Mike D'Antoni still hasn't honed in on a consistent rotation, or even a starting lineup for that matter. Metta World Peace comes off the bench for a stretch. Two point guards open the game together. Antawn Jamison disappears for a couple weeks. Jodie Meeks goes from playing 32 minutes one game to six the next. Devin Ebanks makes seemingly random appearances every now and then.
Yes, injuries have played a key role in the instability of the rotation, but consider this: The Lakers don't have a single five-man lineup that has shared even 200 minutes together. Through 35 games, they don't have even one five-man unit that has appeared in more than 15 different games together.
That's insane. A firm substitution pattern is crucial for building team chemistry. You have to find lineups that function well as a unit. Role players need to know what their roles actually are.
As the Lakers have proven thus far, there are no quick fixes. But here are three rotation moves that D'Antoni should look into.
1. Start Metta World Peace and play him big minutes
Metta World Peace has bounced back in a big way this season. He's having his best season as a member of the Lakers, and he's contributed just as much to the team as anyone not named Kobe.
When World Peace is on the court, the Lakers' offense has improved by about three points per 100 possessions, which would put them in the top three in the NBA. Meanwhile, their defense holds teams to almost three fewer points per 100 possessions, a difference which would boost their standing from 21st to 11th in defensive efficiency.
However, with World Peace on the sideline the Lakers completely fall apart. They score at a bottom-five rate and allow more points per 100 possessions than the worst defens...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
