Frank Vogel benched Russell Westbrook during the fourth quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers' loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.

Vogel had been given assurances that the organization would support him in taking a hard line coaching Westbrook.

One source close to the situation described the message from management to the staff as, "You got to do what you got to do."

Vogel removed Westbrook after he let Caris LeVert blow by him for a layup.

"The coaching staff had repeatedly emphasized the scouting report to take away LeVert's right hand, and Westbrook, guarding LeVert at the top of the key one-on-one, didn't angle himself properly to thwart the drive and allowed LeVert easy access to the paint en route to the hoop," writes Dave McMenamin.