n search of their first win of the 2022-23 NBA season, the Lakers are looking to shake things up.
News broke ahead of their matchup with the Timberwolves on Friday that the Lakers were planning to bring Russell Westbrook off the bench and feature him in a reserve role "for the foreseeable future."
A nine-time All-Star and one-time MVP, Westbrook has started every game he's appeared in since his rookie season. The Lakers brought him off the bench for one game in preseason, but he started in their first three games of the season.
Will Westbrook actually come off the bench, and how could the move benefit both him and the Lakers?According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers are expected to bring Westbrook off the bench for their matchup with the Timberwolves on Friday, Oct. 28. However, Westbrook could remain in the starting lineup if Anthony Davis is unable to play.
The Lakers will start Patrick Beverley, Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr., LeBron James and Damian Jones against the Timberwolves. Westbrook will come off the bench, and Anthony Davis is out with lower back tightness.When Westbrook sat out their last game, they went with a lineup featuring Beverley, Austin Reaves, Walker, James and Davis.That was the first lineup change of the season after they opened the season with Westbrook starting alongside Beverley, Walker, James and Davis. Advice from Sir Alex Ferguson should hand Erik ten Hag more evidence that Scott McTominay should be a key player in his team. The Scottish midfielder has been a regular for the Red Devils since graduating from their academy in 2017. He began the campaign as one of Ten Hag's first-choice midfielders, starting five of their first six Premier League games. But since the shambles at Manchester City, McTominay has found himself relegated to the bench in both the top-flight and the Europa League. Instead, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen have become the starting pair for Ten Hag, with United going on a six-game unbeaten run since McTominay was dropped. Ten Hag could be persuaded to hand McTominay more game-time though, in light of comments from Ferguson that have re-emerged. Speaking ahead of Euro 2020, the legendary boss hailed the midfielder as he praised Scotland's team.