New Lakers Starting Lineup Struggles in Debut Against Clippers
Although the Lakers secured a comfortable 122-97 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night, there were still some issues to address.
The Lakers dominated the game thanks to a strong performance from beyond the arc. Despite ranking among the bottom five teams in 3-point shooting (12.1 made per game) for the 2024-25 NBA season, they managed to surpass their usual performance.
On this night, Los Angeles made 18 3-pointers, shooting 48 percent from long range, contributing to a high-scoring offense that shot 55 percent overall from the field.
However, the starting lineup was not a major factor in this win. Though Luka Doncic’s eventual arrival will likely shake up the unit, it’s still worth noting the struggles of the starters in this game.
Underwhelming Performance from the Temporary Starting Unit
Coach JJ Redick deployed a starting lineup of LeBron James, Dorian Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes, and Austin Reaves. This group played the second-most minutes together but ended the game with a negative performance.
Although it’s just one game, the starters posted a net rating of -7.9, with a concerning 126.7 defensive rating. This indicates potential issues with this unit that need attention moving forward.
The Lakers’ most successful combination involved mixing in some bench players. When considering lineups with at least five minutes together, the most effective group included James, Finney-Smith, and Hachimura alongside Shake Milton and Dalton Knecht.
This unit recorded a net rating of 46.7, with an impressive offensive rating of 126.7 and a defensive rating of 80.0 over eight minutes together. This was the longest the Lakers’ most efficient lineup stayed on the court during the game.
A noticeable aspect of this group was the absence of a traditional center, as the Lakers used spacing effectively to compensate for the lack of size.
Among the lineups that included Hayes and played a minimum of five minutes, one combination proved to be positive in terms of net rating. Hayes also finished the game with a +14 in box plus/minus, which makes it unfair to overly criticize his role.
However, Redick may want to consider using less traditional lineups and leaning more into a “positionless” style of play, especially when a big man isn’t essential to the team’s success.