Tonight the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Minnesota Timberwolves. This was supposed to be a fun game, showcasing two of the top picks from the 2015 NBA Draft. But instead, we’ll see D’Angelo Russell watching the start of the game from the bench while his close friend Karl-Anthony Towns will likely have a huge game against a struggling Lakers team. If the Lakers hope to have any chance at winning the game, here are a few things they need to do:
Play D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle
Recently, Lakers head coach Byron Scott announced that Russell and Randle will come off of the bench and play roughly 20-25 minutes per game for at least the next few games. I’ll tell you right now, playing your two best players limited minutes will not get you a win. If Byron truly wants a team that can win, he needs to play the best available talent.
Where in the world is Tarik Black?
Seriously, where did this guy go? Did he call Coach Scott soft? One of the bright spots of the front court rotation last season after being claimed off of waivers from Houston, Tarik Black has been M.I.A for the most part this season. While Black may not be a remarkable talent, I like to think he deserves a rotation spot over Robert Sacre, who played 17 minutes in the previous game.
Facilitator Kobe
In Monday’s game against the Raptors, Kobe shot 8-16, which was his best shooting performance of the season so far. While that’s nice, it certainly won’t continue. The team needs Kobe to take on a different role of sharing the rock, rather than waving teammates off and running isolation plays.
Maybe some of these are wishful thinking, but if the Lakers do these three things tonight, there is a chance for victory.
What do you want to see out of the Lakers tonight? Let me know @kylejhartwick
