face no more.”
Young was asked if he could take anything away from a loss of that magnitude.
“You don’t want to feel that again. That feeling’s bad, especially lose by 40.”
No one bothered to clarify the final difference was 36 points. Young's point was understood.
“I know it’s hard to be a Laker fan,” Young continued. “We’re still the Lakers. We’ll still go out there and fight.”
Young was asked what his message was to the fans who were struggling to wear their purple and gold in these trying times.
“Stick with it,” Young addressed fans worldwide. “In relationships, you know everything isn’t perfect in relationships. Sometimes, my girl gets on my nerves. I don’t just leave her, you know.”
