The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to bounce back from a disappointing season, where they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Denver Nuggets. With renewed energy and some roster changes, the Lakers are gearing up for the new campaign. Owner Jeanie Buss spoke about how the team intends to deal with the scrutiny they face.
Lakers owner knows there’s only one way to quiet the critics: through their performance on the court. Speaking with the L.A. Times’ Chuck Schilken, she emphasized the importance of action over words. “You’ve really got to play basketball and win games. I know the criticism out there. I know social media is rough waters for everybody. There’s always controversy being stirred up on social media,” Buss said.
“That’s why it doesn’t really serve me to hype everything up. It’s just, you gotta do the work,” she continued. “That’s how our organization operates. We do the work. We worry about what we can control and let the work speak for itself.”
Christian Wood misses training camp due to injury
Lakers forward/center Christian Wood, who missed part of last season and the playoffs with a knee injury, has undergone another procedure. Initially thought to be recovering well, Wood required an arthroscopy on his left knee. The team announced that he will be reevaluated in eight weeks, which sidelines him for the start of the regular season.
Christian Wood #35 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up before the game before the game against the Sacramento Kings. Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
In an official statement, the Lakers said: “Lakers forward/center Christian Wood underwent a successful arthroscopic surgical procedure on his left knee today. The procedure was performed by Dr. Kristofer J. Jones at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Wood will be reevaluated by team doctors in approximately eight weeks.”
Shaq predicts rough start for the Lakers
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal recently shared his thoughts on the Lakers’ upcoming season, predicting a challenging beginning under new head coach JJ Redick. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Shaq said he expects the Purple and Gold to face some early struggles.
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“I think they’re going to have a rough start, personally,” O’Neal said. “LeBron and AD will do their part to keep everyone focused, but I’ve always said that if you truly respect your coach, you’ll go out and play hard for them.”
Drawing from his own experience, Shaq added: “I was lucky to play for guys like Phil Jackson and Pat Riley—coaches who knew what they were doing. No disrespect to other coaches, but there were times when I’d think, ‘I don’t know if that’s going to work.’”
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O’Neal also questioned whether Lakers players would fully buy into Redick’s system. “My question is: Will the players be fully locked in when JJ Redick talks? We don’t know, but we’ll see.”
