MY ACCOUNT
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel slammed his side’s performance in Tuesday’s 128-110 loss to the Dallas Mavericks as they slipped out of the play-in spots.
The Lakers, who were without LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (foot), slumped to 11th spot in the Western Conference with a 31-44 record.
In the race for the final play-in spot in the west, the Lakers are behind the San Antonio Spurs, who have the same record but are ahead on the tie-breaker.
The Lakers trailed by as many as 37 points in the Mavs defeat where Luka Doncic (34 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists) recorded a triple-double.
Vogel labelled the performance as “not good enough in any way” and refused to be drawn into discussing their slide outside the play-in positions.
“The standings are the results,” Vogel told reporters. “We have to keep our focus on the process and the work and the things that are going to lead to our next win. That’s the only place that our focus will be.”
He added: “We always learn from every game. It won’t be any different despite the huge deficit in this game.”
James has been outstanding on an individual level this season, leading the NBA for points per game at 30.1 ahead of Giannis Antetokounmpo (29.9) and Joel Embiid (29.9).
The four-time MVP’s absence was felt against the Mavericks, with the Lakers slipping to 4-13 since the All-Star Break.
“With those guys [James and Davis] out, we’re at a talent deficit, so the focus and execution has to make up for it,” Vogel said.
“This is just the latest dose of adversity that this year’s team has faced. We’ve been playing some really good basketball of late.
“When you lose Bron, okay, you have to adjust yet again throughout a season of setbacks. We have to find footing. We didn’t find it in the second half the other night and we certainly didn’t find it.”
