Ahead of Game 4, Warriors make another starting lineup change vs. Lakers
The Golden State Warriors will have their third different starting
lineup in four games in their NBA playoffs series against the Los
Angeles Lakers
>The Warriors bench reacts after Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins
(22) dunks the ball past Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis (3) during
the third quarter of Game 3 of the NBA basketball Western Conference
semifinal playoffs at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif., on
Saturday, May 6, 2023. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
By SHAYNA RUBIN | srubin@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: May 8, 2023 at 5:14 p.m. | UPDATED: May 8, 2023 at 6:22 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2023/05/08/ahead-of-game-4-warriors-make-another-starting-lineup-change-vs-lakers-per-report/

LOS ANGELES — The Warriors will trot out their third different starting
lineup in four games against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Gary Payton II, who has been largely out of the rotation in the first
three games, will get the starting nod alongside the usuals — Steph
Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green at center.

With all the game-to-game adjustments, things have changed now. The
Lakers adjusted in their Game 3 win by having Austin Reaves defend Curry
and Jarred Vanderbilt defend Green which, in essence, limited the
pick-and-roll opportunities for the Warriors. Starting Payton can be the
Warriors’ defensive counter by limiting D’Angelo Russell’s scoring
opportunities; Russell scored 13 points in the first quarter last game.

“Obviously his defense is excellent,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He plays
like a big but he moves like a guard and finishes well. He can knock
down 3s, has big game experience, too. So we trust him.”

Golden State started Kevon Looney in Game 1, but when Looney fell ill
shortly before Game 2, Kerr opted to start JaMychal Green in his place.
That move paid off in the Warriors’ win, but Green struggled in Game 3
as the Warriors got blown out and led many to expect another move ahead
of Game 4.

Payton, 30, is averaging 11 minutes per game this series, but has made
his presence felt on the defensive end against every Laker from Russell
to Anthony Davis.

His minutes fluctuated against Sacramento, where Payton played more than
20 minutes per game in the first two losses, was inactive for their Game
3 win and averaged 12.4 minutes per game in the final four games.

The Warriors re-acquired Payton at this year’s trade deadline from the
Portland Trail Blazers in a three-team deal that sent James Wiseman to
the Detroit Pistons. A key part of their championship run last year,
Golden State brought him back for his top tier point of attack defense
and familiarity with the Warriors’ system.

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Shayna Rubin | General Assignment Sports Reporter
Shayna Rubin is a Bay Area News Group sports reporter for The Mercury
News and East Bay Times. She covered the Oakland A's from 2019 to 2021
and, most recently, the Golden State Warriors' championship run in 2022.
Shayna is a San Francisco native. She is a graduate of San Francisco
State University with a BA degree in journalism and a MA degree in
broadcasting and electronic communication arts.