With seemingly every Los Angeles Lakers game, a lineup change is inevitable. Through 32 games this season, the Lakers have used 17 different lineups due to a high volume of injuries and a seemingly ever-changing rotation from head coach Mike D’Antoni.
Losers of their last six games, the Lakers take on the Utah Jazz tonight at Staples Center in hopes of ringing in the New Year with a win. In game number 33, the Lakers will use an 18th starting lineup tonight via Dave McMeniman of ESPNLA.com:
Lakers add Robert Sacre to the starting lineup with Marshall, Meeks, Nick Young and Pau
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 3, 2014
This will be Sacre’s third start of the season and he’s averaging 6.5 points and three rebounds in his previous two starts. D’Antoni mentioned that he wanted to use the second-year players defense against the Jazz interior of Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter.
Along with Sacre, Marshall moves into the starting lineup due to Jordan Farmar’s hamstring injury, that’ll sideline him for at least another month. In 28 minutes against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night, Marshall had 10 points and seven assists. There was also good news in that Wesley Johnson will be available tonight off the bench after missing the previous game with gastroenteritis.
After tonight’s game, the Lakers will play one more home game on Sunday against the Denver Nuggets before 10 of their next 11 games are on the road. When these two teams met last week in Salt Lake City, the Jazz won 105-103 as rebounding and second chance points killed the Lakers in the closing moments.
Let’s hope that changes tonight.
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