The Los Angeles Lakers have some lineup decisions to make to help themselves against the Denver Nuggets after losing Game 1.
The Lakers’ three-guard lineup was hampered by D’Angelo Russell’s poor night, raising questions if he should be benched in favor of a larger presence like Jarred Vanderbilt or Rui Hachimura. But the Lakers are worried about ‘losing’ D’Lo after benching him, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN reported.
“Multiple team sources told ESPN that there is concern the team could “lose” the 27-year-old point guard if he views the adjustment as a demotion after starting every other game this postseason. Schroder has already shown he can be comfortable as a substitute, as he didn’t start until Game 6 against Golden State.”
Dennis Schroder has added defensive intensity to the Lakers’ starting lineup, not shying away from being the point-of-attack defender for the team. Russell would better serve as a spark plug off the bench given his recent dip in form, but it’ll be counter-intuitive if a demotivated Russell struggles to perform as a sixth man.
D’Angelo Russell scored 8 points last night on 4-11 shooting. He has averaged 15.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists this playoff run on 44.0% shooting.
How Can The Lakers Address Their Lineup Concerns?
Starting three guards in Game 6 against the small Warriors worked perfectly for the Lakers. The Nuggets are a different challenge, employing a superstar center like Nikola Jokic while having size across their lineup. Jokic dominated the small Lakers lineup, quadrupling their grabbed rebounds in the first quarter singlehandedly.
Jarred Vanderbilt would be the ideal starter in a situation where Russell goes to the bench due to his defensive intensity and rebounding ability. Scoring will not be the Lakers’ strong suit with Vanderbilt, so another option could be Rui Hachimura. He is not a defensive stalwart but adds size and a smooth offensive game that has been compatible with the Lakers’ style.
Versatility isn’t a bad thing and this Lakers roster is extremely versatile. Darvin Ham needs to put together the best rotations possible to contain this deeper Nuggets roster.
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