Los Angeles Lakers: How Frank Vogel should divvy up the bench minutes

7. Dwight Howard: 21 minutes

The first two men off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers are coming out of the frontcourt. For Howard, you could make the case that he deserves to start over JaVale McGee. The two veteran centers are currently battling for the role, but in the end, I think McGee gets the nod.

McGee has a familiarity with LeBron James already that Howard does not have. And while the Lakers are completely different from a year ago, that familiarity should give him the edge, at least to start the season.

There is not a massive difference in the number of minutes the two centers are playing, though. McGee should get around the same that he got last year, 22.3, and we have Howard averaging right around 21 minutes this season.

There are two reasons for the 21 number. Originally, we pegged Howard with the same minutes, 22, like McGee, with the logic being that the two centers on the team are vastly similar and will split time right down the middle.

However, we gave the slight edge to McGee to get the minutes total to 43 for the two at the center position. So where are the extra five minutes?

That space was made for Anthony Davis to play the center at the end of games with the Lakers’ best lineup on the floor, which also includes Kyle Kuzma.