The Lakers playing the Warriors in round two may limit their fatigue
The Los Angeles Lakers will end up getting 96 hours of rest before they take on the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Tuesday.
But the two teams will play every other day throughout the series, which will certainly concern Lakers fans, especially since LeBron James has occasionally shown signs of fatigue late in games when he hasn’t had more than a full day of rest beforehand.
Since James is 38 years of age and in his 20th season, having no games with more than one full day of rest beforehand is certainly a bit of a disadvantage and something to be concerned about.
Here is the official schedule for Warriors-Lakers: pic.twitter.com/xVPCt8CUwR
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) April 30, 2023
However, the fact that San Francisco is a relatively short 90-minute plane ride from L.A., and the fact that both cities are in the same time zone will certainly help.
Changing time zones when flying from city to city is something that can cause fatigue for NBA players, as it can disrupt their sleep patterns and prevent them from experiencing optimal recovery and energy, which a full night of sleep is absolutely essential for.
James has credited a good amount of his high level of play these days to getting optimal sleep, both in terms of quantity and quality. Perhaps this series will not disrupt that aspect of his dedication to keeping his body and mind right.
