The Los Angeles Clippers have used eight different starting lineups this year as they try to figure out who their starting small forward will be, and they gave Luc Mbah a Moute his shot in last night's win over the Timberwolves. Lance Stephenson, Paul Pierce, and Wesley Johnson have also auditioned for the spot, but no one has been able to claim the spot, according to guard J.J. Redick.
"Each guy's kind of had their moments," Redick said. "We'd love to have a consistent starting lineup. But it seems like it's game to game right now."
Redick joins Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan as the team's unquestioned starters, but head coach Doc Rivers hasn't been able to find someone to replace Matt Barnes, who started 74 games at small forward last year.
Mbah a Moute scored seven points in 23 minutes last night, but Rivers said it was his defense - including a key steal in the final minutes - that had the biggest impact.
"It was big," Rivers said of the play. "You go by what you need at the time. We had the lead so we needed stops. That's why he's out on the floor."
Mbah a Moute is in his first year with the Clippers and is averaging 1.5 points and 1.0 rebound per game this year, but had only played 10 more minutes in a game twice before his start against Minnesota.
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