With the offseason additions that included Andrea Bargnani and Metta World Peace, Mike Woodson went with the same starting lineup that he ended with last season for tonight’s season opener vs. the Bucks.
Bargnani, who started all of the preseason, headed to the bench as expected. But in a surprise, Woodson started Pablo Prigioni and Raymond Felton in an all-point-guard backcourt and had Iman Shumpert at small forward, Carmelo Anthony at power forward and Tyson Chandler at center.
Woodson had said yesterday Shumpert would start at shooting guard but either lied or changed his mind. Woodson will have World Peace coming off the bench. Bargnani had a poor preseason, shooting 20 percent from 3-point range and not rebounding or defending well enough to keep him as starter.
Woodson said the starting lineup will evolve and claimed Bargnani still could start against bigger clubs.
“We want to have a team [where] we figure out the way we bring out the best in Andrea and find ways for him and Carmelo to complement each other,’’ new GM/president Steve Mills said.
Barganani said he’s “here to win’’ and doesn’t care about starting or not.