Before the Lakers’ 109-95 Game 3 win over the Suns, head coach Frank Vogel implored his team to be more active on the bench. With the Lakers hosting their first playoff game in eight years, and the series tied 1-1, Vogel felt the energy displayed in a pivotal Game 3 would be infectious.
The difference in Game 3 was stark. The Staples Center crowd certainly helped. The bench’s elation peaked around the 7:40 mark of the fourth quarter. LeBron James had just isolated Jae Crowder and missed a fadeaway jumper. Kyle Kuzma battled on the glass to keep the possession alive, knocking the ball out of bounds off Phoenix to set up a baseline out-of-bounds play.
