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lineup data

TLDR: Wrote a program that parses the website popcornmachine.net for games, aggregates +/- and minutes for specific lineups.

Observations:

Our starting lineup is by far our most played and yet our worst lineup. Could be related to the fact that it’s always being played against the opponent’s best lineup, but that’s not really an excuse. If we want to win, we need to beat the opposing teams at their best.

My favorite player on this team outside of LeBron/AD is Rui, so I’ve been paying extra attention to his minutes and what lineup he’s succeeding with. Unfortunately, Darvin seems to view LeBron and Rui both as power forwards, and subbing Rui for the non-LeBron minutes. I think Rui actually works best with LeBron, as LeBron is the only one who knows how to set him up, as seen by last night’s game against the Kings.

Wood/LeBron/AD just flat out works. When Wood guards the ball handler, it allows him and AD to switch when the ball handler runs pick and roll with the center without creating a mismatch. Wood has been surprisingly quick on his feet, making me think that we should actually play him as a wing instead of a big.

I don’t want to admit it because I’m emotinal about that stupid late game foul on Fox, but Gabe Vincent has been better than what most of this sub has been suggesting.

Hopes:

The dream is that Darvin benches Dlo/Reaves for either Wood/Rui (probably Wood but I like Rui), and runs Point Bron, Dlo/Reaves, Prince, Wood/Rui, AD. However, this is unlikely due to Ham’s stubbornness.

What I think is realistic is that Ham swaps Wood and Rui’s minutes, which I think would help both players. Ham always subs LeBron and Dlo for Rui and Gabe around six minutes into the first/third quarter. Rui plays for about four minutes or so before checking out for LeBron again and Wood checks in for AD.

My suggestion is that Wood subs in for LeBron around six minutes, and we run Gabe/Reaves/Prince/Wood/AD. Then when Dlo and LeBron check back in, we sub Rui and Hayes for Prince and AD too, so that we have Gabe/Dlo/Rui/LeBron/Hayes. Finally, we can close with whichever of our three guards is playing the best, Prince, Rui or Wood dependign on who is playing better, LeBron and AD. This way, Wood and AD share more time together on the court, and Rui and LeBron also share more time together. Ham kinda did that at the start of the second half of the King’s game but then benched both Rui and Wood for some reason.