The Greek tragedy that is the 2013-14 Los Angeles Lakers continues to deliver hilarious lowlights. During a 119-108 road win in Cleveland on Wednesday night, the Lakers ran out of healthy bodies, and Chris Kaman took a nap on the team’s deserted bench. Per the LA Daily News:
“I had my shoes untied. I was laying down on the bench because we had a really long bench,” Kaman said. “There was 30 feet of extra space that I laid down.”
But Kaman couldn’t get too comfortable.
Lakers center Robert Sacre also fell into foul trouble, while Jordan Farmar experienced cramps in his calf muscles. Suddenly, the man who can never seem to find time in (Mike) D’Antoni’s rotation had to enter the game.
Sacre wasn’t penalized for his fouls, though. He picked up his sixth foul with 3:32 remaining. But per NBA rules, Sacre still stayed on the floor because the Lakers didn’t have any other healthy players. The only downside, the Lakers would receive a technical foul for any time Sacre fouls again.
“It doesn’t make sense to me,” Kaman said. “Anytime a superstar fouls out, you can take the tech and say everybody else is hurt. We want to keep him in. It is a loophole. There’s a lot of loopholes. That’s how it works.”
Lakers guard Steve Nash tried warming up, but he wasn’t on the active roster since the Lakers are sitting him on the second night of back-to-backs to preserve his body. Farmar had been icing for precautionary measures to ensure his previously injured left hamstring didn’t flare up again.
“I thought Farmar was iced down because he got to his minute number,” Kaman said. “I thought he’d come back in and be a decoy. I didn’t you know you could attack and keep a guy in.”
But NBA teams can, providing a reminder that perhaps it’s best next time that Kaman keeps his shoelaces tied.
