Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse is hinting a potential lineup change in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Raptors are still looking for their first victory of the series, and a loss this Sunday will put them on the brink of elimination. Nurse is looking to make the necessary adjustments to give the team a better shot at a win.
Nick Nurse says "you'll see some different lineups today" in Game 3. Could be one or both of Serge Ibaka and Norm Powell entering the starting lineup for Marc Gasol and Danny Green.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) May 19, 2019
Expect the Raptors coach to put Serge Ibaka and Norman Powell in the starting lineup, replacing Marc Gasol and Danny Green who have struggled over the past two games.
Gasol has been abysmal in the conference finals, scoring a combined eight points on 3–of-20 shooting in Games 1 and 2. He's also a -30 for the Raptors during that stretch and has also been a major liability on the defensive end. Although Ibaka's numbers don't look so encouraging, he's more athletic and can definitely defend the paint better than Gasol.
Green has also been struggling against the Bucks. He hasn't scored in double figures and hasn't shot the ball well in the series. Replacing him with Powell is probably the best option, as Norm has been making good use of his playing time over the past two games. He finished with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field in 25 minutes of action in Game 2.
The next two games of the series will be played in Toronto, which means the Raptors have a great opportunity to even things up. However, it will take more than just some minor tweaks in the starting lineup to beat the Bucks. They will need to be consistent on both ends of the floor, and they will need to provide better support for Kawhi Leonard.
If the Raps will be able to do that, then a win in Game 3 is within reach.
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