{"id":60251,"date":"2023-12-24T08:30:39","date_gmt":"2023-12-24T13:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=60251"},"modified":"2023-12-24T01:41:12","modified_gmt":"2023-12-24T06:41:12","slug":"lakers-news-new-lineup-breaks-losing-streak-plus-gabe-vincent-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2023\/12\/24\/lakers-news-new-lineup-breaks-losing-streak-plus-gabe-vincent-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers News: New Lineup Breaks Losing Streak, Plus Gabe Vincent Update"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After the Lakers\u2019 four-game losing skid, Head Coach Darvin Ham decided enough was enough and made an interesting lineup change. He moved the polarizing <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/russeda01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>D\u2019Angelo Russell<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to the bench in favor of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jamesle01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>LeBron James<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at point guard. Russell joined ex-starter-turned-sixth-man <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/reaveau01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>Austin Reaves<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> off the bench, while\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/v\/vandeja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>Jarred Vanderbilt<\/b><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0was inserted into James\u2019s spot at power forward.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Darvin Ham on the lineup change, where they\u2019re bigger and more athletic on the perimeter:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUntil we figure out the pieces, at the end of the day you have to have something to hang your hat on, and we chose to lean into the defensive side of the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LakersReporter\/status\/1738706027221078285?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">December 23, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How did this lineup perform against the no. 2 OKC Thunder, and what did it mean for the rest of the rotation?<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Lakers News: New Lineup Breaks Losing Streak, Plus Gabe Vincent Update<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>Evaluating the New Starting Lineup<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Lakers emerged victorious over OKC Saturday night, 129-120, thanks in large part to James\u2019s dominance. The King finished with 40 points (13\/20 FG, 5\/5 3PT, 9\/9 FT), seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/davisan02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>Anthony Davis<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> remained excellent, tallying 26 points and 11 rebounds against <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2023\/12\/23\/chet-holmgren-named-western-conference-player-of-the-month\/\" target=\"_self\">ROTY favorite<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/holmgch01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Chet Holmgren<\/strong><\/a>. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/princta02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>Taurean Prince<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (10 points, six rebounds), Vanderbilt\u00a0<\/span><b><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(two points, six rebounds, one steal, one block), and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/reddica01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Cam Reddish<\/strong><\/a> (four points, seven assists) also made their marks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LA\u2019s first unit allowed the offense to revolve around James as the true point guard while he was surrounded by players who could score inside and out. This was crucial against OKC\u2019s troubling zone defense. The group finished with a net rating of 9.7 (114.3 offensive, 104.5 defensive) and a true shooting percentage of 50.8%. They also grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds\u2014including eight defensive boards.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SpectrumSN\/status\/1738770481430368345\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Head Coach Darvin Ham<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was impressed by the new lineup\u2019s play on both ends:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cJust having that size and physicality out there. Being able to switch on pick and rolls, basically 1-5, was really, really, really good\u2026[OKC] got really hot, extremely hot, in that first half\u2014the first quarter in particular, making six threes\u2014but we weathered the storm [and] bounced back with a great defensive quarter in the second quarter. We buckled down and set the tone [for] the rest of the game\u2026Overall, we maintained our composure and were able to get things we wanted to get on both sides of the ball.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their playmaking was equally impressive, as James, Reddish and Davis had seven dimes apiece\u201421 of LA\u2019s 37.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Darvin Ham says that running the offense through LeBron in the starting lineup was &quot;great.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>He was also pleased with the Lakers&#39; ball movement overall and ability to take care of the ball.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LakersNation\/status\/1738764782059266414?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">December 24, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overall, this Lakers lineup proved successful against a top Western Conference team, but it\u2019s unclear if it will stick around against other contenders.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>The Impact on the Rest of the Lakers\u2019 Rotation<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The changes made by Ham significantly affected the rest of LA\u2019s rotation, mostly for the better.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">LA\u2019s minutes breakdown with the new lineup\/rotation:<\/p>\n<p>AD: 41<br \/>LeBron: 37<br \/>Rui: 29<br \/>Austin: 28<br \/>Taurean: 28<br \/>Cam: 27<br \/>Vando: 24<br \/>DLo: 17<br \/>Hayes: 6<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jovanbuha\/status\/1738762342111089127?