Frank Vogel Explains Why He Gave Rajon Rondo So Much Playing Time in Game 1

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel explained why he extended point guard Rajon Rondo’s minutes in Game 1 against the Houston Rockets.

Vogel said the main reason Rondo’s minutes were extended more than he’d planned for was due to the foul trouble for Alex Caruso.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) September 5, 2020

Rondo, who was making his playoff debut for this season, played 24 minutes off the bench in the Lakers’ 112-97 loss on Friday.

Caruso played just 16 minutes, but he picked up five personal fouls. He also added 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting.

The Lakers struggled to score in Game 1, very similarly to the team’s struggles in Game 1 against the Portland Trail Blazers in their first-round series.

The Lakers only scored 93 points in Game 1 against Portland. They scored just 97 on Friday night.

Rondo had eight points on 3-of-9 shooting, but he finished the game with a plus-minus of minus-10.

The Lakers will look to bounce back and even the series on Sunday. They take on the Rockets at 5:30 p.m. PST from the Orlando, Fla. bubble.

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