The parallels between this team and GS before they turned into this championship team are really amazing. Everyone thought Curry and Clay would be good players, and Green would be serviceable, and the system turned them into a monster.
The terrible starting lineup lost us the game ... second time it happened after the SAS one. I guess Luke is having a long term approach instead of winning games at all cost ... whereas I struggle more about this approach after being deprived of Lakers ball for 3 seasons ...
I don't see how starting a different lineup would have made a difference. We're so thin because of injury right now, those players would get significant time anyway, so you might as well try to keep the synergy of the bench in tact as much as possible, because the bench has been what's winning us games.
Agreed, he's just way too shorthanded right now. I mentioned this in another thread, but can't we call up Vander Blue who is playing well right now for the Defenders on a 10 day contract to fill in while Russell, Young and Calderon heal up? We could use another guard desperately. I hate seeing MWP out there on the court.
i could be mistaken, but I believe you can't start signing guys to 10 day contracts for a few months. Someone correct me if i'm wrong.
Ah, just looked it up and it looks like the soonest we could call up a D Leaguer like Vander Blue would be early January per the D League rules: "30. How do 10-day NBA contracts work? Each season, from early January to early April, NBA teams can sign free agents to 10-day contracts. A player can be signed to a maximum of two consecutive 10-day contracts before a team must either sign him for the remainder of the season or release him." We might be closer to full strength by then. But if Calderon and possibly Young still aren't back by early January it might be a good idea to pick up Vander Blue until they are.
The reason I mentioned splitting up the bench is because one of JC and Lou needs to be on the court at all times.
We've got too many guards out injured for that to happen. Ingram has to pull guard duty, so someone has to pick up those minues at the 3.
My gal Tania with a good article on Luke's boy Brian Keefe ..... Lakers assistant Brian Keefe helps school young pros, and Kevin Durant sings his praises http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-brian-keefe-20161206-story.html
Lou and or JC need to be in that starting unit. We need scoring and play-making in that first unit. Huertas can come off the bench (preferably with JC who has a little more size to guard the 2 than Lou)...Houston goes small a lot. Nance being back is a very good. Now that Tarik is out, I wouldn't be opposed to running Randle and Nance out there for extended periods of time.
Just keep those hands out of the cookie jar when Harden drive to the rim. James loves to stick/hook his arm into the defender.