After another comfortable win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Los Angeles Lakers now find themselves at 21-3 to start the 2019-20 NBA season.
Not only do they have the best record in the NBA, but head coach Frank Vogel’s team is also on a potentially historic pace.
If the Lakers remain at this current pace, they would win 72 games. That would break the franchise record for wins (69) in 1972 and would be the second-most wins in NBA history behind only the Golden State Warriors who won 73 in 2016.
That is obviously a long way away and many things would have to go right in order for these Lakers to approach that but more than a quarter way through the season, some are starting to think about it. However, Vogel just isn’t one of those people.
“Not really allowing myself to go there. To me, I wake up every day at 0-0,” Vogel said prior to the team’s win.
“I’m asking my team to do the same and look only at the game in front of us. The media can talk about those things. Internally, we’re really just focused on getting better each day.”
Vogel’s thoughts very much echo those of LeBron James. When asked about it, James was very clear in that he is focused simply on the present and not concerned with anything of this nature. As players and coaches, it certainly makes sense to not worry about those things — only on the immediate task at hand.
The only future goal the Lakers are worried about is winning the 2020 NBA Finals. The 73-win Warriors failed to capture the championship that season, famously blowing a 3-1 lead to the Cleveland Cavaliers and that completely changed the historical context of that team. A championship would’ve cemented them as one of the best teams ever, but now they’re one of the biggest disappointments.
These Lakers could potentially approach that level of success when it comes to wins but in the end, it won’t matter if a championship doesn’t come with it.
Vogel has his team focused on the now and so far it has resulted in the start that is bringing up this conversation so to change that mindset would make no sense.