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The Los Angeles Lakers will have to wait at least another couple of days for the arrival of #PlayoffRondo. And head coach Frank Vogel is keeping his trust in the starting lineup that served him all year and built up the best record in the Western Conference.
Vogel had his pregame media availability prior to the game and told reporters that Rondo is still rounding into game shape and will be inactive in tonight’s Game 2 and that he has also elected not to mess with the starting lineup by putting someone off the bench into the starting lineup, according to our own Mark Medina of USA TODAY.
Frank Vogel said there will be no changes to the starting lineup and Rajon Rondo still remains inactive
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) August 20, 2020
With Rondo out, Vogel said he expects to give some run to Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith tonight. At the very least, the Lakers could use their confidence on the offensive end.
Frank Vogel also said he plans to give some minutes to JR Smith and Dion Waiters tonight
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) August 20, 2020
Rondo only joined the Lakers earlier this week after leaving the NBA campus to get surgery on his injured thumb. He was in practice earlier this week and was deemed questionable to play coming into tonight’s game.
As for the starting lineup, there were some questions about whether Vogel would play the Kuz Card and insert Kyle Kuzma into the lineup. But he’s saving it and putting trust in the guys that got him here.