Lakers News: Players Talk Opening Loss, Vogel on Westbrook, LeBron Talks Defense

As the Los Angeles Lakers prepare to face the Phoenix Suns on Friday, plenty of focus remains on Tuesday night's opening loss to the Golden State Warriors.

We learned a couple of things on Tuesday night. The Warriors look ready to jump right back into the playoff mix, and after a winless preseason, the Lakers loss disappointed plenty of people—including offseason acquisition Russell Westbrook,

However, Lakers veterans LeBron James and Anthony Davis know that it's only one game of a long NBA season—both lost in their Los Angeles debuts—and that now is not a time to be discouraged.

Here, we'll examine some of the latest comments from the Lakers on the opening-night loss, Westbrook's development and L.A.'s defense.

James and Davis Tried to Reassure Westbrook

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So, things didn't go as expected for Westbrook in his Lakers debut. The two-time scoring champ had just eight points, shot 30.8 percent from the floor and missed all four of his three-point attempts. That's not good, but Davis told Westbrook told Davis that he's been in the same situation.

Davis shot 38.1 percent in a 10-point loss to the Los Angeles  Clippers in his debut.

"My first time, I sat next to LB, he looked at me, and he said, 'You're fine, this is Game 1,'" Davis said, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "He's laughing. He's joking on the phone. And I'm like, 'Why am I upset then?' ...it's the same thing with Russ. And I told him the same thing. 'I'm the same way you were.' We said some things to him, and he smiled and things like that, so I expect him to be better in the game Friday."

James believes that the pressure of debuting for his hometown team may have impacted Westbrook.

"There probably was just a lot going through his mind, being a kid from L.A. and watching the Lakers growing up and then however many years down the road and now you're putting on a Laker uniform and you're stepping into Staples Center," James said, per McMenamin.

James knows a thing or two about playing for his hometown team.

The reality is that this was only one game, and while Westbrook didn't have the instant impact that some might have expected, there's plenty of time for him to right the proverbial ship.

"I just don't want him to be so hard on himself," James said, per McMenamin.

Frank Vogel Says There Will Be an "Adjustment Period" with Westbrook

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

It's important to remember that it also took time for James and Davis to find their chemistry. They lost their first game together, then rattled off seven straight wins and went on to win an NBA title. There's no guarantee that things will be the same this time around, but coach Frank Vogel admitted that it's going to take time for Westbrook to settle into a support role.

"Him more than anybody, it's going to be an adjustment period," Vogel said, per McMenamin. "He's coming into our culture, our system. He's the new guy, and he's got to find his way. It's difficult, when you're used to being the guy who has the ball most nights, to be able to play off of others like Bron and AD. ...He's going to be great for us, but it's going to be an adjustment period."

After years of being the centerpiece of the offense, being the third fiddle to James and Davis probably is a little foreign to Westbrook—though not entirely so. Westbrook was once the third star on an Oklahoma City Thunder team that also featured Kevin Durant and James Harden.

It may take some work to get back into that mindset, but Westbrook has already shown the ability to thrive as a role player.

Part of the responsibility lies with Vogel too. He's going to have to figure out how to best utilize Westbrook—a task that will require its own adjustment period. In time, Vogel should find the right way to utilize Westbrook in this lineup.

James Believes That Defense Was the Biggest Issue in Game 1

Ringo H.W. Chiu/Associated Press

Sure, losing after carrying such high expectations into the season hurts, but one loss doesn't mean that it's time to panic or that L.A.'s roster isn't championship-caliber—though some certainly think otherwise.

"The Lakers are a FLAWED team and they were as advertised last night," Fox Sports Radios' Ben Maller said on the Ben Maller Show. "They were trying to win with an outdated business model. The Lakers are old and antiquated technology."

The Lakers do need more from their supporting cast and more out of Westbrook. According to James, however, lackluster three-point defense was the biggest reason L.A. dropped its opener.

"We struggled with the 3-ball. We had that neutralized through three quarters," James said, per Maximo Gonzales of Lakers Nation. "They did a good job in that second lineup of coming in and getting the 3-ball going. They had 55 points off the bench. ...That team challenged us."

Los Angeles lost by seven to a Warriors team that can get hot and score points in bunches—and it did get hot late on Tuesday. There's no shame in that, especially for a roster playing its first full game together. It takes time for players to learn to play team defense effectively, and we're very early in the process.

The Warriors shot 35.9 percent from beyond the arc on Tuesday. The Lakers cannot allow that to happen if they hope to beat good teams with any consistency. However, Vogel is a defensive coach, and he should help correct the issue in the coming weeks.

Losing stinks, but Los Angeles now has a better idea of what to work on moving forward. Expect to see a much better showing against the Suns.