0 of 3
The Los Angeles Lakers are riding high after Monday night's big win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The evening was highlighted by a warm Cleveland welcome for LeBron James and LeBron's viral-video-worthy dunk over former teammate Kevin Love.
The 131-120 win also marked Los Angeles' second victory in three games and allowed them to keep pace for the play-in tournament. That's not where the Lakers hoped to be when the season began, but it's some consolation in what has been a difficult season.
The trade for Russell Westbrook continues to look like a mistake, and team chemistry has been fleeting. Even with a disappointing 31-41 record, though, the Lakers still have an opportunity to treat fans to another playoff berth.
From there, who knows? The Lakers probably aren't championship material, but if James and Anthony Davis can get hot, they could make noise in the postseason.
Regardless of how things play out down the stretch, change is coming for the Lakers in the offseason.
1 of 3
The firing of Lakers coach Frank Vogel feels inevitable. Though Vogel helped deliver a championship only two seasons ago, last year's early playoff exit and this season's consistent inconsistency have put him firmly on the hot seat.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski even speculated on The Woj Pod that if Jason Kidd were still in L.A., Vogel would already be gone.
At this point, Vogel appears poised to finish out the season. Once it's over, though, Los Angeles will be eying replacements—barring a surprise run to the Finals, anyway. One current head coach may already be on L.A.'s radar.
According to Marc Stein of Substack (h/t HoopsHype.com), Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder is viewed as a potential replacement both for the San Antonio Spurs and for Vogel in L.A.
"Snyder has been increasingly mentioned as a potential target for San Antonio to succeed Gregg Popovich," Vogel wrote. "I've likewise heard Snyder's name posed as a probable Los Angeles Lakers candidate should the Lakers and Frank Vogel part ways after what has been a nightmare season in Hollywood."
Snyder might not be available, as he signed an extension for "multiple years" back in 2019. If he becomes available, though, the Lakers could move quickly to secure him before a team like San Antonio does.
2 of 3
James is 37 years old and mired in what is likely another lost season in Los Angeles. However, you wouldn't know it watching him race up and down the court, dropping a 38-point triple-double on the Cavaliers on Monday.
Far from an aging former star just playing out the season, James is still dominant, and he's still having fun in season No. 19.
"I'm literally having the time of my life right now," James said, per Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll. "The game is such a beautiful thing and as long as I'm healthy enough to put on a uniform, I'm gonna play with a lot of passion and a lot of energy and give my teammates what they deserve and what they need."
James admitted that he gets "frustrated and angry" by losses and missed opportunities. However, he plans to look ahead rather than dwell on the difficult season that has been.
"We can leave everything on the floor," James said, per Faigen. "Control what you can control, and what you can't you don't worry about. That's just my mindset."
As long as James remains motivated and relatively healthy, he'll be capable of taking over games as he did on Monday. That, in itself, is enough to make the Lakers a tough postseason out should they make it there.
3 of 3
While Vogel may ultimately be the scapegoat for this season, he may also be one reason why the Lakers still have a play-in opportunity.
The Lakers haven't struggled because of a lack of high-end talent. They've been hampered by injuries, hindered by chemistry issues and frequently bashed by media personalities for their failures. Absolutely nothing about this season has been easy for Los Angeles.
According to Lakers forward D.J. Augustin, Vogel has managed to keep the team together by preaching "toughness."
"As long as we believe in each other, it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks," Augustin said, per Faigen.
This probably isn't mere lip service. In recent wins over the Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors—teams poised to make the Eastern Conference playoffs—it was clear that the Lakers haven't given up on the season.
Despite all of the adversity Los Angeles has faced this year, Vogel has at least managed to prevent the team from imploding. That probably won't be enough to save his job should L.A. bow out early or fail to make the playoffs entirely. However, it should be enough to earn Vogel some respect on his way out the door.
"difficult" - Google News
March 22, 2022 at 10:04PM
https://ift.tt/JGW8Afe
Lakers News: Latest Coaching Rumors, LeBron Discusses Difficult Season and More - Bleacher Report
"difficult" - Google News
https://ift.tt/gqdoNbQ
https://ift.tt/rmhwy4g
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Lakers News: Latest Coaching Rumors, LeBron Discusses Difficult Season and More - Bleacher Report"
Post a Comment