LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.– Down 0-1 in their first-round NBA playoff series with the Portland Trail Blazers, the Los Angeles Lakers lineup might look a little various for Game 2 on Thursday (9 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Point guard Rajon Rondo, sidelined the previous 5 1/2 weeks with a fractured thumb on his right-hand man which needed him to leave the bubble to undergo surgical treatment, was upgraded to doubtful for Game 2 by the group.
” Rondo is working actually difficult to return and well have him back when hes ready, not in the past,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said after practice Wednesday. “Were going to note him as questionable, which by definition means 50-50.”
Vogel loaded appreciation on the 14-year veteran.
1 Related” Anytime you have somebody who has the ability to create like Rondo does, that assists your offense,” he stated. “Certainly Rondo would help everything we do.”
L.A. might utilize the help. The Lakers spent a portion of their practice time in a spirited film session, dissecting tape from their underwhelming 100-93 loss in Game 1 in which L.A. shot 35.1% from the field, 15.6% from 3 and 64.5% from the nasty line.
” Everybody was talking,” stated Lakers center JaVale McGee, rattling off LeBron James, Danny Green, Alex Caruso and Rondo among the most opinionated. “Whenever Coach starts movie he always says its not a great film session if everybodys peaceful, coaches and players. We tend to be vocal.”
Kyle Kuzma wasnt shy about speaking up about his function when asked about the starting lineup, all but volunteering his services to join the Lakers very first unit that found itself down by 9 points in the very first quarter Tuesday prior to Vogel made a substitution.
” Its me being confident stating, Yes, but Im not the coach,” Kuzma stated when asked if he might assist the starters. I just kind of just do whatever they ask me to do. Playing with effort, playing with enthusiasm, and if they call on me to begin, then clearly you guys have actually seen what Ive done, what I do, I just come in and just attempt to be myself.
Vogel would not reveal if he had any lineup modifications prepared, but acknowledged that a regular-season rotation doesnt constantly work in the playoffs.
” Its appropriate when needed and in any series with any group, it would be something that I consider and evaluate based on a particular match,” he said. “The method you started throughout the course of a season isnt constantly how you remain throughout a seven-game series. However as a 1-seed and the group with the very best record in the West, I believe in the lineup that we have. But, you understand, well continue to examine all of that stuff game to game, much like we would in any playoff series.”
If Kuzma gets the nod, it would mean Anthony Davis would shift to the 5 and McGee, who began all 68 games he bet L.A. this season– plus the playoff opener– would come off the bench.
Portland outscored the Lakers by 5 in the 21 minutes in Game 1 with Davis at the 5 and Kuzma at the 4. L.A.s offense shot a little better than its entire video game output– 41% (16-of-39)– but was 0-of-11 from 3.
” Everybody was talking,” said Lakers center JaVale McGee, rattling off LeBron James, Danny Green, Alex Caruso and Rondo amongst the most opinionated.” Its me being positive saying, Yes, however Im not the coach,” Kuzma said when asked if he could assist the starters. I simply kind of just do whatever they ask me to do. Playing with effort, playing with interest, and if they call on me to begin, then clearly you guys have seen what Ive done, what I do, I just come in and simply attempt to be myself. You know, well continue to examine all of that things video game to game, just like we would in any playoff series.”
However, throughout the routine season, the Davis-Kuzma frontcourt pairing had a net rating of plus-3.8 points per 100 ownerships in a much larger sample size (406 minutes), according to data compiled by ESPN Stats & & Information.
Davis, who shot simply 8-for-24 in Game 1, flourished in particular with that pairing, averaging 29.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per 36 minutes on 57% shooting.
McGee mentioned that by him remaining the beginning center, Davis “gets to play the position that he truly wishes to play which is the 4.”
He acknowledged that the Lakers do succeed with Davis inhabiting that position.
” I actually feel like both ways actually switch up the defenses mindset to where they need to search for both and they dont understand which one to do, when were both in there or if its simply one huge, which is him at the 5,” he stated. “I seem like its excellent that we blend it up and ensure we keep the defense anxious.”
