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Rajon Rondo

Four Changes Frank Vogel Could Make to Improve the Lakers Starting Lineup!

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There’s a reason why Los Angeles Lakers’ fans and pundits continue to call for Frank Vogel to change his starting lineup against the Houston Rockets. Without fans and home court, the Bubble Playoffs are all about matchups.

It might be a different story if the Lakers had a dominant offensive center like Shaquille O’Neal who could even the slate and make the Rockets pay for going small but that’s not JaVale McGee’s or Dwight Howard’s strength. Regardless of what Vogel contends, JaVale and Dwight are not the right matchups against a Rockets’ team that spreads the floor, plays five-out basketball, and transforms them into liabilities on offense and defense.

What’s frustrating for Lakers fans and pundits is Vogel’s continued refusal to bench JaVale McGee against the small ball Rockets despite the fact he has not played well either in the regular season seeding games or the playoffs. In the seeding games, he averaged 4.6 ppg and 5.1 rpg in 15.3 minutes with a -8.1 plus/minus and -23.8 net rating. Against Houston, he’s averaged 2.0 ppg and 2.5 rpg in 10.3 minutes with -1.5 plus/minus and -5.0 net rating.

Despite the critics, the poor performances, and the devastating stats, Vogel still claims McGee and Howard will be major factors against the Rockets. Here are four changes he could make to improve the Lakers’ starting lineup:

1. Kyle Kuzma replaces JaVale McGee.

Davis at the five and Karma at the four has been the Lakers’ favored closing lineup to finish games for most of the season so it makes sense to use this lineup to make sure the Lakers start each game and half with their best five. Replacing McGee with Kuzma would enable the Lakers to match up on defense with the Rockets’ five-out offense and conversely let them spread the floor and create spacing on offense for LeBron and AD to attack the rim.

2. Markieff Morris replaces JaVale McGee.

The beauty of starting Morris for McGee is the Lakers not only add a 3-point shooter and perimeter defender but Markieff can also play center, which allows Anthony Davis to remain at his preferred power forward position. Morris may not be the elite defensive rim protector McGee is but he brings an offensive versatility and defensive toughness to the center position that gives the Lakers a better matchup against the small ball crazy Rockets.

3. Rajon Rondo replaces JaVale McGee.

The most remarkable stat of Playoff Rondo’s last two games is that he did most of his damage alongside rather than without LeBron James. In fact, the Lakers’ top three 5-player lineups had Rajon and LeBron together. There’s a strong case based on those stats for Frank Vogel to consider starting Rondo next to James to optimize that relationship. Playoff Rondo starting could be the key to the Lakers winning the championship.

4. Alex Caruso replaces JaVale McGee.

The often overlooked and underappreciated combo guard Alex Caruso deserves to be in the discussion as his numbers confirm he is the Lakers’ best perimeter defender and has the team’s best defensive and net ratings. Starting Caruso would give the Lakers another fast and quick defender who does a great job staying in front of his man and has the ability to shoot fthe three, attack the rim, and make plays for teammates on offense.

Since Lakers’ head coach Frank Vogel did not start JaVale McGee in the second half of Game 3, the big question is will he do the same for the start of Game 4, when he went small and started Markieff Morris instead? Frankly, that might be the most comfortable adjustment for Vogel to make since Morris plays excellent defense, allows the Lakers to dominate the boards, and can create spacing by stretching the floor for LeBron and AD.

Since Rajon Rondo is likely still on a some form of minutes restriction and Kyle Kuzma and Alex Caruso have well defined roles off the bench, my bet’s on Frank Vogel starting Markieff Morris in Game 4 like he did in Game 3.

How Changing the Style of Play When Going Small Could Transform Lakers!

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I really like these lineups. Talk about a deep and talented offensive and defensive team. WOW!

This is right starting mix based on resume and salaries. Hard to argue with it. Surrounding two superstars LeBron and AD with 3 players who shot over 38% from deep is the first true modern starrting linep the Lakers have ever had.Two superstars and three great role player.

Five shooters, Three elite playmakers. Our best passing center ever? LeBron James. Anthony Davis. The 5-man combination of space creators, playmakers, and defenders is scary good.

I always hated it when the coach deliberately replaced a players who should start with one that shouldn’t just to get firepower to the bench.

Or to maintain a two big starting linep. And Gasol is a major upgrade at center in many ways, BBIQ, playmaking, shooting. The JaVa;le McGee starting center experiment that became unplayable.

You should start the four players who score double-diget points and get paid double-diget salaries. Almost stupid not to.

Especially when you look at the firepower and defense AC, Wes, Lyle, and Keef bring to help Trezz defend. And surrounding Trez with four shooters to creat space to attack.

Why Playoff Rondo Could Be the Real Deal & Answer to the Lakers’ Prayers

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There’s no Lakers’ player more controversial or polarizing to the team’s fans and pundits than 34-year old point guard Rajon Rondo and no basketball urban myth more chimerical and illusive than the legend of Playoff Rondo.

Yet that’s exactly what we just witnessed as Playoff Rondo posted 10 points, 9 assists, 5 steals, and 3 rebounds with just 1 turnover to help the Lakers beat the Rockets 117–109 in just his second game in the Bubble Playoffs. Considering Rajon had missed the Lakers’ eight regular season seeding games and five first round playoff games due to thumb and back injuries, watching him come out and rock Playoff Rondo was totally unexpected.

On the other hand, maybe we should have had faith in legend of Playoff Rondo. After all, the last time he had a chance to play in the NBA playoffs was in 2018 when he led the underdog Pelicans to a sweep of the Blazers. Rondo averaged 11.3 points, 13.3 assists, and 7.5 rebounds in 35.4 minutes while shooting 48.7% from the field, 42.9% from deep, and 80.0% from the line and posting an impressive plus/minus of 10.5 and net rating of 13.7.

