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The Los Angeles Lakers season opener is tonight and the starting lineup has been set. Steve Nash, Steve Blake, Nick Young, Shawne Williams and Pau Gasol are your starting five to match up against the Los Angeles Clippers, per Lakers Reporter Mike Trudell.
This is the same five-man lineup that started in the final three preseason games the Lakers played, but team's often tinker with different combinations during exhibition games. Mike D'Antoni has decided to stick with the group to open the season, though.
Nash and Blake shared the floor during stretches last season, and with Kobe Bryant still rehabilitating his torn Achilles, it's not shocking to see Blake gnab starting shooting guard minutes. Nick Young has been slated as the starting small forward since day 1 and it was mostly a given it would stick. Williams landing starting power forward duty, however, is most shocking.
Williams had previously played under Mike D'Antoni with the New York Knicks and was a late addition to the team's training camp roster. He started in four games through preseason, averaging 6.8 points per game while shooting 33 percent from deep and 34 percent overall.