Dennis Schröder will not be available when the Los Angeles Lakers face the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday due to health and safety protocols, the team announced just an hour before the match. It was so sudden that during media availability before Frank Vogel’s game, he said he was looking forward to seeing Schröder and Nets guard Kyrie Irving face to face.
Dennis Schroder is out of the game tonight against Brooklyn due to NBA health and safety protocols.
– Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) February 19, 2021
This is clearly breaking news for the team as well.
Frank Vogel, minutes ago: “I’m looking forward to seeing the Dennis Schroder-Kyrie Irving showdown. I think Dennis has given us a different dynamic this year and I’m looking forward to seeing that showdown.” https://t.co/N73H1gL0cU
– Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) February 19, 2021
Schröder is the second Lakers to lose a game due to health and safety protocols this season. Alex Caruso lost four games due to contact tracking earlier in the season. The Lakers’ top athletic trainer, Nina Hsieh, also lost a game due to the league’s health and safety protocols, however, she was back on the bench in the next game, leading someone to believe she had not tested positive for coronavirus. .
In other words, a mention of “health and safety protocols” does not automatically mean that someone on the team tested positive for the coronavirus – in fact, in the case of the Lakers, it never meant this season. The Lakers have not had a positive coronavirus test since March, when players were first tested before the Orlando bubble. They also did not have a game postponed due to health and safety protocols.
Wesley Matthews will start at Schröder’s place on Thursday. Schröder started every game that is available for this season. In these games, he averaged 14.2 points and 4.3 assists per game.
There has been no update on Schröder’s availability in the future, although this is expected. We probably won’t know much about Schröder’s situation until after the game.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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