The Los Angeles Lakers are still trying to sort through their rotation and Mike D'Antoni has decided on his first change to the starting five. Xavier Henry will start in place of Nick Young at small forward, according to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. Henry has started in just 18 games since being drafted in the NBA in 2010 and only twice since his rookie year.
Xavier Henry to start for Lakers, according to report
The former first-round draft pick has played well and has earned a spot in the Lakers’ starting lineup.
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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D’Antoni has stated he will continue looking at the Lakers’ rotations and lineups while the team tries to find combinations that work together between the starting five and bench players.
The Lakers have lost two straight games after a surprising season-opening victory against the Los Angeles Clippers. Henry scored a career-high 22 points during the game and was part of the five-man lineup D'Antoni played through the entire fourth quarter.
Henry has averaged 13 points (42 percent shooting from beyond the arc) and 4.3 rebounds per game as a reserve and has been a surprise for the Lakers. Young has struggled and is shooting 27 percent from the field overall.
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