Matt Barnes, Devin Ebanks have a lot at stake

Matt Barnes and Devin Ebanks are battling for more than a starting spot.

Whichever small forward comes out on the short end probably will be relegated to third-string status behind Metta World Peace, who is coming off the bench this season for the first time as a Laker.

Barnes started Monday night in the Lakers’ exhibition opener against the Clippers at Staples Center, something he did not do in any of the 53 games he played with the team last season.

Lakers Coach Mike Brown said Barnes received the starting nod based on his being more consistent and having played better defensively.

“Obviously, he has the experience so he’s been here, done that many times before and that’s what helps him out right now,” Brown said of the eighth-year player from UCLA.

Bynum’s in, for now

Brown said he would not reduce center Andrew Bynum’s minutes in the two exhibition games to help ease the transition for the backups who will play a bigger role when Bynum serves his season-opening five-game suspension for committing a flagrant foul in the playoffs.

“I guess I’m a big-picture guy and I want to try to get a feel as quickly as possible for what I have as a team as opposed to these upcoming five games,” Brown said.

With Bynum sidelined, Pau Gasol will shift to center and Josh McRoberts probably will start at power forward. In that scenario, Troy Murphy would be the only backup big man since Derrick Caracter is out because of torn cartilage in his left knee.

“When I’m out there I’m going to try to get in a rhythm, try to kind of see where I’m going to fit and see what things I can do, see where my opportunities are to get to the glass,” McRoberts said.

McRoberts had several encouraging moments in the first quarter Monday, taking a lob from Kobe Bryant for a dunk and then feeding Gasol for a dunk on the next possession.

Shaping up

While many NBA players worked out during the lockout, Derek Fisher’s concerns transcended conditioning.

“He was on the phone, he was shooting emails back and forth, text messages, on the plane going back and forth to the East Coast,” Brown said, alluding to Fisher’s role in collective bargaining as president of the NBA players’ union. “That takes a toll on his body.”

Fisher sat out an intrasquad scrimmage Friday and Monday’s exhibition opener as the point guard continued to round into game shape.

Brown said it was possible he might have to curtail Fisher’s minutes to start the season, but the coach wasn’t sure to what extent. Brown has named Fisher his opening-game starter.

ben.bolch@latimes.com