Vogel benched Westbrook: "Playing the guys that I thought were going to win the game”

timO · Post #61 » by **timO** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 4:55 pm

-Luke- wrote:"Playing the guys that I thought were going to win the game”

Reasonable approach.

yeah he lost the game :lol:

Tottery · Post #62 » by **Tottery** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 4:59 pm

TwoStarz wrote:Vogel you remove one cancer but kept one in?

Carmelo Anthony has no business closing games. This guys IQ or lackthereof has been on full display since his decline started.

Anyone remember when he literally left Levert (who had the damn ball in his hands) to go look for a switch? He was a headless chicken that resulted in back to back threes from the Pacers. First Sabonis then Levert. Oh, not mention the constant targeting on defense for the whole stretch run.

Carmelo sucks, and he has for years. I don't know how this guy is still in the NBA, his only saving grace is that he can shoot. I'd never want this guy to be on my team.

Close the game with 3 shooters (That arent a complete liability on the defensive side), lebron, dwight and I guarantee they win that game.

It made no sense that he benched Dwight and kept him there even while they were getting roasted in the paint. This isn't all that difficult to figure out.

Post #63 » by **magee** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 5:47 pm

Pretty simple overall. Westbrook's been a net negative who doesn't play perimeter defense at all and isn't effective off the ball on offense. Hard to find a role for a guy when you're playing 4-on-5 on both sides of the floor when he's in.

Melo is at least looking like he's trying on defense, even though he hurts more than he helps. Their depth is shallow and they really need to take a hard look at the NBA scouting department, not so much their college/international scouting department. That group has found decent players on the cheap. The NBA side of things thought Westbrook would be a good idea.

Hoping Westbrook takes the benching personally from a basketball standpoint, and not from a psyche standpoint. We'll see.

Marvin Martian · Post #64 » by **Marvin Martian** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 5:53 pm

Flash4thewin wrote:
NyKnicks1714 wrote:
SUPERVILLAIN wrote:

Read on Twitter

This is pretty interesting

The better question is why did it take this long for the Lakers MGT to bless this move?

Because it wasn't MGT; it was Lebron. He was the one who traded for him. This was his mistake and now he is admitting it by allowing Vogel to bench Westbrook

Asianiac_24 · Post #65 » by **Asianiac_24** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 5:56 pm

Westbrook is a losing player and always has been

KnicksGadfly · Post #66 » by **KnicksGadfly** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 5:58 pm

timO wrote:
-Luke- wrote:"Playing the guys that I thought were going to win the game”

Reasonable approach.

yeah he lost the game

Yall been laughing at Vogel for benching Westbrook and still losing.

I'm laughing at Vogel for playing Westbrook 27 minutes, letting him rack up a -18 in his 27 minutes, 5-17 shooting, and then trying to get back into the game by benching him for the final 4 minutes.

Frank Dux · Post #67 » by **Frank Dux** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 6:11 pm

Westbrook has single handedly sucked the fun out of watching basketball for me. I don’t even bother watching anymore.

The Lakers FO, Lebron and AD all get a black eye for recruiting this clown.

MindState · Post #68 » by **MindState** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 6:14 pm

The question now is, can "Playoff LeBron" and a rested AD carry this team to a title. Can guys like Stanley Johnson, THT, Ellingston, Ariza, Nunn, Avery Bradley, Monk, Dwight and Reaves provide them the support they need if Westbrook ends up benched for the season.

phanman · Post #69 » by **phanman** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 6:37 pm

JN61 wrote:He secured the win against Utah and now was benched and they lost. Not surprised really.

What game were you watching? He did not secure nothing, Stanley Johnson was the lone reason they came back in the fourth.

Down 83-77 with 8m remaining in the 4th, the Lakers proceed to go on a 18-6 run ignited by his 10pts and capped off by that huge offensive rebound & kick out to Bradley for a 3 to regain the lead and momentum up 6: 89-95.

PistolPeteJR · Post #70 » by **PistolPeteJR** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 6:44 pm

BeatDaCavs420 wrote:Funny Lebron can't answer questions by the media, but can always run to his twitter.

LOL - guy's been pristine with the media generally speaking for over 19 years, including crazy attention by the media pre-NBA, and "LeBron can't answer questions by the media" when he decides he really has to go for once because he's got a life too.

Nice.

Liam_Gallagher · Post #71 » by **Liam_Gallagher** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 6:45 pm

Bench Melo too. Stanley Johnson and Austin Reeves deserve to play over him.

PistolPeteJR · Post #72 » by **PistolPeteJR** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 6:46 pm

It's amazing to me how this story about the Lakers FO and coaching staff starting to make decisions for the betterment of the team rather than continue to submit to poor "star" play by Westbrook ends up being twisted by the same posters on this forum about LeBron not playing winning basketball, not being a sound leader off the court with the media, and Russ being praised for being this amazing player on and off the court to tear down LeBron lmao.

Frank Dux · Post #73 » by **Frank Dux** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 6:50 pm

MindState wrote:The question now is, can "Playoff LeBron" and a rested AD carry this team to a title. Can guys like Stanley Johnson, THT, Ellingston, Ariza, Nunn, Avery Bradley, Monk, Dwight and Reaves provide them the support they need if Westbrook ends up benched for the season.

