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Los Angeles Lakers: 2 ways to get Russell Westbrook going vs Phoenix

By Kevin Germany

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 12: LeBron James #6 and Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers on the basketball court together during the second half of a preseason basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center on October 12, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 12: LeBron James #6 and Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers on the basketball court together during the second half of a preseason basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center on October 12, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

Adjustment #2: Put as many of Russell Westbrook’s minutes with LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the bench as much as possible

Westbrook will thrive in a lineup playing alongside Carmelo Anthony, a big man, and two other viable three-point shooters (e.g. Malik Monk and Kent Bazemore) who can run the floor. It makes sense to give LeBron and AD their rest midway through the first and third quarters while Westbrook engineers the offense.

If Frank Vogel wants to be especially adventurous, he can experiment playing LeBron at the 5 and recreate the Micro Ball version of the Houston Rockets.

Westbrook is still a terror in transition, as long as the paint stays open for him. There is just no stopping him when he is attacking the basket with a full head of steam.

Against Phoenix, making this lineup change will be crucial. Phoenix’s point guard Chris Paul always slows down the game. Paul normally comes out of each game midway through the first quarter.

His replacement, Cam Payne, plays at a much faster pace and is very aggressive in transition. It makes sense to deploy the Lakers hyper-speed lineup featuring Westbrook while CP3 is on the bench. I think Payne can be goaded into speeding up the game faster than where Phoenix’s comfort zone normally lies.

When CP3 returns at the start of the second and fourth quarters (almost always in place of Booker), Westbrook can sit.

Then the Lakers can go to Vogel’s preferred lineup featuring the LeBron/AD/Rondo trio. AD can take advantage of when Phoenix rests Deandre Ayton at the start of the second and fourth quarters without Westbrook’s lack of shooting getting in the way of the offensive spacing.

Conclusion

Ultimately, reconfiguring the lineups is the best way to uplift Russell Westbrook as he adjusts to becoming a Laker. Analyzing Frank Vogel’s playing rotations would be a separate article altogether.

But for the upcoming Lakers-Suns game, Vogel can start the game by putting Westbrook in the post and continue the game with him pushing the pace.

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