The Los Angeles Lakers surprisingly started Matisse Thybulle over Quentin Grimes in the preseason finale against the Denver Nuggets, and everyone immediately saw why that was a mistake. The Nuggets guarded Luka Doncic 94 feet and doubled whenever he had the ball in the halfcourt. They were helping off Thybulle and Ziaire Williams. This led to several turnovers, and LA was down 17-8 after just five minutes before head coach JJ Redick made a change.
The purple and gold need Grimes’ offense. Thybulle has shot 41.1 percent from 3-point range over the last two seasons and has looked confident this preseason, but he offers little else beyond spot-up shooting. Williams scored off a couple of cuts, but Denver virtually shut down LA’s attack to start this one. Once Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili came off the bench, the Lakers got going.
Redick went back to the starting lineup for 105 seconds in the second quarter, and neither team had an edge. The group finished the half as a minus-nine in just seven minutes of action. The Lakers quickly found out what will happen if Redick leans hard into the defense to start games.
Lakers cannot afford to tax Luka Doncic with this workload
Doncic had five first-half turnovers and didn’t return after halftime. His 19 minutes against the Nuggets were like 40. Luka was constantly being doubled, and Denver didn’t give him a bit of space on offense.
The Lakers cannot afford to make things more difficult on their superstar. Luka has led the NBA in scoring in two of the last three years. He is arguably the best offensive creator on the planet. Los Angeles will go as far as Doncic takes them this season. The franchise must make things easier on their star, not more difficult.
The Lakers didn’t have enough space, creation, or offensive skill on the floor to start against the Nuggets. It allowed Denver to play extremely aggressively against Doncic. That is not what anyone wearing purple and gold wants.
Lakers point guard issues had JJ Redick wanting to experiment
The team’s point guard issues have been well-documented this preseason. Collin Sexton is ramping up his workload, but he missed all five games. That has left a shot-creation hole behind Luka and Austin Reaves. The Lakers wanted to see what Grimes could do as a sixth man, but that isn’t his best spot.
LA doesn’t want Grimes as the primary creator on the floor. He is best as a play finisher and tertiary creator. The 6’5 wing should be attacking a shifting defense or hitting spot-up shots. He shouldn’t be the point guard, but he is perfect in a lineup with Doncic and Reaves running the show. Grimes should start to ensure the Lakers offense is one of the NBA’s best this season.
The purple and gold need Sexton. Their offense will have better balance, and coach Redick will have no qualms about starting Grimes.
Lakers need to start Quentin Grimes over Matisse Thybulle
The starting lineup change was surprising after Grimes started the first four preseason games. The 26-year-old shined and looks to be worth every penny of his new contract. Coach Redick is clearly worried about the defense and shot creation behind his stars, but those issues are mitigated by the Lakers having an elite offense.
Thybulle finished with seven points, five rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 25 minutes of action. He made three of seven field goal attempts, including going one of four from 3-point range. The Lakers were outscored by 19 points with Thybulle on the floor in the preseason finale.
Grimes had 11 points, three assists, and two rebounds in 28 minutes. He made four of nine shots, including hitting three 3-pointers. The Lakers needed the offense, and the 6’5 wing helped LA stay in the game throughout.
Thybulle is a better defender than Grimes, but the gap on the offensive end in favor of Grimes is significantly bigger. He should start with Thybulle coming off the bench as a havoc creator on defense. Matisse will force a lot of turnovers and make plays, but the Lakers need Grimes to start to get the offense rolling.
The Los Angeles Lakers found out in the first five minutes against the Denver Nuggets that Quentin Grimes should start over Matisse Thybulle. If there were any questions, Denver answered them. LA needs the offensive boost from Grimes and can’t afford to let teams all out pressure Luka Doncic. Coach Redick tried it, but he must start Grimes on opening night and beyond.
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