In yesterday's press conference, Alvin Gentry pointed to injuries first and foremost. They were a common theme, and towards the end of his speech he gave the medical staff a strong vote of confidence.
Should he have?
The Los Angeles Lakers set the NBA injury benchmarks in previous years, with personnel missing 338 games in 2015 and 320 in 2014. The New Orleans Pelicans exceeded both of those totals with a league-leading 351 missed games to injury or illness during the 2016 campaign, surpassing their aggregate from last year by 241 contests.