Despite the accumulation of losses, Frank Vogel assures that the Lakers continue to fight

LeBron James preferred not to appear in front of the press after the meeting, a sign of growing frustration among the Lakers, as we have seen on several sequences during the new defeat of the Californians. The “King” may have scored 30 points (11/19) and grabbed 9 rebounds last night, he did not weigh very heavily in the rout of his home team against the Raptors.

While he was not certain to play the second night of this “back-to-back”, due to a painful knee, LeBron James was finally mobilized for more than 40 minutes. The longest playing time of the match. He thus remained on the floor almost until the end while Toronto led by more than 20 points almost the entire game.

With only 2 wins in 10 games since the All-Star Break, the Lakers seem to have let go, especially mentally. Since the resumption, the group only displays the 26th attack and the 25th defense in the league, in the middle of a group of teams which have nothing more to play (Thunder, Blazers, Rockets, Magic…). Los Angeles nevertheless still hopes on its side to hang the “play-in” and therefore the playoffs but, on the ground, it does not look like it.

” Our guys hung on to the game and kept fighting. They are fighting in the heart of a difficult season. We don’t let go. We don’t get enough shots, we don’t execute well enough. But our guys keep fighting. I think at one point we had the opportunity to close the gap to six points“, yet assures Frank Vogel, whose team actually came back to 9 points (97-106) two minutes from the end. An award-winning field goal, missed, from Talen Horton-Tucker would have reduced the gap to six.

“As if we were falling into a pit every game”

Highlighting the fighting spirit of his team is one thing, trying to understand the disastrous start to the match of his troop, trailing 21-2 after six minutes of play, another. ” It’s almost like falling into an abyss every game.”notes Talen Horton-Tucker, one of the rare satisfactions of the evening (20 points). “We just have to be more consistent from the start and get the better of the teams from the start.“

This was not the case against the Raptors last night, nor the day before against the Suns with… 48 points against in the first quarter (48-22). ” Too often we end up with big deficits.remarks Frank Vogel, whose team therefore has the third worst “Net Rating” (-8.5 points) in the league since the All-Star Game. “This has an impact on the collective and individual state of mind. We’re constantly trying to push guys to be better and coach them hard. It was very difficult but we showed throughout the year that we were able to come together and react.“

It’s unclear what reaction the boss is referring to as his side have won only 3 of their last 14 outings. And the rest promises to be very delicate with seven trips (Wolves, Raptors, Wizards, Cavs, Pelicans, Mavs and Jazz) over the eight matches to come.