LeBron James made good on his promise that the Lakers would be better. Magic Johnson got his wish that his old team would play harder. And with a 101-95 win over the Utah Jazz, the Lakers answered the social media challenges levied by two franchise icons as they scramble to salvage their championship hopes and get their season back on course.
While what was seen as a back-and-forth between James and Johnson played out publicly for all to see, sources say that behind-the-scenes it was Lakers coach Frank Vogel who was under fire more than ever before.
By the time the Lakers and Jazz tipped off on Monday night, sources said, Vogel was coaching for his job after he narrowly avoided being fired in the wake of the 37-point loss in Denver 48 hours earlier. Had a scene like that repeated itself against the Jazz, many believed it would have been Vogel’s last game.
Vogel, who coached the Lakers to a championship in 2020 and whose contract runs through the 2022-23 campaign, is being evaluated on a game-to-game basis and remains at risk of being fired soon if the progress doesn’t continue, sources said. It’s unclear how much Monday’s win relieved the pressure that surrounds him.
With the Lakers (22-22) now seventh in the West and the midway point of the season behind them, sources say the organization’s decision-makers are closely monitoring the key question of whether Vogel still has command of the locker room.
Monday offered yet another opportunity for a reset for the Lakers, and it came with plenty of style and energy.
