Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers – Details, episodes & analysis

The Lakers need to get LeBron James through the regular season with as little wear and tear as possible. 

Easier said than done, obviously, given the challenging nature of the West, and the grind of an 82-game schedule. One idea, says Lakers great Shaquille O'Neal, is simply to take fewer shots and play more of a "Magic" type facilitator role. Let Anthony Davis handle the heavy lifting, and even allow Austin Reaves to be the team's #2 scorer. 

It sounds like a nice plan, but it's got some problems. 

Can the Lakers afford to load up more on Davis, who already carries the team's defense in some pretty absurd ways? 

Is Austin Reaves capable of being a consistent second option offensively? 

Do you really want LeBron being that deferential while he plays? Are there other ways -- better ways -- to lighten his workload? 

The answers to all of those questions, and more, are the focus of this episode, which naturally leads to the question of whether or not Reaves is capable of being the team's 3rd best player? Would he need to improve? How much better would he need to get for him to be a 3rd guy comparable to the 3rd best player on title teams? What's the best way to compare these guys, anyway, since not all "3rd bests" are asked to do the same thing. 

What does all of this say about the Lakers roster? 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Shaq says LeBron should take a step back. 

SEGMENT 2: Is this the best way to keep LeBron AND Davis fresh? 

SEGMENT 3: Is AR capable of being a 3rd guy? Right now how does he stack up against other players cast in that role? 

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With the offseason winding down and the trades of any real substance presumably done, we're able to take stock of where the Lakers stand against teams around the Western Conference, and even more specifically, their division. How, for example, do the battle-tested but aging duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis stack up against a talented Sacramento Kings squad led by  De'Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, old friend Malik Monk, and new foe DeMar DeRozan, who'd been linked to the Lakers during the offseason before the Chicago Bulls worked out a sign-and-trade sending the Compton native to Sacto. 

Among the topics discussed: 

The strength of the Pacific Division
Should the Suns, Lakers, Kings, Clippers or Warriors be considered strong contenders?
The importance of strong starts for both teams
DeRozan's impact
Austin Reaves' ceiling

(Also, a technical issue with the podcast software prevented Andy from using his laptop while recording the show, so he instead had to use his phone. Apologies for a different look and slightly different sound.)

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky, with guest Matt George (Locked on Kings)
 

SEGMENT 1: How Good is the Pacific Division?
 

SEGMENT 2: How Much will DeRozan Help the Kings?

SEGMENT 3: Can Austin Reaves become a third star?

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It's August, so there's not really a news cycle to follow, which is good because it leaves space to have in-depth conversations with someone like friend-of-the-show Aaron Larsuel about the just-ended Paris games. It's a chance to think not just about what the games did for LeBron's legacy and Anthony Davis's reputation, but also how the performances impact what's coming for the Lakers this season.

Davis, for example, was in fantastic shape for the tournament. Does that put him ahead of the game heading into training camp in a few weeks? Is there a real risk of residual fatigue?

What lessons can the Lakers learn from the ways in which Davis was deployed?

As for LeBron, he said himself that he can't picture playing in the LA games four years from now. But is it that far fetched? The answer to that question seems to have much more to do with LeBron's willingness to play, as opposed to his capability, at least based on current trajectories. He's signed up for two years beyond this one. Getting to an Olympic year wouldn't require much more.

The Lakers, in their heart of hearts, likely didn't expect James to still be this good at age 40. And while the lack of drop off is a nice thing for them -- they've still got one of the league's elite players -- it also creates a problem around planning. If it's not that far-fetched that James might play in '28, or at least still be capable of it, definitionally it means he's still capable of playing for the Lakers.

Like a lot of things about LeBron, it's an unprecedented set of circumstances facing the team.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky (with Aaron Larsuel)

SEGMENT 1: LeBron James, AD and the Olympics. What made the competition so much fun?

SEGMENT 2: What was at stake for James?

SEGMENT 3: Is it crazy to think James will play in '28? How can the Lakers plan for the future?

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Monday was a brutal night all around for the Lakers. They blew a 20-point lead in Denver against the Nuggets in Game 2, and while it doesn't end their chances of winning the series it certainly does some very serious damage to their hopes. Psychologically, too, blowing a 20-point second half lead is not an easy thing to recover from. 

But that's what the Lakers have to do, and if they're going to be successful they have to figure out how to keep the offense from experiencing the long stretches of stagnation that have plagued them through the first two games. Monday, as Denver started to chip away at the lead, the Lakers became excruciatingly slow. Maybe it was because they were trying to bleed the clock? Maybe they were just looking to slow things down as Denver was building momentum? Maybe LeBron was tired, and needed to conserve energy? 

