At the heart of the heated discussions surrounding the Lakers’ disappointing season, Frank Vogel could come out with a big smile from the convincing match delivered by his Lakers against the Jazz on Monday. However, indiscretions concerning him logically had to prevent him from celebrating this success too abundantly!
As soon as he arrived in the City of Angels, during the summer of 2019, observers all agreed on the philosophy that the Lakers were going to adopt under his command. Coach primarily defensive since his debut on the bench of the Pacers, Frank Vogel did not take long before printing his paw on his new team. Champions 2020 thanks to their defense, the Angelinos have however forgotten their identity in recent weeks.
Vogel spared the Lakers… for how long?
With an average of 123.4 points conceded per game over their last 5 outings, LeBron James and his teammates had the mission to correct the situation against the Jazz on Monday. The mission was not going to be easy against the best attack in the league, but was brilliantly accomplished by the Purple & Gold. Winners 101-95, the latter would have even saved the skin of their coach according to Bill Oram and Sam Amick!
According to sources, when the game between Lakers and Jazz began on Monday night, Vogel was training to save his job after narrowly avoiding being fired the day after the 37-point loss to Denver, 48 hours earlier. If such a scenario had repeated itself against the Jazz, many believe that this match would have been Vogel’s last.
The stakes of this meeting were therefore colossal for Vogel. Fortunately, his proteges were able to get him out of trouble with a most satisfactory performance. Applied and concentrated during the majority of the match, they therefore extended the mandate of the 48-year-old coach… by at least a few hours. It will indeed take several such performances to completely protect him, according to the insiders of de The Athletic !
Vogel, who took the Lakers to the title in 2020 and whose contract runs until the 2022-23 season, is being evaluated game by game and remains under threat of being fired very soon if progress does not continue. , according to sources. The impact of Monday’s win on the pressure around him is yet to be determined.
Something to contribute to the already ultra-thinking climate that currently reigns in LA…
Frank Vogel therefore had a good escape against Utah, but remains on an ejection seat at the Lakers. A heavy home defeat against the Pacers on Wednesday, for example, could cost him his job!