Playoff Rondo’s performance against the Blazers in 2018 was not just an isolated performance as Rajon’s career playoff stats have always outpaced his regular season stars, confirming he plays best in the heat of the playoffs.
Rondo’s career regular season averages are 10.2 points, 8.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 steals in 31.0 minutes while his career playoff stats are 13.9 points, 9.3 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.9 steals in 37.4 minutes.

But the legend of Playoff Rondo is more than a statistical aberration. It has to do with the swag and confidence he inspires when he’s on the court and the way he efficiently runs the offense and smoothly distributes the ball. While hypercritical fans and pundits may bemoan his stats and analytics, Rajon has earned the full trust and complete confidence of Lakers’ head coach Frank Vogel and superstar duo LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

The Lakers won last night’s pivotal game against the Rocket largely because Playoff Rondo showed up. His +28 plus/minus and +46.7 net rating not only led the Lakers but he was part of the team’s four best 5-player lineups. While the Rockets are likely to continue disrespecting his gravity behind the 3-point line, there’s little question Playoff Rondo is a huge difference maker on the floor with LeBron James or when the King is resting on the bench.

JaVale McGee’s unfortunate injury and the way the Lakers played when going small with Rondo in the lineup may have opened the door to Vogel finally making a change in the Lakers’ starting lineup for Tuesday’s game. Frank has been reluctant to change his starting lineup but JaVale’s injury and Rajon’s play may have given him the opportunity to make a change that could empower the Laker by starting Playoff Rondo at point guard.

One thing Vogel cannot discount is how Rondo takes pressure off of LeBron James to be both a primary scorer and playmaker for the Lakers. Rondo running the offense unleashes LeBron to be in full-time attack mode.

And that’s exactly what the Lakers need to get past the Houston Rockets.

Could the Return of Rajon Rondo Lead To Changes in Lakers Starting Lineup?

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Despite being the most polarizing player on the Lakers, the return of Rajon Rondo from injury could be the missing catalyst that triggers head coach Frank Vogel to make substantive changes to the Lakers’ starting lineup.

Rondo could not only give the Lakers desperately needed playmaking when LeBron was on the bench but also when playing alongside him to relieve his playmaking load and allow him to focus more on attacking to put up points. In addition to their shooting woes, the Lakers have seen LeBron’s individual scoring decrease significantly as his playmaking responsibilities increased, which Rondo could help alleviate both playing with and without James.

While Rondo’s lack of 3-point shooting gravity is not a great fit as a starter, his elite performances in 3 games this year and 4 playoff games two years ago against the Trail Blazers make a strong case to consider starting him. There’s no question he has the respect, confidence, and trust of head coach Frank Vogel and superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis and has shown in the past he’s capable of elevating his performance in the playoffs.

Rondo averaged 7.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 15.6 minutes in the Lakers’ 3 games against Portland while shooting 69.2% from the field, 60.0% from deep, and 100% from the line with 4.7 +/- and 15.3 net rating. In the playoffs against Portland, he averaged 11.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 13.3 assists in 35.4 minutes while shooting 48.7% from the field, 42.9% from deep, and 80.0% from the line with 10.5 +/- and 13.7 net rating.

While Vogel’s likely to stick with his current starting lineup for tonight’s game, there’s a good chance he’ll give Rondo some minutes off the bench to see how he performs and if his playmaking could help when LeBron is out. Vogel may also give Rondo minutes alongside James to see if freeing LeBron from playmaking could give the Lakers a scoring boost by unleashing his offense. If that works, then Vogel might even consider starting Rajon.

Deciding to start Rajon Rondo presents Frank Vogel with several challenges, including how to compensate for his lack of gravity as a 3-point shooter and whether his starting necessitates additional changes to the starting lineup. When I look at the problems with the current starting lineup and who on the roster is playing well, I can’t help but wonder how exciting a new Lakers’ starting lineup of Rondo, Waiters, James, Kuzma, and Davis could be.

The Lakers could spread the floor and play five out. They would have five players on the floor who could not only shoot the three but also put the ball on the floor and attack the basket for easy layups or drive-and-dish threes. While the Lakers could be trading defense for offense, that may be exactly what they need from their starters right now and Rondo, Waiters, and Kuzma should play better overall than Caldwell-Pope, Green, and McGee.

In the end, Rajon Rondo’s return from injury could not come at a better time for the Lakers as it may open the door for Frank Vogel to finally make some substantive long needed changes to the Lakers starting lineup.

‘LAKERS FAST BREAK’ PODCAST (Jul-20) The NBA Tip Hotline with LakerTom!

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LakerTom from lakerholics is back for his weekly sitdown with Gerald as the excitement builds for the NBA teams beginning scrimmages this week down in the Orlando bubble. Here’s a breakdown of what they discussed:

  • 02:30 – Dwight getting snitched without a mask in the bubble.
  • 11:27 – What to do with all those empty seats in arenas.
  • 17:15 – What Lakers need to accomplish in the scrimmages.
  • 26:05 – What Rondo’s role will be when he comes back.
  • 31.:35 – Why JR Smith and 3-point shooting is critical.
  • 35:50 – LeBron James’ focus on winning a championship.
  • 41:40 – Who’s going to win the NBA regular season awards.
  • 49:00 – Why the Orlando Bubble is a situation made for LeBron.
  • 52:30 – Players’ choices for social justice slogans on jerseys.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to our shows and leave us that 5-Star Review with your questions on Apple Podcasts or e-mail us at lakersfastbreak@yahoo.com!

Presented by our friends at NBA Draft Junkies, lakerholics.net, Pop Culture Cosmos, Zero Cool Films, the novel Congratulations, You Suck (available for purchase HERE), and Retro City Games!