NBA News: Lakers Shifting To Small Ball Paying Defensive Dividends

The Los Angeles Lakers know that they need to make adjustments with each game.

Against the Houston Rockets, they showed some of that when they played small ball.

The result was another win for the franchise, with LeBron James also back in action despite not yet fully healed from an injury.

It was far from perfect but enough to hand the Lakers their fourth win in seven games.

Anthony Davis took the center slot, a position he has been notoriously trying to avoid in the past.

James played small forward, and the other three slots were filled by guys like Avery Bradley and so on.

Vogel admitted that this is one of many things they plan to do for the 2021-22 season. However, this does not mean that they are shunning the use of their talented big men.

“It is one of those things that I’ll say this is just something that we’re looking at right now,” he said. “But we do intend to start big again soon.”

Absent in the lineup was Dwight Howard, who's dealing with neck stiffness. DeAndre Jordan was elevated to the backup center position, but his playing time was not exactly appealing.

While it showed promise, the Lakers head coach pointed out that the big men in the mix remain essential as they have plans in place for Howard and Jordan.

“They both knew that when they signed here. The whole mindset of our whole group is we’re trying to win a championship this year and whatever sacrifice is required, everybody is all in,” Vogel explained.

Beyond that small ball or traditional big man reliance, it clearly shows that the Lakers plan to be as flexible and adopt whatever strategy depending on which NBA team they are facing.