JJ Redick, start Gabe Vincent & bring Austin Reaves off the bench

simplyorange · Post #1 » by **simplyorange** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 7:07 am

For better offensive & defensive balance between starters & bench, as well as better chemistry with the starters like the games against Pelicans & Clippers.

To have a fresh scorer / playmaker on the floor for 48 minutes will be a big advantage that no other team will have & increase the team's scoring average.

It's a hard decision since Reaves is a great / elite level player & every player wants to start, however it will actually likely increase Reave's usage rate & shots a lot because 3 playmakers to start assures, or high likelihood, 1 of them will get left out to play their total game.

Also, you can't let every opportunity, one after another after another, to challenge a bad call pass & then the game is over & you didn't ever use any coach's challenges whereas Thibodeau got 2 or 3 overturns I think.

Mrakar · Post #2 » by **Mrakar** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 7:10 am

Guy is doing wonders with this roster and there is a guy on forum thinking he can do better? :lol:

Sofia · Post #3 » by **Sofia** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 7:19 am

I hope he reads this bro

C3H6N6O6 · Post #4 » by **C3H6N6O6** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 7:19 am

Reaves just came back from the injury. He was Rusty. Lakers would have blown out the Knicks again if Reaves just played his average game.

Jimmy Recard · Post #5 » by **Jimmy Recard** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 7:22 am

Yeah and keep DFS starting over Rui imo. Let Reaves and Rui come in and cook second units.

The Master · Post #6 » by **The Master** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 7:33 am

Lakers are 27-9 since December 15th and 12-2 since Luka trade, why he would change anything up to this point?

Barnzy · Post #7 » by **Barnzy** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 7:38 am

As someone who has watched every single minute of Gabe Vincent's Laker career so far, this suggestion is crazy.

He's a bench talent level player.

simplyorange · Post #8 » by **simplyorange** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 9:41 am

Sofia wrote:I hope he reads this bro

You never know.... :lol:

simplyorange · Post #9 » by **simplyorange** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 9:42 am

The Master wrote:Lakers are 27-9 since December 15th and 12-2 since Luka trade, why he would change anything up to this point?

Because Vincent is a better catch & shoot player than Reaves. He is also more athletic & the Lakers starting lineup doesn't have very much speed & quickness.

The Lakers shouldn't be looking at only squeaking out wins, but developing a Championship contender.

asas · Post #10 » by **asas** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 3:00 pm

simplyorange wrote:
The Master wrote:Lakers are 27-9 since December 15th and 12-2 since Luka trade, why he would change anything up to this point?

Because Vincent is a better catch & shoot player than Reaves. He is also more athletic & the Lakers starting lineup doesn't have very much speed & quickness.

The Lakers shouldn't be looking at only squeaking out wins, but developing a Championship contender.

Can you elaborate on how Gabe is more athletic than Reaves?

kobe_vs_jordan · Post #11 » by **kobe_vs_jordan** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 3:02 pm

Don't let Gabe making some open shots fool you lol he a below average shooter no matter how you look at it.

Liam_Gallagher · Post #12 » by **Liam_Gallagher** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 3:02 pm

It's not who starts it's who finishes.

LeBronSpaghetti · Post #13 » by **LeBronSpaghetti** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 3:04 pm

I always thought Reaves would be great in a Manu Ginobili type role. But I don’t know the Lakers team well enough to say if this is a good idea or not.

simplyorange · Post #14 » by **simplyorange** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 4:03 pm

asas wrote:
simplyorange wrote:
The Master wrote:Lakers are 27-9 since December 15th and 12-2 since Luka trade, why he would change anything up to this point?

Because Vincent is a better catch & shoot player than Reaves. He is also more athletic & the Lakers starting lineup doesn't have very much speed & quickness.

The Lakers shouldn't be looking at only squeaking out wins, but developing a Championship contender.

Can you elaborate on how Gabe is more athletic than Reaves?

As far as scrambling around to get out to 3-point shooters, which is a big part of team defense in today's NBA, I think Vincent can do a lot better job of that than Reaves can.

I can see the Celtics in the next game deciding let's just make the Lakers work on the perimeter all we can & find out if they can rotate around & out to our shooters all game & try to exploit a perceived weakness.

simplyorange · Post #15 » by **simplyorange** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 4:06 pm

kobe_vs_jordan wrote:Don't let Gabe making some open shots fool you lol he a below average shooter no matter how you look at it.

Luka always brings out the best in his teammates though. :wink:

levon · Post #16 » by **levon** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 4:06 pm

What is this obsession with moving good players to the bench so the bench looks good on paper? Reaves is gonna get 35 minutes every night minimum. The reason the game was even close last night is because he was coming back from injury.

Why have him get 35 off the bench? Just play your best players together. The reason LA starts strong and closes strong is their three best players sharing the floor. Reaves has an EPM this season that rivals stars and superstars. There's no precedent for bringing a player like that off the bench unless you're the Celtics and have the best starting 5 in the league.

Post #17 » by **og15** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 4:08 pm

We're all great coaches...until we actually have to coach a real team

gottamakeit · Post #18 » by **gottamakeit** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 4:25 pm

og15 wrote:We're all great coaches...until we actually have to coach a real team

That's what this website is all about... the fantasy of being coaches/gms/players

TheGOATWill · Post #19 » by **TheGOATWill** » Fri Mar 7, 2025 4:58 pm

Bars.