LEXINGTON, Ky. _ As inspiring as it might have played, the lineup Kentucky fans saw win in come-from-behind fashion at Georgia on Tuesday may not be the lineup that starts against Alabama on Saturday.
UK coach John Calipari cited too many variables that can arise to say he's settled into reliance on the lineup featuring three guards (Ashton Hagans, Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley), forward Nate Sestina and big man Nick Richards.
Calipari leaned on a basketball truism to explain his thinking.
"It doesn't matter who you start," he said Friday. "It's who finishes the game."
Game plans and matchups may dictate changes, he said. Maybe players getting "nicked up" will require adjustments.
"We'll see," Calipari said. "I'm not as worried about who starts as maybe clutter out there. I'm more worried about, OK, who am I finishing with."
The UK coach acknowledged that he liked how the second-half lineup at Georgia performed.
"But, EJ (Montgomery) may step up and be the monster we want him to be," Calipari said.
But, maybe freshmen Keion Brooks Jr. or Kahlil Whitney may start at forward to match Alabama's smaller, quicker lineup.
