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Lakers head coach Frank Vogel admitted Saturday that he was considering moving Dwight Howard to the Lakers’ starting lineup for Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets, but will stick with it instead. the unit he has worn in most of the NBA playoffs. : JaVale McGee will remain the starter for at least one more game.
Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports broke the news.
The Los Angeles Lakers intend to keep JaVale McGee in the starting lineup for WCF Game 2 against the Denver Nuggets, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
– Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) September 20, 2020
Vogel’s decision to consider starting Howard came after the veteran’s impressive performance against the Denver Nuggets in Game 1. At 4:26 PM on Friday, Howard scored 13 points on 4-5 shots from the field to accompany 3 rebounds, 2 steals. and 2 blocks. That’s not a bad night for Howard, but to see his true value in Game 1, you have to go beyond the traditional box score.
According to NBA.com, the Lakers only allowed 78.8 points per 100 possessions with Howard on the court in Game 1, which was the team’s highest defensive rating. With Howard off the court, the Lakers allowed 131.3 points per 100 possessions.
By contrast, the Lakers allowed 145.5 points per 100 possessions in the 11 minutes McGee was on the court and 106.5 points per 100 possessions without him. When the point spread is so staggering, it is not a coincidence, even if it is a small sample size.
McGee has been shocking for the Lakers against other teams this season, but it’s not a good matchup with Nikola Jokic, who makes a living bullying rival centers at the post. Howard may not be the brick wall he had in his prime, but he’s still very strong and has the defensive knack to keep Jokic honest. That would have been the argument for starting it, and that’s why the Lakers may continue to do that in the future. Instead, Vogel will keep that card up his sleeve for at least one more game.
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