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Frank Vogel is positive about the Los Angeles Lakers, despite a winless 2021-22 preseason campaign. The 48-year-old stated that the Lakers team has scope for improvements on the defensive end. However, Vogel says that he has seen a lot of growth in the team's performances throughout the course of the six games.
The Lakers underwent some big changes in the offseason as they let go of some key players from their championship side. But that helped them make space for stars like Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony Davis, Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard.
Vogel also said he saw flashes of what the Lakers would look like on opening night. Speaking in a post-game interview after the loss to the Kings, he said:
"Well I think our pace is really good, you know I think we are really committed to it and in these preseason games, our guys are really playing to exhaustion. You know, which is what we're asking of them, you know when you push the pace and your legs get a little... you're tired tonight, but your legs get stronger tomorrow. You know pushing through that stuff and playing through the exhaustion in these last couple of preseason games is going to make us stronger on opening night. I still think we gotta long way to go on the defensive end and you know with getting everybody integrated and up to speed with how we do things, but every time we touch the floor there's growth and development."
The Lakers showed glimpses of their brilliance. However, stunning performances from De'Aaron Fox and the rest of the Kings roster led to a 116-112 loss for the Purple and Gold.
LeBron James looked to be in great offensive flow on the night as he scored 30 points while shooting 60% from the field. He will be looking for a similar performance on opening night when the Lakers take on the Warriors.
Can Frank Vogel lead the Los Angeles Lakers to another championship this year?
The Los Angeles Lakers are the hot favorites to win the championship this year. They have a stellar team with the likes of Westbrook, LeBron and AD spearheading the roster. Many have written them off because of the age factor. However, with the talent on the roster, age is unlikely to come into play.
Frank Vogel is a coach who is known to take a lot of pride in his defense. He created a splendid team with the Lakers in the 2019-20 season and led the franchise to their 17th NBA championship. Although the 2021-22 preseason has been a bit of a disappointment, Vogel is confident that the team will compete in the regular season.
With injuries to a few vital players like Talen Horton-Tucker and Trevor Ariza, Vogel does have a few problems ahead of opening night. But the Lakers have a lot of depth in their team and still have enough resources to put up a good showing to start the season.
As the season progresses, Vogel will get a clearer picture of the ideal starting lineup. The team is a championship-contending team this season. However, if they want to repeat their exploits from the 2019-20 season, they will need to maintain a healthy roster for the entirety of the year.
Guess the Lakers players!
