PHOENIX — The Suns are entering their first NBA In-Season Tournament with a 12-8 record, good for fourth place in the Western Conference but not where the team wants to be in search of its first-ever championship. Coach Frank Vogel, who coached the Los Angeles Lakers to a 2020 championship, is playing his former team as the Suns face Los Angeles on the road in the 2023-24 NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinals.

Vogel's Lakers had a top defensive rating (2020-21) and No. 3 ranking (2019-20, the championship season) before he was fired after the 2021-22 season. Vogel was hired by the Suns, majority owner Mat Ishbia and general manager and president of basketball operations James Jones to replace Monty Williams in June.

Here is what Vogel said about the Suns' quarterfinal knockout round. He compared it to NCAA men's basketball's “March Madness,” or the Division I tournament, for the single-elimination.

“You don’t really see that in the NBA, because of the seven-game series and nature of that,” Vogel said. “You get Game 7s, but that’s not quite the same. I just think it’s an exciting thing for all fans.

“I know that our players and our coaching staff and organization, owner, is really excited about what this is going to look like. These guys, it doesn’t matter what they’re playing, if they’re playing a game of cards, whatever, they’re highly, highly competitive individuals. So they want to win whatever competition is in front of them. It'll be exciting to see.”

The Suns play the Los Angeles Lakers at 8 p.m. MT. The quarterfinals will be televised by TNT following the Milwaukee Bucks' home contest versus the New York Knicks.

Here is what guard Devin Booker said about facing the Lakers.

“Missing any game is tough,” Booker said (he missed the Suns' losses to the Lakers Oct. 26 and Nov. 10, the 122-119 loss to Los Angeles in Phoenix in the in-season tournament group play). “I'm excited for this one. I know they're playing well as of now, they're back healthy. They have their roster back, so it'll be a heavyweight match in LA. A lot on the line. Winner goes to Las (Vegas), so I think everyone's looking forward to it. It'll be fun.”