Frank Vogel: Rondo Is “Going To Help Us”

In his first game back since joining the Lakers inside the Orlando campus, Rajon Rondo had an inconsistent showing in Friday’s Game 1 Western Conference semifinals blowout loss to the Rockets.

The former All-Star totaled eight points, four assists, and three rebounds, but the Lakers seemed overmatched with him on the court. Coming off a thumb fracture in July, it’s fair to expect some rust from Rondo, but the timing is far from ideal, as the Lakers face a seven-game postseason series against a dangerous Houston squad.

Yet, Lakers head coach Frank Vogel feels the NBA-champion point guard will be a factor for L.A. throughout the series, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin writes.

“Rajon is one of the smartest players in the league, and obviously our guys’ IQ raises when he’s on the court, so he’s definitely going to help us this series,” Vogel said.

Rondo’s inclusion is just one of several roster crunches to watch as the small-ball Rockets lineup wreaked havoc on the bigger Lakers team, which has prompted reports of Anthony Davis increasing willingness to play center.

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