The weighty decisions facing Frank Vogel after another Game 1 loss

The weighty decisions facing Frank Vogel after another Game 1 loss – The Athletic https://t.co/6O0hX6IKmG

— LakerTom (@LakerTom) September 6, 2020

Will he continue to lean on big lineups after the Lakers were unable to capitalize on their size advantage? Will he continue to trust Rajon Rondo after the veteran guard’s spotty performance in his first game action in nearly six months?

Vogel has had a fairly charmed first year with the Lakers, blazing to the Western Conference’s best record behind an MVP-caliber season from James and an All-NBA campaign by Anthony Davis. For that, Vogel finished fifth in Coach of the Year voting. The nature of his arrival in Los Angeles, and the string of candidates who turned down Rob Pelinka before he offered the position to Vogel, is a distant memory.

But the spotlight burns hot in the playoffs. And the decisions Vogel makes over the next 48 hours will help determine whether Friday’s loss was a blip, akin to the Game 1 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, or a sign of real trouble.