The Lakers’ woes proceed.
Amid a disastrous season in Los Angeles, which has been suffering from accidents to star gamers, head coach Frank Vogel discovered a brand new method to anger followers.
Within the group’s final two video games, a 129-118 loss to the Nuggets and a 114-111 loss to the Pelicans, Vogel inexplicably benched Austin Reaves, a fan favourite who has began a number of video games all through the season. The undrafted rookie has endeared himself to the Lakers fan base for his vitality and protection all through the robust season, and has averaged 22.5 minutes per recreation on the yr.
When requested in regards to the benching, Vogel stated it was on account of a “little little bit of the whole lot.”
“Austin’s performed very well for us this yr,” Vogel stated with the group at present on a six-game shedding streak. “While you’re shedding as a lot as we’re shedding, you bought to have a look at various things. He has struggled taking pictures the ball of late and he has proven, some nights, just a little little bit of rookie fatigue, if you wish to name it that.
“I don’t have a insecurity in him however we checked out Avery (Bradley) as a change-up. He performed very well the opposite evening and he’s getting these minutes now.”
It’s true that Reaves has struggled taking pictures the ball recently – within the 4 video games earlier than his benching, he was 3-for-15 from the sphere and 0-for-7 from three. However he solely averages about 5 pictures per recreation, and there's not a lot on the bench behind him. Bradley shot 8-of-10 within the two video games however was a negative-12 over that span. Carmelo Anthony acquired elevated minutes on Sunday, and shot 1-of-7 from three.
Followers had been upset with Vogel’s choice to go away from Reaves totally, an occasion that was not the primary time the coach has pissed off Lakers trustworthy.
At 31-47, the Lakers at present sit within the eleventh seed within the Western Convention – two video games out of the play-in event. With simply 4 video games left within the common season, it appears doubtless Los Angeles will miss the playoffs for the second time since LeBron James joined the group 4 years in the past.
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