How about a lack of confidence in what they were trying to do, after a regular season where the time spent building good habits was lacking. 

Maybe a little of all of it. But the end result is a team that got stuck in the mud, especially relative to a first half where they were fast up the floor and into their sets/choices. Even when the Lakers did manage to run an organized offense in the final 24 minutes, it often took them too long to get into it, and the results were the same. (Meaning bad.) 

No wonder Anthony Davis was so upset after the game, when he said rather pointedly that the Lakers go through long stretches where they simply don't know what they're doing, on both sides of the ball. That was, by most, seen as a shot at Darvin Ham and the coaching staff. And likely it was. 

But was AD talking about his teammates, too? 

Finally, the Lakers have some reinforcements coming, as early as Thursday. Christian Wood (likely) and Jarred Vanderbilt (possibly) could very well return to the lineup after extended absences. The Lakers badly need their size and rebounding, but can either of them really contribute after so much time on the sidelines? 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: What went wrong in Game 2? Start with the slow pace of play in the 2nd half. What did it reveal about their confidence? 

SEGMENT 2: Anthony Davis unloads. 

SEGMENT 3: Could reinforcements actually help the Lakers? 

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For most of Monday's Game 2 in Denver, the Lakers were in position to send the series back to Los Angeles tied at 1 game each. At points, it looked like they were guaranteed to do it, pushing their lead up to 20 in the second half. 

But little by little, Denver chipped away. LA's offense went into a near full hibernation in the second half (38 points) and while they did manage to get a few big buckets down the stretch — a pair of triples from LeBron, a drive and finish from D'Angelo Russell, a baseline jumper from Austin Reaves — it wasn't nearly enough to make up for the loooooooooong stretches of totally stagnant, ineffective offense. Tied on the last possession, the Nuggets put the ball in Jamal Murray's hands and let him do what Murray does. Stepback jumper over Davis. Game. 101-99, Denver up 2-0, Lakers on life support. 

The Lakers got a superhuman effort from Anthony Davis in the first half, especially. Russell bounced back from a horrible Game 1 to hit seven triples. LeBron was huge in the fourth quarter on both sides of the ball, despite fighting fatigue. 

But there were enough mistakes and poor performances; Rui Hachimura again was a non-factor, Spencer Dinwiddie and Gabe Vincent combined for zero points in 25 minutes. Darvin Ham missed a chance to challenge what appeared to be a ticky-tack foul on LeBron against Murray down the stretch. Reaves had a critical turnover down the stretch, and Davis faded late. 

This was, in every practical sense, a must-win game. LeBron certainly played like he knew it. Any loss in this game would have been hard to recover from, emotionally. This one, however, was brutal. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers blow a huge lead in the second half, and the season is on life support. 

SEGMENT 2: Too many little mistakes, too many performances that weren't up to standard.

SEGMENT 3: The Lakers might get some reinforcements, but are they coming too late? 

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Saturday's Game 1 in Denver was undoubtedly disappointing, and once again put in stark relief the challenge facing the Lakers against the team most experts expect to represent the West in the NBA Finals this year. 

It also makes tonight's Game 2 a must-win, because the odds of this Lakers team showing enough high-end consistency to beat the Nuggets four times in five tries feels... unrealistic. So it's about breaking through tonight, and proving to themselves as much as everyone else that it's possible for the Los Angeles Lakers to beat the Denver Nuggets. So what has to get better? For starters, the offense has to function much more efficiently throughout the game. No minutes-long stretches where the shot selection is bad or turnovers throw the offense off kilter, or playcalling and structure go the way of the dodo. Because the Lakers lost that game offensively, not on D. 

Next, the best players on the team simply have to be better. Save Anthony Davis, more or less, everyone else has stuff that needs to improve. Obviously D'Angelo Russell's efficiency has to go way up. But Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura have to be better. LeBron James needs to be a bigger presence in the fourth quarter. Bench players need to shoot. 

The Lakers have played Denver tight for long stretches over this losing streak. But time has run out on finding a way to win. It's gotta happen tonight. 

Meanwhile, Anthony Davis is not a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year. Lakers fans are ticked, and ought to be. But it's reflective of the ways in which the bar moves for Davis. At this point, it's fair to say that whatever he does for whatever he might be given credit for, it's not going to be enough. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: What the Lakers need to fix in Game 2. 

SEGMENT 2: Darvin steps in it, again. Plus, pick it up, Russell!!!

SEGMENT 3: Why wasn't Anthony Davis a finalist for DPOY? 

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The Lakers, as LeBron James noted before the series against Denver kicked off Saturday with Game 1, will need to play near-flawless basketball to move past the Nuggets into the second round. 

