Frank Vogel wants more movement and unpredictability in Lakers attack | NBA

Frank Vogel isn’t too keen on discussing tactics, but the Lakers coach opened up after his team’s preseason. With six losses in six games, the Los Angeles troops have work to do, both in attack and defense, and the technician confirms that there is a real change in offensive philosophy this year.

“We are more fluid in our attack this year. We encourage more randomness and more cuts, just to keep the defense on their toes (with) less predictability ”, he detailed.

More cuts to compensate for a lack of shoot?

As Silver Screen & Roll notes, this adjustment to the more “rigid” game of the past two seasons, where the Lakers were looking to put LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the best conditions to score, or serve shooters, is arguably linked to the need to integrate Russell Westbrook, who does not have a reliable outside shoot.

But for Frank Vogel, this is not the only motivation behind this change.

“We want to free the elbow (the areas on both sides of the throw line) as much as we can and if that means Russ and Rondo are going to cut that way, so much the better. If that means Carmelo Anthony, Malik (Monk) or K-Nunn (Kendrick Nunn) are higher, that’s great too. We want to leave as much space as possible for our creators. With an emphasis on the movement behind the cuts, and all the variations with the set of guys. “

Even if the coach ensures that it is not totally linked to Russell Westbrook, the idea still seems to offer a maximum of space for the 2018 MVP to be effective, even on placed play, by using it in cuts to the circle when he does not have the ball in his hands.

Especially since if DeAndre Jordan really starts the games, he will have to deal with a lack of “spacing”.

Offensive reflexes to be reworked

Except that obviously, it takes work because, as Frank Vogel explains, it’s a matter of reading. Friday, the Lakers thus worked these situations 5-against-0, in order to put in place the right offensive reflexes.

“We’ve gotten so used over the years to have the teams focus on us when we bring the ball in transition.”, also explained LeBron James about his duet with Russell Westbrook. “The defenses are set up early, don’t want us to get into the painting. Now when we’re both on different sides of the pitch, if one of us is carrying the ball and the defense moves to that side, a quick change to the other side allows us to attack without that three or four players are not watching us. It’s just constant pressure that we’re going to put on the defense. “

Frank Vogel admits all the same that this freer attack may take time to set in, and may “Create a little uncertainty” in some players, but he believes that his group is smart enough to integrate it, especially as an attack that is too frozen is necessarily easier to anticipate and control.

“In recent years we’ve been focusing our game a lot on low post isolation, and we will do that again this year because of the weapons we have, but I think you see in the whole league that when there is more space and chance, it’s hard to contain. We’re just trying to enjoy it a bit ” he concludes.