Lake Show Life
Fansided

Creative Lakers starting lineup change that can spark a 0-3 comeback

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 20: Darvin Ham of the Los Angeles Lakers look at LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets in game three of the Western Conference Finals at Crypto.com Arena on May 20, 2023 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 Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 20: Darvin Ham of the Los Angeles Lakers look at LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets in game three of the Western Conference Finals at Crypto.com Arena on May 20, 2023 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 Harry How/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Lakers lost their first home game of the NBA Playoffs on Saturday night and it was a consequential loss. Now the Lake Show finds itself down 0-3 in the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets.

Los Angeles would have to do something that no other team in NBA history has done to advance to the NBA Finals. Even worse, the Lakers would have to do it without home-court advantage against a team that has not lost at home in the NBA Playoffs thus far.

What makes this 0-3 deficit so frustrating is the fact that the Lakers could have definitely won all three games. The purple and gold were either in striking distance or in the lead late in the game and just couldn’t execute to get it done.

That might give some fans confidence in LA’s ability to do the unthinkable in this series. But if the Lakers are going to make history, it might take some creativity from Darvin Ham and Co. If Ham does want to spice it up then there is an interesting starting lineup he could throw out.

Creative Lakers starting lineup that can spark a 0-3 comeback:

  • LeBron James
  • Austin Reaves
  • Jarred Vanderbilt
  • Rui Hachimura
  • Anthony Davis

The three-guard lineups have gotten exposed and even when the Lakers run two or one guard it has been an issue. Denver is simply too big and the Lakers do not have a guard who can defense well. D’Angelo Russell has been a liability and Dennis Schroder has not been much better.

If the Lakers want to experiment then the team could go with a really big lineup that has LeBron acting as the de facto point guard. Having LeBron makes this possible and he controls the offensive flow fo the game for most of the possessions anyways, so this is not a big ask.

Plus, Austin Reaves also has some playmaking ability and can take over as the secondary playmaker in this lineup. LA isn’t really losing any playmaking by implementing this lineup.

Going from Schroder or Russell to Vanderbilt is a decline offensively, particularly at the three-point line. But the difference that Vando can make on the defensive end could make up for it. It isn’t like Schroder or Russell are shooting particularly well, anyways, so the team would not be sacrificing much.

Vando has the ability to defend the perimeter and can serve as the primary Jamal Murray-stopper. Reaves can defend on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, LeBron can defend Michael Porter Jr, Hachimura can defend Nikola Jokc and Davis can defend Aaron Gordon/serve as the defense’s free safety near the rim.

Will the Lakers make this change? Probably not. But with how this series has gone, it does not hurt to try.

Next. 22 players the Lakers gave up on too early. dark

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