Lake Show Life
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Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James is gone for weeks… What’s next

By Ronald Agers

Mar 20, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) is helped up by Los Angeles Lakers guard Wesley Matthews (9) and Los Angeles Lakers guard Alex Caruso (4) after injuring his leg in the second quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) is helped up by Los Angeles Lakers guard Wesley Matthews (9) and Los Angeles Lakers guard Alex Caruso (4) after injuring his leg in the second quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /
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Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /

Frank Vogel has to get it together on some of these rotations with LeBron and AD out!

After the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA title, LeBron James went through a list of people that deserved some respect. Frank Vogel was on that list. Well, the NBA world will definitely know if this guy can coach or is he an older version of Luke Walton when he filled in at Golden State when the Warriors went 73-9 in 2016.

Lake Show Life had been on record criticizing Vogel’s rotation decisions since the first game of LAST season. But examples of this discussion don’t have to go back 24 hours. Let’s start in the backcourt.

Wesley Matthews:

Wesley Matthews was shooting the ball great to start the game knocking down three shots from distance in a two-minute span.

https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1373366485196763136

Now understand Wesley Matthews was in a major shooting slump. He had a six-game stretch of just 3 points total this season at his lowest point. If there was the time to let the man play, this was it. Soon after, Vogel sat him down and Wes didn’t attempt another shot until late in the third quarter. He never scored again while attempting only two shots in 18 minutes of playing time total.

Now let’s look at Kentavious Caldwell-Pope…

  • KCP is the starting shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. Okay, DUH!
  • KCP averages 7 points a game on seven shots. This is with LeBron James in the lineup.
  • KCP scored the same amount of points (Zero!) as the Lake Show Life staff putting this report together and you the reader following this on 5 shots that weren’t even close. 

Would it shock you that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope played more minutes at 21?

Oh, it doesn’t stop there. How about the frontline decisions? Here’s a comment from a reader wondering where Damian Jones was for the second half.

Bossman:

"Why was D. Jones not in the game in the second half? He could at least help on the rebounding front when you play small ball and can’t shoot…"

The Los Angeles Lakers were bullied on the backboards by John Collins (16 rebounds!) and Clint Capela (16 rebounds!). Even though the Lakers outrebounded Atlanta, those two combined for 11 offensive rebounds that turned into instant second-chance points.

In 15 minutes, Damian Jones had 9 rebounds (3 offensive!) and was active enough to warrant more minutes. Oh, by the way, Damian does not miss shots. Jones made 15 of his 16 field goal attempts since being signed to two 10-day contracts. Make that 16 of 17…

https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1373359736402284546

Assuming the Lakers keep Jones (No decision as of this writing!) on the roster, Vogel needs to figure out a way to use Jones’ athleticism in Davis’ absence. Marc Gasol is not going to get better as the season goes on and Montrezl Harrell is too small to lean and stop opposing centers.

Speaking of Montrezl Harrell, the next few weeks is probably not what he took a major pay cut for. Will he play hard? Sure. He was the only source of offense for the Lakers with 16 points in dominating fashion. Read on to see what the Lake Show Life staff is worried about.