Lakers coach Frank Vogel believes fans and the media are overreacting to an 0-2 start, writes Bill Oram of The Athletic. Friday night was particularly bad for L.A. as the team was blown out by the Suns in a game that saw Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard get into a sideline altercation, Rajon Rondo have a dispute with a courtside fan, and Vogel receive a technical foul after running onto the court to question a call.
“We’re just disappointed that we’re not winning, that’s all,” Vogel said. “Look, these are some of the greatest players ever to play because of their competitive spirit. If you don’t win, there’s going to be frustration. That’s what makes them great.”
The Lakers are still learning to play together after having the largest roster turnover in the league during the offseason, with just three players remaining from last year’s team. They added a group of former All-Stars, but there are concerns that the roster is too old and doesn’t fit well together. Oram suggests that Friday’s performance reflects a lack of discipline as well.
“I think that can get overly blown when you lose a game,” LeBron James told reporters. “You have some techs here, you see an altercation. You start saying, ‘OK, these guys are ultimately … the whole thing’s frustration.’ Well, we’re competitors. If you don’t get mad at certain things on the floor that you feel like you should have done better, then what are you here for?”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Russell Westbrook was significantly better on Friday than he was in the season opener, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Westbrook put up familiar statistics with 15 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists and was able to drive to the rim several times. L.A. played without a center for part of the fourth quarter, and Buha expects Vogel to continue to experiment with lineups to find the best combination to go with Westbrook.
- Austin Reaves helped the Lakers rally in the fourth quarter and is making a bid to be part of the regular rotation, Buha adds. The rookie guard gives the offense another play-maker and a three-point threat. “We’re learning about our team,” Vogel said. “Gave some of the other wings a chance, the first chance. Weren’t getting much done as a group in the first three quarters, and as a coach, when you’re down big, you try to change the game with a small lineup and a different guy at the wing. And Austin came in and played really well.”
- Wayne Ellington‘s season debut will be delayed at least one more game, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Ellington has been ruled out for Sunday’s contest with a strained hamstring, but the team hopes he’ll be available sometime during the coming week.
I’ve said it when Ariza got hurt, and also in the offseason, but the Lakers have spacing issues, which is exacerbated by not having Wayne Ellington, and need balance on the floor. They could have used another 3 and D wing guy in addition to Ariza, who is more of a 4 nowadays, as that was already an issue for them last year before they lost their 2 3 and D wings they had with KCP and Wesley Matthews. Instead they added unnecessary bigs and an extra guard, and got rid of Gasol, which made no sense, and hurt their spacing and their defense against certain bigs. Now they’re missing multiple guys, and are going to lineups that dont really have shooting/spacing on the floor. I said it at the end of the preseason, but I think they should gove Austin Reaves looks in certain lineups, at least until Ellington comes back, and maybe even afterward until Ariza comes back, and see how that goes. I think he would play off Lebron really well, and he competes on both ends, and can shoot. Obviously, he is an undrafted rookie, but his skillset really fits some of those Lakers lineups with size across the board, and multiple playmakers. He moves really well off the ball and has a good basketball IQ. Also play Davis at the 5
So you said the Lakers need more shooting… not a daring prediction… assuming your constant reporting on yourself is truthful. Are you bragging? And it makes no sense to look at every team and say they need more wings; there is only going to be a given amount of them.
Rofl
Lakers are fine w shooting, 3rd best in league so far
That was never going to be the problem
Defending the 1-3 will be the Achilles heel
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Lakers will be fine. This a total new team. But they are not top 4. They will be better in second half. After they build chemistry. They will have to fight for top 4. Jazz, Suns, Nuggets, Clippers, Blazers, Warriors all will fight in playoffs.
Lakers have a easy schedule coming up for a few games so they better right the ship during that streak of easy teams. 2 against Houston and 2 against OKC. With SA, Memphis, and Cavs. They should be above .500 after facing those teams.
A couple of those are potentially not great matchups for them
Memphis and SA could give them a tough time. Only Memphis could be a playoff team unless Pop has a great coaching year. They need to step up against non-playoff teams.
I’d bet my life savings that this team won’t sniff the Finals this year. Westbrook is a terrible fit
Unfortunately that bets worth about what.. $125? I’ll take my odds elsewhere thanks!
The problem with Westbrook is putting him in the same lineup with a center creates enormous spacing problems. Unless it’s a good 3-point shooting center, which neither Howard nor DeAndre Jordon are. They actually referred to Russ as a “point center” when he played for Houston. He needs to be surrounded by good shooters to be effective, and unfortunately the Lakers are sorely lacking in that department.
Westbrook should be the Lakers Iggy by being the leader of the second team. Problem is Vogel playing AD and LeBron way too many minutes already. There is no 1st and 2nd team plus he will burn out his 2 big stars. Tired players get injured and having a old team Vogel is setting them up for disaster.
Problem is Andre plays better off the ball setting screens and such, and is an all world defender while Russ is maybe bottom five in NBA defender. GSW just has his number on both sides every time its how Dray and a bunch of scrubs knocked off him and Harden on xmas.
Harden and Westbrook has the same problem they don’t pass until the last 5 seconds. Both need to be more pass happy. harden did a much better job last year passing earlier.
Austin reaves, in 8 minutes had the best efficiency rating, than the rosters from both teams combined, LOL!
Lakers are a great team!!*
*if this were 2012
This 2021 version…
not so much.
(Respectfully) LeBron, just ride out these next few years when you average 20, 5, & 5 as you wait for your son to get to the league so y’all can make history – whether as teammates or as opponents.
That, and the all-time leading scorer title, is all that’s left. No more championships.
Hot take police
This past off season LeBron played behind the scenes GM. And this is what you get when a patient runs the asylum.
The Lakers bench guys getting minutes may be the oldest set the NBA has ever had…
Their roster is fixable. They just need 1-2 3 and D wings, and for Ariza and Ellington to get healthy. They just have to put guys in the right situations though. This was easy to see when they didnt fill those spots, they made similar mistakes the first year of Lebron when they didnt keep Brook Lopez after building the team the way they did, where it seemed like they were going to keep him for his floor spacing, and then also using certain guys out of position…
How long until the Lakers fire Pelinka?