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LOS ANGELES — If an 82-game season can guarantee a team one thing, it’s disruption. And the Lakers have already had their fair share in just eight games.
Los Angeles forward Ziaire Williams missed the last three games with left foot soreness before being made active ahead of their 138-117 win against the Miami Heat on Monday. Williams, who impressed in the starting lineup to open the season, came off the bench for Jake LaRavia.
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It could have been injury management. It could have also been matchup-dependent against the ever-so-powerful Giannis Antetokounmpo. LaRavia started in Williams’s place during the three games he missed. Not only did the starting lineup with LaRavia hold up, it outperformed the opening night lineup.
Head coach JJ Redick is aware of what the numbers say, but assures that it’s more about the team’s overall balance rather than LaRavia simply being a better fit with the lineup than Williams.
“I just feel like there’s balance with those lineups,” Redick said pregame on Monday. “With Luka [Dončić] and [Austin Reaves] being the primary creators and [Walker Kessler]’s rim rolling and running. The other guys being able to guard multiple positions. … It’s not surprising to me that Jake being in that lineup with those guys is good for us, because there’s intrinsic knowledge with what we’re trying to do. Just having another guy out there who knows our stuff has been helpful.”
It’s the balance Redick has been trying to manage since the Lakers turned over their roster this offseason: meshing the new with the old. It’s a process that will take patience and time, as he’s been lamenting so often this season.
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But the results have been good nonetheless. In 51 minutes over four games when Williams shares the floor with the starters (Dončić, Reaves, Kessler and Matisse Thybulle), the Lakers have a 135.5 offensive rating and a 115.1 defensive rating for a 20.4 net rating. When LaRavia has been in Williams’ spot, those numbers surge to a 144.3 offensive rating, a 90.0 defensive rating and a 54.3 net rating in 37 minutes.
Folks, those numbers are ridiculous.
For all the talk of balance…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/lakers-starting-lineup-crushing-teams-075956000.html
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Publish date : 2026-11-03 07:59:00
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