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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Robert Marvi

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham will use new starting lineup vs. Thunder

Losers of four games in a row and five of their last six, the Los Angeles Lakers need to find something that will spark them once again and result in wins in bunches.

They made a lineup change about six weeks ago when head coach Darvin Ham moved Austin Reaves to the bench and promoted forward Cam Reddish to the starting five. At the time, the Lakers were 3-5, but the move resulted in 12 wins in their next 16 games, including the in-season tournament final game.

Now, with the team set to face the dangerous Oklahoma City Thunder, Ham is making another move. He will start LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish and Jarred Vanderbilt versus Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and crew.

Ham apparently is doing so to give the Lakers more length and disruptors on defense, and to also help jump-start their transition game, which often seems to be their bread and butter on offense.

Vanderbilt hasn’t been in the starting lineup since last season’s playoffs. He is still a poor 3-point shooter, but other than Davis, he’s probably L.A.’s best and most versatile defender.

Perhaps another reason for this change is the struggles of guard D’Angelo Russell. He is shooting just 37.5% from the field and 27.5% from 3-point range in December.

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