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Lakers’ Larry Nance Jr. gets starting nod over Julius Randle

Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. pulls down the ball after blocking a shot by Clippers center DeAndre Jordan during second half.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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With the tipoff of Thursday’s Lakers vs. Clippers game came the official close of a battle for the starting power-forward position — for now.

Larry Nance Jr. started for the Lakers at power forward while Julius Randle watched from the bench. It was an unfamiliar position for Randle, who started in 73 of the 74 games in which he played last season.

Nance became Walton’s starting power forward of choice late in the preseason. For most of last season, Nance was a critical part of the Lakers’ very productive second unit. On Thursday, he started with Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Luol Deng and Brook Lopez.

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“Somebody who plays great off of Brook Lopez, who brings energy every second I’m on the court,” Nance said of what his play offers. “Someone that’s got a hand in everything.”

Nance made his presence felt early in Thursday’s game. The Lakers’ first points were off a put-back dunk from Nance. His second bucket was also a dunk, this one a flying effort on a two-on-one break with Jordan Clarkson. Clarkson threw up a lob for Nance who scored with it.

Randle entered the game late in the first quarter. At halftime he had four points and four rebounds in seven minutes.

Caruso gets minutes

With Lonzo Ball recovering from an ankle injury for most of the preseason, the Lakers’ had plenty of opportunity to see their backup point guards in action.

Alex Caruso was among them, and had an impressive go.

Caruso is on a two-way contract, which means he will play for the Lakers and their development league team (South Bay Lakers) during the season. He is only allowed 45 days in the NBA under this contract. One of them came Thursday, when Caruso was active for the Lakers’ season opener against the Clippers.

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Not only was he active, he was the first point guard off the bench of the Lakers.

Lakers coach Luke Walton said Caruso’s presence was a calming one for the young Lakers.

“Alex just plays the right way,” Lakers veteran Corey Brewer said. “He does everything the right way. When guys do things the right way, it comes easy. He’s a pest (defensively). He plays hard. There are not a lot of guys that play hard every day.”

Lakers inactives

Caruso is one of the Lakers’ two two-way players. They also signed Vander Blue, the most valuable player of the NBA development league in the 2016-17 season, to a two-way contract this week.

Blue was not on the Lakers game roster for Thursday’s game. Josh Hart, who is out because of bursitis in his Achilles, Ivica Zubac and rookie Thomas Bryant were all inactive as well.

Zubac played in 38 games for the Lakers last season, starting 11. It was his rookie year after being drafted in the second round.

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tania.ganguli@latimes.com

Follow Tania Ganguli on Twitter @taniaganguli

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