Game Preview: Vogel using Suns preseason finale against Lakers as a primer for October 24

What: Phoenix Suns (3-1) @ Los Angeles Lakers (2-3)

When: 7:00pm AZ Time

Where: Acrisure Arena, Palm Desert, CA

Watch: Suns Live, NBATV, AZ Family 3TV, AZ Family Sports

Listen: KMVP 98.7 FM

Did you enjoy seeing Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal in street clothes during this second half of the Suns’ previous four preseason games? Put that in the rearview as head coach Frank Vogel is priming his team for the start of the regular season.

“We’re going to play most of our guys,” Vogel said on Wednesday. “Try to get our main guys some second half minutes. I don’t know if we’ll finish the game with them. Try to get them up high twenties/low thirties in terms of minutes. Continue to build their conditioning, get them ready for opening night.”

Oooo. As the insufferable Hans Landa would say, “How exciting!”.

A former Lakers head coach, Vogel takes his new team to Palm Desert, California for their final preseason tune-up prior to the commencement of the highly anticipated 2023-24 season. He will use this as an opportunity to work on the conditioning of his players, and it could provide some more insight as to how he plans to navigate his rotations come the regular season.

The Lakers, a team who was swept by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals last season, enter with high expectations of their own. LeBron James’ career can officially buy a drink at a bar as he enters his 21st season. Anthony Davis is being given the reins and has been anointed by the King to be the catalyst and primary option for this offense. And Austin Reeves, an undrafted player out of Oklahoma, is coming off of a stint with Team USA in the FIBA World Cup. Throw in D’Angelo Russell as their primary point guard, and they believe that they have the fire power and the defensive acumen to be a force in the West.

Starting Lineups

Out/Injured

Phoenix:

• Damion Lee (right knee meniscus) is OUT
• Ish Wainright (right calf strain) is OUT

Los Angeles:

• Gabe Vincent (back) is DAY TO DAY
• Jared Vanderbilt (heel) is DAY TO DAY

What to Watch For

The Suns have played less-than-stellar competition thus far this preseason and, due to teams lacking elite defensive IQ, Phoenix has had the luxury of playing in a much more run-and-gun style of offense. We haven’t seen extensive and complex sets, nor should we. The Lakers will present a much more gritty challenge for Vogel’s troops. We are all excited to see how Booker, Durant, and Beal operate on the floor offensively against a team that had the fourth-best defensive rating after the All-Star break a season ago.

The Suns have played less-than-stellar competition thus far this preseason and, due to teams lacking elite defensive IQ, Phoenix has had the luxury of playing in a much more run-and-gun style of offense. We haven’t seen extensive and complex sets, nor should we. The Lakers will present a much more gritty challenge for Vogel’s troops. We are all excited to see how Booker, Durant, and Beal operate on the floor offensively against a team that had the fourth-best defensive rating after the All-Star break a season ago.

This is also a good opportunity to see how the Suns operate defensively against a talented offensive team. Vogel prides himself on defense and understands that he has a unique challenge before him. “Adapt or die,” he stated before the Suns’ last preseason game when asked about how he adjusts defensively to the modern NBA.

Vogel’s rotational patterns will also be a point of emphasis and curiosity during this game. While starters might not play the entire game, the first three quarters could be a preview of things to expect during the regular season.

Fun Fact

The Suns and Lakers have faced off 10 times in preseason history. Phoenix is 4-6.

Keys to a Suns Win

The key matchup in the game will occur on the interior as Jusuf Nurkic is tasked with guarding Anthony Davis. AD is one of the most athletically gifted centers in the NBA. He possesses length that is nearly unguardable, a smooth jumper that pulls you away from the cylinder, and a maneuverability in the paint that not only results in buckets, but fouls as well. Nurkic is a chronic fouler on the defensive end so we can expect the Lakers to attack him early and often.

Having an ability to slow AD down or negate his effectiveness will be a challenge and Phoenix no longer has someone at the five who can match his athleticism. While a win means nothing, it is wins on defensive positions for Nurkic against Davis that we should be interested in observing.

Prediction

While the Suns will come out and attempt to put pressure on Los Angeles offensively, AD and the Lake Show will attack the interior for the reasons noted above. It will be an even first half despite some Nurkic foul trouble. As Lakers coach Darvin Ham begins to rest his players, however, Nurk will still be getting minutes due to what he missed in the first half. Vogel wants to work on conditioning, right? Nurk will show us some of his intangibles in the second half and Phoenix will ultimately win the game.

Suns 126, Lakers 119