Are you one of the Lakers fans grumbling about seemingly strange lineups or the minutes distribution? Would you like to read a probably-too-long analysis of all that? https://t.co/6jM4MbE03Y
— Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) January 29, 2021
“A lot of our games are also just like big practices for us, too,” he said. “We have to learn on the fly and Coach is still learning different lineups and seeing what combinations work, what combinations don’t work. Myself, I’m out there playing with certain lineups – certain lineups I don’t play with, certain lineups I do play with. … It’s all a learning experience and all of us are trying to figure it out.”
– New players need time to blend in
– Seniority matters on this team
– The Lakers know what they have with certain lineups already
– At least one player has a relevant contract situation
– Vogel believes switching roles helps keep certain players invested
So yes, new and unfamiliar lineups are a learning experience. But back-to-back losses in Philadelphia and Detroit don’t portend fatalism for a team that’s still off to one of the best starts in the NBA. The lineup situation is worth monitoring, but it’s not yet one to make Laker fans start tearing their hair out. There are usually more influences than meet the eye.
Speaks to what my post was about. The quarter mark will start to show us what lineups work and what ones don’t. Frank has shortened the rotation of late with THT getting a few DNP-CD in favor of more minted for the vets. That’s smart for a few reasons. Better to feature the vets in the hope more a tweak trade than THT whom the Lakers will likely not want to shine as brightly as he can this season so we can extend him for cheap next summer.