After dropping into a 2-1 first-round series deficit against the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson is acknowledging the possibility of a change to his lineup.
For now, Jackson is vague on specifics.
"I could make a change. I won't say whether I will or with who, but it's possible," he said at Golden State's practice facility in Oakland, Calif. "We've got to figure out a way to present some resistance. I think things are going a little smoothly right now for Blake [Griffin]."
Griffin, the Clippers' power forward, has dominated the Warriors' front line, averaging 27.7 points in 31.0 minutes over the first three games. In Game 3, Golden State power forward David Lee played just over three minutes of the third quarter before being replaced by Draymond Green.
When asked about his reasoning for pulling Lee, Jackson answered, "Defensive. Obviously we want to be able to post up David and make plays offensively. We feel like we can have success that way. But defensively, I thought things were happening a little too easily."
Lee agreed that he hasn't played as well as he would like against Griffin.
"After winning the battle in Game 1 against Blake, he's outplayed me the last two games," Lee said at practice Friday.
Clippers center DeAndre Jordan also has presented problems for the Warriors, and Jackson confirmed that his bigs were flinching in the face of Jordan's defensive presence.
Lee did not admit to flinching, but said of his struggles at the rim: "Me personally, had a few last night that [Jordan] didn't get any hand on that I should have made, rimmed in and out or just wasn't able to hit."
Of the upcoming Game 4, Lee predicted, "I'll be better on Sunday. I promise you that."
It remains to be seen whether Lee will attempt to make good on that prediction as a starting power forward, a reserve or a starting center. When asked specifically if Green would start on Sunday, Jackson was noncommittal, saying, "I'm not sure which way I'm going to go."
He did provide a clue as to where the lineup changes could be, confirming that possible tweaks would be either at the power forward or center spots.
"If there is [a change], then that's where it'd be, yes," Jackson said. "It won't be any changes as far as the perimeter guys."