Lakers tried something new and the Rockets made them pay: 'It's super tough' https://t.co/tm1W4mBi6K
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) September 6, 2020
The Lakers trailed the Houston Rockets by only six points at the start of the fourth quarter when they tried a lineup that had never played together in a game.
Kyle Kuzma, Rajon Rondo, LeBron James, Markieff Morris and Dwight Howard took the court together.
Against that lineup, the Rockets quickly increased their lead to 12 before the Lakers made substitutions. Houston ultimately put together a 16-3 run to start the quarter on the way to winning Game 1 of their second-round playoff series, with the Lakers’ only points coming from a three-pointer by Rondo, who was playing his first game in the bubble after having surgery on a broken thumb.
“It’s super tough,” Morris said when asked about the difficulties of learning a new lineup during the playoffs. “But in the playoffs anything can happen, you’ve just gotta be ready to play when your number’s called. Coach trusts us, that’s why he put us out there. We’ve just gotta be better. If we can’t score the ball, we at least gotta be able to get stops … be physical.”
Howard played the first 2:53 of the quarter as the Lakers’ deficit grew to 15 by the time he left the court. Both Howard and Rondo declined to speak with reporters.
At the end of that run, the Rockets had a 19-point lead. The Lakers’ inexperience together, though, was not something they chose to emphasize.
If you really want to understand why Frank Vogel is a big part of the reason why the Lakers lost Game 1 to the Rockets, read this article. Dumb move by what may be a dumb coach.
Starting Rondo and Howard was a move doomed by any measure of coaching acumen. It makes me question Frank Vogel’s ability to make intelligent decisions. if you want to experiment, at least try something that makes logical sense, that you’ve used before at least once, that has solid reasons why it might succeed. Starting Rondo and Howard doesn’t qualify as smart, savvy, or even having a chance to succeed.
Offensively, starting two non-shooters just plays into the Rockets’ hands and makes it easy for them to clog the lane and prevent LeBron from attacking. The result was LeBron’s worst 4th quarter in the playoffs. Vogel’s move handicapped the Lakers’ offense and allowed the Rockets to put the game away and double their lead from 6 to 12.
Vogel needs to make the right adjustments tonight or we will be come the Bubble Bucks. The Lakers need a coach who’s not afraid to make changes regardless of whether that upsets players on the roster. McGee, Howard, and Rondo should not play tonight. Not in this series against this Rockets team.
Defensively, starting a center who is like a fish out of water trying to cover shooters at the three point line was stupid. Compounding it by also starting the worst perimeter defender on the team was almost criminal. Just like on offense, Frank left the Lakers to play 3 on 5.
I’ve been a pretty solid supporter of Frank Vogel’s this season but moves like this that actually cost the Lakers a game they could have won are unacceptable. I also think it’s unacceptable that no one on his staff screamed bloody murder and that he didn’t immediately make a change to stop the bleeding before it was too late.
More of the same and Lakers fans will understand the pain Bucks fans are feeling right now with a coach who still tcoach Bud’s moves will cost Milwaukee Giannis. Vogel’s move could cost the Lakers a second round exit and similar chaos. Make changes now, Frank, or your job will be in jeopardy.