How can the Lakers maximize their final 24 games?
More Malik Monk and Austin Reaves, @jovanbuha writes.
“They should each be playing 25-plus minutes every night.”https://t.co/qcR3x8skAT pic.twitter.com/EfEWk8qhEF
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) February 25, 2022
“Monk and Reaves should each be playing 25-plus minutes every night.”
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February 25, 2022 7 Comments
Both should start tonight. Maybe Dwight too.
Russ, Monk, Lebron, Stanley, and Dwight starting 5 ideally for tonight? I feel like SJ/Dwight would both be better starters than Ariza who still seems a bit slow moving.
lol, who are these people? That’s just about what they average as a tandem…
Reaves: 21+ mpg
Monk 27 + mpg
That took me all of 78 seconds to look up and I don’t work for a fancy sports rag.
Anyhow, I think the better way to frame the notion this guy is trying (I think?) to convey is that Reaves and Monk need to play when the game is on the line. These guys should be crunch time players unless someone else is having a career night of some sort or is on point defensively.
These blanket statements aren’t going to help the team. We need to re-think our crunch time line up and start guys who give us a chance to compete from the jump. So, to me, that means no Ariza as a starter, no DAJ at all, Dwight should see a larger role with AD out but then go back to match up-based role, and Bradley should come off the bench to back up Monk. Reaves should play down the stretch unless AB has it going or all three of them could play 1-3 and Melo and LBJ to close games out.
This entire play Reaves and Monk more really boils down to play Austin Reaves (21.3 mpg) a lot more and Avery Bradley (23.8 mpg) a lot less. I’d like to see Monk playing close to 30 mpg, Reaves 25 mpg, and Bradley
Without AD, the Lakers 9-man rotation should LeBron, Russ, Reaves, Monk, Johnson, Howard, Horton-Tucker, Anthony, and Bradley 16 mpg. If the Lakers are going to go anywhere, Monk and Reaves need to play more minutes and Bradley fewer. That’s the point of the post.
The time Vogel has wasted with players who analytically can’t cut it is depressing. Hopefully, he’s finally seen there’s no salvation in playing AB. Monk, Reaves, Johnson, THT, Melo. And LeBron and Russ. We need all out best from these guys and smart lineups from Vogel.
And for Gods Sake, Frank. Do not play Jordan.
We also don’t need to be experimenting with different lineups and combinations. We’ve only got 24 games left and probably at least half without AD.
This is the stretch run. Everybody knows who should start and who should play.
Option 1: Russ, Monk, Reaves, Johnson, James
Option 2: Russ, Monk, Reaves, James, Howard
I think we need Dwight’s against the Clips, the Pels, and the Spurs. Not as important against the Mavs, Powell isn’t an offensive threat but still Dwight for rebounding. The Warriors plays small and LeBron destroys Wood and the Rockets. And the Wizards LeBron can handle Thomas Bryant as well. Monk should get full starter minutes. We need a 2nd scorer with AD out on the 1st unit. Reeves should get more as well.