News : Frank Vogel implied Wednesday that the Lakers could return to a more traditional lineup against the Nuggets after playing small for most of their second-round series against the Rockets, Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet reports.

Spin : Both Howard and JaVale McGee saw significant reductions in minutes against Houston, with Howard dropping out of the rotation entirely for Games 2, 3 and 4. Speaking to the media Wednesday, Vogel said he expects the Lakers to "return to form" for the Western Conference Finals, likely meaning that McGee could be back in the starting lineup, with Anthony Davis shifting back down to power forward. That could mean an increase in minutes for Howard, who played just 15 total minutes against Houston after averaging 19.0 per game off the bench in Round 1 against Portland.