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">December 24, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Russell bounced back with 15 points on 5\/9 shooting from the field and 3\/6 from three. Reaves impressed once again with 11 points and nine assists. But the best Laker off the bench was <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hachiru01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>Rui Hachimura<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, who dropped 21 points on 8\/14 shooting. The changes to the starting lineup allowed players like Russell to bring new life from the second unit. The Lakers\u2019 bench\u2014staggered with James and Davis\u2014was key towards scoring 71 points in the half\u2014their second-highest this season.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emphasizing size and versatility in the starting lineup proved well for the rest of the Lakers. Russell and Reaves thrived next to each other while Hachimura made the most of his opportunities. One sticking point, however, was Ham\u2019s decision to play <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hayesja02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>Jaxson Hayes<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014who tallied one assist in six minutes\u2014over <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/woodch01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>Christian Wood<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014a proven contributor who\u2019s accepted his reduced role with grace. Otherwise, the rest of the team played close to perfection, aside from allowing the Thunder to nearly come back in the fourth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The recent changes were essential in turning things around for the Lakers. Though James may not be able to drop 40 in every game going forward, he was put in a better situation to succeed, and the purple and gold capitalized on a must-win game.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Lakers put the ball in LeBron &amp; AD\u2019s hands w\/ the starting group &amp; then shuffled in their 2nd through 4th best offensive players against bench units where they had less resistance. Whether that\u2019s a formula for success long term remains to be seen, but it worked well vs. OKC.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Darius Soriano (@forumbluegold) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/forumbluegold\/status\/1738787927755563491?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">December 24, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><b>Success Amid Setbacks: Gabe Vincent Considering Surgery<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Lakers\u2019 success comes after more concerning news surrounding <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/v\/vincega01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>Gabe Vincent<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The veteran guard, who sat out last night\u2019s game due to swelling in his left knee, is now considering surgery that could sideline him for 6-8 weeks.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent is strongly considering surgery on his left knee with a timetable of 6-to-8 weeks, league sources tell <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheAthletic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@TheAthletic<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Stadium?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@Stadium<\/a>. Vincent rehabbed for almost two months for return, but the swelling is back and procedure is now a real likelihood. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/pIkbvXnT5G\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/pIkbvXnT5G<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ShamsCharania\/status\/1738714973281333466?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">December 24, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vincent logged 14 minutes against the Bulls on Wednesday, finishing with three points, three assists and a rebound. The Lakers have been\u2014for the most part\u2014just fine without him, though he was expected to add more scoring and playmaking to an already deep roster. He was also considered one of LA&#8217;s big signings, agreeing to a three-year, $33 million contract in the offseason.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assuming Vincent stays with the Lakers beyond the 2024 trade deadline, he would likely return in the middle of February. That&#8217;s right before the Lakers face the Warriors, Spurs, Suns, Clippers and Wizards to wrap up the month. For now, however, his absence leaves the Lakers with one less guard, as fans worry if this is a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/n\/nunnke01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>Kendrick Nunn<\/b><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nba\/heat\/miami-news\/gabe-vincent-drawing-kendrick-nunn-comparisons-following-potential-surgery-announcement\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">situation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> all over again.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After the Lakers\u2019 four-game losing skid, Head Coach Darvin Ham decided enough was enough and made an interesting lineup change. He moved the polarizing D\u2019Angelo Russell to the bench in favor of LeBron James at point guard. Russell joined ex-starter-turned-sixth-man Austin Reaves off the bench, while\u00a0Jarred Vanderbilt\u00a0was inserted into James\u2019s spot at power forward. Darvin [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4265,"featured_media":60255,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,26,62],"tags":[240,4556,1683,307,3839,4921,2941,38,1749,1383],"class_list":["post-60251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-lakers","category-nba","tag-anthony-davis","tag-austin-reaves","tag-cam-reddish","tag-dangelo-russell","tag-darvin-ham","tag-gabe-vincent","tag-jarred-vanderbilt","tag-lebron-james","tag-rui-hachimura","tag-taurean-prince"],"modified_by":"Jordan Pagkalinawan","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4265"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60251"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60251\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}