The Los Angeles Lakers are up 2-1 in the Western Conference Finals, but head coach Frank Vogel is approaching the game like a must-win situation. Vogel changed the Lakers starting lineup heading into Game 4 of the West Finals against the Denver Nuggets, electing to put 3-time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard in the starting lineup over starting center JaVale McGee.
Howard was excellent in Game 1 for the Lakers, earning the start in the 2nd half of the game. However, he has been much less effective over the last two games due to foul trouble. He has also drawn some unwanted attention from the officials, according to Yahoo’s Chris Haynes.
The Lakers are starting Dwight Howard
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) September 25, 2020
Howard has been disruptive in the series and has made it his personal mission in this series to bother Denver’s star center Nikola Jokic. Vogel’s move of inserting Howard is not a great sign for McGee’s minutes for the rest of the series. But if Howard gets in foul trouble as he has in the last two games, McGee’s role in the series won’t be over just yet.
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