Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Frank Vogel spoke after the team’s 125-107 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, stepping in for ejected head coach Jason Kidd.
“Yeah, we were trying to challenge a play. They inbounded the ball before we could. We thought we had the right to challenge. He and Scott [Foster] got into it and that led to the ejection,” Vogel said regarding Kidd’s early exit.
On the team’s offensive struggles, Vogel noted, “You’re not going to win too many games by doing that. Starts with offensive execution. Too many lost possessions that led them into those fast breaks and too little resistance when we were trying to get back.”
He cited spacing and transition issues, explaining, “They space you out…playing a five-out system and then they crash from the perimeter. A lot of threes, a lot of quick shots before guys are ready. We’ve got to do a better job there.”
Vogel reflected on his return to coaching midgame, saying, “Riding the bike was comfortable. I tried to get our guys charged up. Made some runs, but ultimately not enough. So disappointing we didn’t get the W.”
Discussing roster instability, he added, “We’ve had a lot of guys in and out of the lineup. That’s the number one thing. It’s tough to establish the cohesion necessary offensively. We’re not quite playing for each other enough, touching the paint, trying to create for others.”
Rookie Cooper Flagg received attention for his effort despite a tough night. “He had a tough night. He’s going to the basket, attacking the rim, and the whistle’s not blowing on a lot of calls. He should be getting to the line more than he is. He’ll bounce back from tonight’s performance.”
Vogel acknowledged the impact of missing key players Anthony Davis and PJ Washington. “It’s tough to win in this league without your best players. Those two guys are critical. You have to find a way—next man up. But not having them puts us at a deficit with the bench, too.”
He also praised bench contributions, saying, “Moussa and Miles Kelly played well. Miles hadn’t played much this year, so we wanted to see what he could do. Moussa’s energy is always a positive, and he had a couple big buckets and strong defensive possessions.”
Vogel concluded on the team’s path forward: “We’ve got to execute offensively, get better at rebounding and resisting fast breaks. It’s a next-man-up league, and we’ll continue working to build cohesion and fight through adversity.”
The Mavericks fall to 14-25 and will host Brooklyn on Monday, while the Bulls improve to 18-20 and head to Houston on Tuesday.
