A lot can change in 2 seasons. At the end of the 2019-2020 NBA season, Frank Vogel and the Los Angeles Lakers were named NBA champions. And now, the Los Angeles Lakers have been eliminated from playoff contention for the season. Vogel and the Lakers had a terrible season, full of poor performances. But Vogel doesn’t think that the Lakers were eliminated because of a lack of effort.
A disappointed Frank Vogel spoke to the press after the Lakers lost to the Phoenix Suns. He noted that while he and the team are quite upset about the loss, he thinks that the team worked hard and fought till the end. The circumstances surrounding the Lakers this season, especially on the injury front, really made things difficult for them, as the Lakers had no choice but to play the cards they were dealt (0:10 onwards).
"It's not been due to a lack of effort…we just fell short through a disjointed season. We're all disappointed." Frank Vogel with @LakersReporter on the #Lakers missing out on the 2022 playoffs. pic.twitter.com/i2dnV0HxZx
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 6, 2022
“Extremely disappointed. Disappointed for our fanbase, disappointed for the Buss family who gave us this opportunity. And we want to play our part to bring success to the Lakers. We fell short, we were eliminated tonight. I can say its not been due to lack of effort. We have put in the work, our guys stayed fighting till the end, I know we have games left, but in terms of being eliminated. Brought integrity to the process, we just fell short through a disjointed season. We’re all disappointed.”
Vogel has been heavily criticized this season for the way his team has played. Frank Vogel has always been considered a defensive coach, and in the last 2 seasons, his teams were one of the best in the league on the defensive end of the court. But this year, their defense was absolutely shambolic.
Many expect Vogel to be dismissed as the head coach in the offseason. Vogel’s stint with the Lakers started off extremely successful, winning a championship in his first season. But after 2 seasons of getting knocked out in the first round and then missing the playoffs altogether will most likely cost him his job in LA.
