– Tyson Chandler
After the loss to the Cavaliers, Luke Walton hinted about lineup changes that he hoped would spark the team. He did end up making two switches to the starting five, as Tyson Chandler replaced JaVale McGee and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope replaced Josh Hart.
Even though the Lakers didn’t get off to a great first quarter, they didn’t dig themselves into a hole early on as they have recently. The 19-18 lead at the end of the first wasn’t pretty, but it is a lot better than being down 10 points.
As the starting center, Chandler performed well for the Lakers. He didn’t have a ton of stats in the box score, but he provided some great defense and a lot of effort on the glass. Overall, Chandler totaled eight points, three rebounds, and two assists in 26 minutes. While those stats don’t jump off the page, Chandler was able to have the highest plus/minus in the game at +19. While it’s not a perfect statistic, it might have been the best indication of what Chandler to the floor on Tuesday.
With a lot of hustle plays on the offensive glass, Chandler certainly helped the Lakers in this one. Since the Lakers got the win, expect to see Chandler once again in the starting five on Thursday against Oklahoma City.