Robinson Joins Starting Lineup

Coach Del Harris on Friday made his first lineup change not prompted by an injury, promoting Rumeal Robinson to starting shooting guard and returning Byron Scott to his reserve role.

Harris said he made the move because this allows Robinson to play immediately after warming up just before tipoff and the start of the second half, rather than letting his bothersome right Achilles’ tendon stiffen up. But it also comes as Scott has been struggling.

His first two games after going into the lineup--with Eddie Jones moved to small forward after the injury to Cedric Ceballos--were great showings, a combined 34 points and eight of 15 from the field, including five of seven on three-point shots. What followed, though, was something else.

With Harris at times cutting back his minutes, a factor which Scott said played a role in the slump because he was not getting as many shots, the veteran dropped to 29.4% from the field the next six outings. He was also 29.4% on three-pointers and averaging 5.2 points.

Against the Detroit Pistons, an 84-76 victory for the Lakers, Robinson, his tendon improving but not yet 100%, missed his one shot and went scoreless in 14 minutes. Scott played 10 minutes, made one three-point basket and missed a pair of two-pointers.