Fair to say on Saturday they didn't clear the bar in their 114-103 loss.

It wasn't all terrible. The Lakers actually led by double digits in the second quarter before Denver came roaring back. Still, LA led by three at the half. But in the second half, the Lakers fell apart offensively. Completely and totally. 43 points just isn't going to get it done. And overall, the offensive effort had too many massive holes. Start with a 6-20, 1-9 night from D'Angelo Russell. But Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura were total non-factors. The Lakers had one bench player (Taurean Prince) score. Even worse, the Lakers only had one bench player shoot. 

LeBron, while productive overall, was a non-factor in the fourth quarter and turned the ball over seven times. The Lakers were under 28% from 3. 

Anthony Davis answered the bell with 32/14/5, plus four blocks, and Prince off the bench was a nice boost. Not everything was bad for the Lakers, but Denver is elite, and won't do you any favors to help win games. You have to beat them. 

If the Lakers are going to have a chance, they have to win Game 2 on Monday. It's hard to see them, or anyone, beating Denver four times in five tries. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

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HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Reasons for Lakers fans to be optimistic about their chances against the Nuggets.
 

SEGMENT 2: MORE reasons to be optimistic about their chances.
 

SEGMENT 3: This, of course, if Anthony Davis can close the gap a little between him and Jokic.
 

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Everyone has the Nuggets beating the Lakers. Everyone. 

And why not? 

Denver are the defending NBA champions. They're elite. And they've won seven straight games over the Lakers. The same Los Angeles Lakers that were a bit of a basket case all year long, never caught any consistency, and built no faith with anyone. So it's a foregone conclusion, right? 

Maybe not! Because there are real reasons to believe that the Lakers have a chance to surprise some people. Not made up stuff that doesn't mean anything, or not super unrealistic stuff that can't possibly happen. The Lakers have a real opportunity to do a lot better than many are expecting. There are legitimate reasons to feel optimistic about LA's chances to make things happen in this series. First, the whole "seven straight wins" thing between the Nuggets and Lakers isn't meaningless, but it's also misleading. All of the games have been competitive, and five of the seven have been inside five points with four or so minutes to play. Some even closer than that. 

So if the Lakers can figure out how to solve those last few minutes, they're in it. 

Meanwhile, the Lakers are healthier than they were (in non-Jarred Vanderbilt ways) last season. They get more days off in between games. Basically, they're more likely to win playing Denver now than they do in five weeks, in a hypothetical conference final. 

It's ok to be optimistic, Lakers fans! 

This, of course, is dependent on Anthony Davis picking things up a little to match the production of Nikola Jokic. It's not that AD has been bad, it's just that he hasn't been quite as good as his averages, this season. 

So while nobody is picking the Lakers, they shouldn't be writing them off, either. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Reasons for Lakers fans to be optimistic about their chances against the Nuggets. 

SEGMENT 2: MORE reasons to be optimistic about their chances. 

SEGMENT 3: This, of course, if Anthony Davis can close the gap a little between him and Jokic. 

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This win didn't quite look like the others, but in the end the Lakers got what they came for, and once again defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, winning Tuesday in the 7/8 Play-In Game.  It's the fourth time in five this season LA has topped the Pelicans, and the second time in three days - both on the road - and this one is undoubtedly the most significant. It pushes the Lakers into the first round of the main draw, where they'll kick off a series against the Nuggets beginning Saturday in Denver. 

It's been a very long time since the Lakers beat Denver, and there will be plenty to say about that series between now and Saturday, but for today it's worth noting how the Lakers got it done on Tuesday, and how that might influence things going forward. 

Because while Anthony Davis and LeBron James played hard (Davis through back spasms) and gave it what they had, neither was efficient offensively (12-36 combined from the floor). The Lakers as a team didn't crack 42% from the floor. But they didn't turn the ball over (eight total TOs), they were solid from 3-point range (over 40%), and they made their FTs (26-29, including 9-9 in the fourth quarter). 

And most importantly, other guys stepped up, whether D'Angelo Russell with big early production combined with a critical steal and a clutch corner triple, or Gabe Vincent playing high end defense and scoring nine points (which doesn't soundn like much until you remember he had seven over his last six games combined.) 

The Lakers had to grind this one out. They had to play defense. They had to hit their free throws down the stretch. They had to win without the best performances from their stars. It was, in short, a fantastic dress rehearsal for what's coming. 

But for now, rest. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers beat New Orleans, advance to face Denver. 

SEGMENT 2: The supporting cast picked up the stars in a big team win. 

SEGMENT 3: Gabe Vincent steps up, D'Angelo Russell has a challenge in front of him. 

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