NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: LAKERS VS. NUGGETS

September 18, 2020

Frank Vogel

Los Angeles Lakers

Game 1: Postgame

Los Angeles Lakers 126, Denver Nuggets 114

Q. After Denver scored 38 in that first quarter, what did you see defensively switch to start the second?

FRANK VOGEL: Not being happy with giving up 38 points in the first quarter was the biggest thing. These guys are extremely difficult to guard, and it's going to take some time for us to figure out all the coverages and be sharp with them. We know the coverages but sometimes it takes a little time to figure out a team. And you know, I thought we did ratchet up our attention to detail, focus, physicality, effort in the second quarter and challenged our guys to go have it be one of those games where we go, all right, we gave up a big first quarter. Okay, let's go 20-point quarter, 20-point quarter, 20-point quarter. They responded to that. We were on a path for that. Before obviously the fourth quarter, we didn't play well enough, but they definitely picked up the focus and had a strong defensive night after the first.

Q. What did you do differently this time around to play so well from the get-go?

FRANK VOGEL: Not much. Our preparation was still very, very thorough in the first two series, even though we didn't have success in that first game. We still bringing an enormous attention to detail, to what we have to do to beat our opponent in these playoff rounds. We managed the workload very similarly.

But we just talked about, pregame, that even though we lost Game 1 and won the series the last couple times, we need to get in Game 1. This is a very, very impressive team. We don't want to drop any games, and this was an important game for us.

Q. The fact that you have 35-year-old LeBron, 34-year-old Rondo, 34-year-old Dwight, obviously with that comes the veteran experience, but also you have guys who obviously take care of their bodies. What is the commonality, the common thread you see from those guys in particular, being able to perform still, being in the league this long?

FRANK VOGEL: Yeah, well, I think those guys, you said it: They all take care of their bodies really well. Dwight in particular lost a lot of weight coming into this season. Wanted to change his body because he was having back issues and all that work coming into this year has paid dividends. Rondo works extremely hard. Obviously, LeBron's work ethic is legendary with how he takes care of his body.

Their spirit is young. You know, they continue to really enjoy the game of basketball, really enjoy the process of preparing for an opponent, study a team, thinking things out, working on those things in practice, and it shows up on the court.

Q. In the halftime on the broadcast, they showed you asking the guys, "What is this team known for?" and they all sort of spoke back to you and said, "Second half comebacks." How much did you drill that into, I guess you didn't have that many days to do it, but how much did you drill that into the guys that this is a team you can't feel comfortable around?

FRANK VOGEL: This is an opponent we all greatly respect. Save for the comebacks, we respect what they are capable of doing on both ends of the floor. But to see them go 3-1 in back-to-back series, I don't think has ever been done in the history of the NBA. That’s a historic type of resilient team. We've got to understand that, both with the series lead 1-0 right now, and wherever it goes. But also within games. I think all three of the games they came back in the previous series, they had first half deficits that they overcame in the third quarter. So they are familiar there. We are confident there, and we have to make sure we keep the foot on the gas.

Q. Mike said yesterday he didn't want this to be a track meet. How much of your game plan was just use your speed and physicality and make sure you get those elements going early?

FRANK VOGEL: Yeah, that's what I love about our team. We want to be the most physical team on the floor every time we take the floor, regardless of who we're playing. We have a physical team. We got big, strong guys.

But a lot of times, a team with big, strong guys don't have the speed to match it, and we have the ability to do both. We want to push the tempo. We want to play with great pace, attack this Laker basketball, playing fastbreak basketball, but doing it while exhibiting a great deal of physicality, too.

I was happy with where that was at tonight, but this team, the Denver Nuggets team, they are physical and tough, as well. They are big and strong, and you know, they are mentally tough and this is going to be a tough series.

Q. Just wanted to ask about your assessment of Rajon Rondo's game tonight. Seemed like he made an impact. How would you describe the impact that he made?

FRANK VOGEL: His impact is always measured in swag with our team. He elevates the group's confidence every time he's on the floor. His ability to compete on the defensive end and block out coverages and quarterback that end energizes our group, his voice; his energy.

And obviously his ability to orchestrate and quarterback the offense settles everybody down. And he creates good looks for those around him, and the group usually succeeds when he's out there. Just another stellar Rondo performance for us.

Q. You guys showed your versatility against Houston going smaller to matchup with them. But your strength is obviously your size across the board. Even in the first quarter when they scored a lot, did they have a feel this could be more typical with how they would matchup against this team?

FRANK VOGEL: It is more of a traditional brand of basketball these teams, the Lakers and the Nuggets like to play, than what we saw last series.

But like I've been saying all along, we built a plan to give us the flexibility to play against small teams with Anthony at the five. And play against big teams with our two centers that typically combine to give all-star level production and are stars in their roles.

This is a more traditional series. I should say, they are more traditional defensively. Offensively, they are not traditional with the way Nikola plays and the way Jamal is playing, they are a complete team. They are a pass-first team, and I couldn't be more impressed with the way they play. But it is definitely more traditional.

Q. Despite having a double-digit lead at the half, you made some halftime adjustments. What was behind the decision to start Dwight? Was it what he was doing on the defensive end with the alley-oops?

FRANK VOGEL: I liked his energy. Dwight has a great physical presence out there and this is going to be a physical series. We didn't have a plan to do that going into tonight but I really liked the way he played in the first half and felt like he could make an impact by starting the second half.