I’m not seeing it this year. When the Lakers won in the bubble AD was playing like a top 5 player. He hasn’t shown that fire or hunger since the bubble and is now injured. That title team had shooters and defenders, guys like KCP and Morris were knockdown shooters, and there were reliable defenders in Caruso and Green.

This current roster doesn’t have the scrappiness, shooting, or size to contend.

phanman · Post #74 » by **phanman** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 6:52 pm

Westbrook has posted a negative +/- in the last 5 games (1-4 record) for an aggregate -69 in 143minutes shooting 28.8% (21/73) for 12.4pts/game, attempting only 15 FTA....with an underwhelming 4.2ast/game.

That's your 44m super max player, fellas.

BNM · Post #75 » by **BNM** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 6:53 pm

PistolPeteJR wrote:
BeatDaCavs420 wrote:Funny Lebron can't answer questions by the media, but can always run to his twitter.

LOL - guy's been pristine with the media generally speaking for over 19 years, including crazy attention by the media pre-NBA, and "LeBron can't answer questions by the media" when he decides he really has to go for once because he's got a life too.

Nice.

He also has a job. Post game media access is a requirement of the CBA. The same collective bargaining agreement that allows players to receive $200 million contracts also requires they be available to answer questions after the games. It's part the the job description of being a highly paid NBA player.

Technically, LeBron was briefly available, but ducked out early to avoid answering the question. So, he likely won't be fined for it, but excusing it because "he's got a life too" is lame. Everyone who works for a living has a life too, but how many of them get to duck out of work early because they want to go to the movies?

SunsLyf3 · Post #76 » by **SunsLyf3** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 7:06 pm

Lebron running with the tail between his legs while being asked about Westbrook is golden. This is whom he wanted after all.

baller16 · Post #77 » by **baller16** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 7:08 pm

Lebron f'd up so hard for wanting WB on the team. Idk wtf he was thinking at the time

BNM · Post #78 » by **BNM** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 7:16 pm

phanman wrote:Westbrook has posted a negative +/- in the last 5 games (1-4 record) for an aggregate -69 in 143minutes shooting 28.8% (21/73) for 12.4pts/game, attempting only 15 FTA....with an underwhelming 4.2ast/game.

That's your 44m super max player, fellas.

That's been an exceptionally brutal 5 game stretch by Russ, but he's been pretty bad for the entire month of January. The past couple seasons, Russ has really turned it up beginning around the halfway point. Part of that may be getting used to new teammates, coaches, etc. (and them getting used to him). The Lakers are now past the halfway point of the season with the easiest part of their schedule behind them. The fact that they have a losing record and Russ has a .402 TS% for the month does not bode well.

As bad as Russ has been, I'm not sure reducing his minutes and benching him in the 4th is enough to turn the Lakers season around. His $44 million salary is an albatross of lost opportunity cost and the major reason the Lakers have a compete lack of depth. Especially when they could have had all of Kuzma, Harrell, KCP and Caruso for that same $44 million in salary.

As a result, the Lakers are stuck playing guys like Melo, DJ, Bradley and Bazemore meaningful minutes. I doubt if there is anyone in the Lakers organization that wouldn't undo that trade if they could. And, it gets even worse next year when Russ is another year older and making $47 million.

hippesthippo · Post #79 » by **hippesthippo** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 7:18 pm

BNM wrote:
PistolPeteJR wrote:
BeatDaCavs420 wrote:Funny Lebron can't answer questions by the media, but can always run to his twitter.

LOL - guy's been pristine with the media generally speaking for over 19 years, including crazy attention by the media pre-NBA, and "LeBron can't answer questions by the media" when he decides he really has to go for once because he's got a life too.

Nice.

He also has a job. Post game media access is a requirement of the CBA. The same collective bargaining agreement that allows players to receive $200 million contracts also requires they be available to answer questions after the games. It's part the the job description of being a highly paid NBA player.

Technically, LeBron was briefly available, but ducked out early to avoid answering the question. So, he likely won't be fined for it, but excusing it because "he's got a life too" is lame. Everyone who works for a living has a life too, but how many of them get to duck out of work early because they want to go to the movies?

I mean, he already apologized on Twitter for bringing in Westbrook and it would appear he gave Vogel the green-light to bench his bum ass.

What do you want him to do? Pull a Doc Rivers? The mistake is obvious and has been acknowledged and there really isn't much that the Lakers and LeGM can do about it unless the Kangz randomly decide to trade for him.

BNM · Post #80 » by **BNM** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 7:22 pm

Pharmcat wrote:Lakers should just cut him .

You can't really do that in the NBA. His contract is guaranteed and counts 100% against the salary cap if he's cut. That means you lose the ability to sign other players to the tune of $44 million (prorated) this season and $47 million next year. You'd be tying up a HUGE percentage of your cap space for a player that isn't playing and cannot be traded.

The Lakers committed hard to the (doomed from the start) Westbrook experiment the minute that trade became official. This is the result and they have to live with the consequences.