Lakers coach Frank Vogel has been informed by the group’s administration to coach star guard Russell Westbrook as he sees match, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, even when it means benching Westbrook on the finish of video games.
ESPN’s report on the assurances given to Vogel by the entrance workplace comes after Westbrook was pulled for the ultimate 3:52 of Los Angeles’ 111–104 loss the Pacers on Wednesday evening.
Westbrook logged 14 factors on 5 for 17 capturing in 27 minutes on Wednesday evening.
Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reported after the loss that regardless of the Lakers being 1–4 of their final 5 video games and 22–23 on the season, the group is not going to be making a personnel transfer at this juncture and Vogel will coach the group on Friday vs. the Magic.
“The teaching workers has been nice,” star ahead LeBron James mentioned after the loss. “They put us in place to succeed and it’s up to us to exit and deal with the enterprise. So, there’s at all times issues all of us can do higher.”
Requested, nonetheless, if Westbrook was sad about being benched, James replied, “Have you ever adopted Russ’ profession?”
Earlier this week, The Athletic‘s Sam Amick and Invoice Oram reported that Vogel’s standing because the Lakers coach was in jeopardy amid the group’s current struggles. Per The Athletic, Vogel is beneath hearth greater than ever earlier than and is teaching for his job, having almost been fired following Los Angeles’ 37-point loss to the Nuggets on Saturday.
Vogel agreed to a contract extension with the Lakers in August, after having amassed a 94—49 regular-season document in his first two seasons with the group. He has additionally recorded a 18—9 document within the postseason with the Lakers, having guided Los Angeles to the seventeenth championship in franchise historical past.
Nevertheless, with a roster that has handled accidents and has restricted flexibility, Los Angeles at present sits tied for seventh within the Western Convention.
Per The Athletic, the group’s decision-makers are carefully monitoring the important thing query of whether or not Vogel nonetheless has command of the locker room. In late November, NBA reporter Marc Stein also noted how there was rising buzz in teaching circles about rising stress on Vogel following the group’s 10–10 begin to the yr.
Lakers-Magic is ready to tip-off at 7 p.m. ET on Friday.
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