Notable: Zhan Huang should not play full-time center Chun Wu Can be used as a change of move in the playoffs

The Lakers' half-time record this season is far from meeting expectations, but James playing center has become a surprise for the team, and Kevin O'Connor, columnist of the AMERICAN media "The Ringer", believes that James playing center can become an important weapon for the Lakers in the playoffs, but this situation should occur in some special moments, rather than allowing James to play full-time center.

After trading for Westbrook, the Lakers have been looking for ways to improve the space this season, after Anthony Davis was injured, they were forced to put James in the fifth position, this move not only made the Lakers' offense more open, but also activated James's energy, he played more effortlessly in the no-ball state, and the efficiency continued to rise, in the past 11 games, James has all 25+, including 10 games 30+, He averaged 34.2 points, 9.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game during that period, shooting 56.7 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from three-point range.

Despite the last loss to the Grizzlies, but from the overall performance of this period, the Lakers' small-ball lineup has received a good effect, they have been 5-2 in the last seven games, James has been using super performance to support the team, other players have also performed their duties, the team has become accustomed to and adapted to this model.

James playing center provides the Lakers with a new attempt to maximize the potential of the existing lineup, but the last game against the Grizzlies also presented another problem, when the Lakers' offense was dudded, the defensive limitations of the small-ball lineup were also reflected, no players completed the basket, the player's large-scale running on the defensive end also aggravated the physical consumption, and James's attack alone was not enough to make up for the loopholes in the team's defense.

In the eyes of kevin O'Connor, the Lakers' pure five small lineup can be used as an important weapon in the playoffs, but at the same time, he also pointed out that James should not play a full-time center, but can only be used in some key moments.

"LeBron playing center, plus four outside players including Munch, would be an important weapon in those moments of the upper hand, like many other teams, and the Lakers could use that lineup in some meaningful moments, to destroy those teams, rather than to use it all the time."

The Lakers' use of a pure five-squad has an advantage that no other team can match, because they have a center like LeBron James in their hands, who can play freely inside and outside the line, and increase the difficulty of defending the hand.

As O'Connor put it, James playing center is not permanent, and after Anthony Davis' comeback, thick eyebrows are still the team's first choice for centering. Lakers coach Vogel also said before that the team will let Thick Brow and James play centers in the future to increase more flexibility.

The Lakers were full of challenges this year, but injuries allowed them to accidentally find a new weapon, in the past Anthony Davis off the field, they can only replace another center to play transition time, but when discovering a pure five small lineup, this gives the team another choice at key moments, in some moments that need to change the rhythm, James playing center may bring surprises to the team.