Episodes
The Lakers are home from a disappointing road trip, and will have a golden opportunity to get a better taste in their mouths tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers, who have only won a single game this season, and will be playing... without Joel Embiid (suspension). without Tyrese Maxey (hamstring) with Paul George, but still playing limited minutes. No disrepect to the other guys on the roster, but the star power is listed above, and it's limited to say the least. The Lakers, on the...
Published 11/08/24
The Lakers arrived in Memphis struggling to find some kind of rhythm, having lost three of the first four games on this five game road trip. Then they lost Rui Hachimura (illness) and Anthony Davis (foot), for one night, at least. Then they lost again, this time to the Grizzlies. That the result wasn't surprising (that last game of a roadie is brutal, even under the best of circumstances, and these weren't that) doesn't make it any less frustrating. The Lakers, who left LA with so much...
Published 11/07/24
The Lakers, after a very encouraging start, have hit a very discouraging stretch. They've lost three of the first four games of the first big road trip of the year, including a decisive loss to Detroit. Now, LA need to find a way to beat Memphis on Wednesday, or they'll come back to town with a sub-.500 record on the year. Not great! And on Monday, after the loss, it was reported that Anthony Davis, who was clearly hobbled against the Pistons, has been dealing with a foot injury not just...
Published 11/06/24
When they visited the Cavaliers in Cleveland last week, the Lakers were thoroughly outclassed. The Cavs were faster to the ball, played with more "want," and generally speaking made the Lakers look bad. But, to be fair, the Cavs are undefeated this season. They've made a lot of teams look bad. Detroit? Not so much. But Monday, the Pistons used the same formula to drop the Lakers to 4-3, beating LA 115-103 in Detroit. The home team was quicker to every ball, much more explosive in the open...
Published 11/05/24
When the Lakers signed Jaxson Hayes in 2023, it was in the wake of domestic violence charges that had been adjudicated by both the NBA and the legal system. The former took no action, and the latter handed down a punishment including probation that is still in effect. But there were no secrets or surprises, at least in theory, from the perspective of the Lakers. Whether the Lakers should sign any player with Hayes's history is a valid question—one this show discussed at length when he was...
Published 11/04/24
For a half, at least, it looked like the Lakers were going to run away with Friday's game in Toronto. After a 43-19 first quarter, the Lakers entered the half with a 25 point lead, and given how shorthanded the Raptors currently are, an easy win seemed inevitable. Clearly that's what the Lakers thought. Toronto came out hard in the third quarter and brought themselves back, making it a much more competitive game than it should have been. Still, the Lakers got the win. That's the good part,...
Published 11/02/24
Generally speaking, the sixth game of the season isn't a "must win," under any circumstances. This sixth game, however? Could be the exception to the rule. The Lakers are in Toronto tonight, playing a shorthanded, likely lottery-bound Raptors squad missing its best player (Scottie Barnes), probably it's third best player (Emmanuel Quickley) and a valuable role player (Kelly Olynyk). So yeah, if you're a Lakers squad that is coming off its worst performance of a young season, looking to...
Published 11/01/24
Monday in Phoenix, the Lakers lost their first game of the season. Wednesday, they played their first horrible game of the season, losing to the Cavaliers in Cleveland 134-110. Everything about this game, from the flow of the offense to the work of the defense to the hustle and focus of the team overall was well below par. The Cavs were, from the jump, more aggressive, more focused and sharper. They buried the Lakers early under a barrage of 3-point shooting. They were more physical than the...
Published 10/31/24
The Lakers have a "swing game" tonight in Cleveland against the Cavs. It's always a big deal when LeBron comes home to play, especially given his enormous impact on that franchise. But in this case, it's also a pivotal game on this road trip for the Lakers. Win, and the possibilities of a 3-2 trip grow a lot stronger. It means the Lakers could take the games against the weaker teams on the slate (Toronto and Brooklyn) and then lose the final game against a good Memphis squad, and still come...
Published 10/30/24
Well, it was probably unrealistic to think the Lakers would go 82-0 this year, but it was still fun to have an undefeated local squad to cheer for. That's over now, as the Lakers lose their first game of the season, 109-105 to the Suns in Phoenix. It was a game of very wild swings for the Lakers, who came out red hot, looking like they'd win in a blowout. The second quarter, only 14 points. The third? Back over 30! But things bogged down again down the stretch, and meanwhile the Suns rode...
Published 10/29/24
The Lakers are 3-0, and now head off for their first road trip of the season. Five games, starting tonight in Phoenix against the Suns. From there, they'll visit Cleveland, Toronto, Detroit and Memphis. That's three playoff teams, and two that aren't expected to be all that competitive. It all underscores how nice it is for the Lakers to do play these games having run the table over their first three games. Had they lost one or two, the prospect of a 2-3 trip—very possible even if they play...
Published 10/28/24
3-0. The Lakers beat another playoff caliber team in the West on Saturday, and as they had in their first two games against Minnesota and Phoenix, brought home a win. This one was differentiated by the performance of the team's stars. Anthony Davis continued to dominate, with 31 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two blocks. LeBron James, who hasn't been razor sharp through the first two games, was dominant on Saturday, finishing with a triple double (32/14/10). And both were...
Published 10/27/24
t took some doing, but the Lakers are off to a 2-0 start for the first time since October 2010 after coming back from down 22 points and notching a 123-116 win over the Phoenix Suns. KevIn Durant, Devin Booker and the gang got off to an absolutely scorching start, hitting 8 of their first 11 shots from behind the arc and generally running the Lakers' defense ragged. But the Lakers absorbed that unsustainable punch, and first sparked by a series of great two-way plays by Austin Reaves, kept...
Published 10/25/24
The Lakers got off to a good start in Tuesday's opener against the Timberwolves, winning their first season opener since 2016. Tonight, the Phoenix Suns, another team expected (at least in some circles) to make some noise in a crowded Western Conference, visit the Crypt. And while the Suns were victorious in their opener (at the Intuit Dome against the LAC) they had to work awfully hard to get there after cruising to an early lead. And many of their vulnerabilities of a year ago - a...
Published 10/25/24
Introducing Jordan Poole Is Back? | NBA Fantasy Basketball Reactions & Recap from Locked On Fantasy Basketball – Daily NBA Fantasy Basketball Podcast. Follow the show: Locked On Fantasy Basketball – Daily NBA Fantasy Basketball Podcast Chet Holmgren's standout NBA season debut for the Oklahoma City Thunder is making waves in Fantasy Basketball circles. With 25 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 blocks, his potential this season is undeniable. Meanwhile, Jordan Poole's performance for the...
Published 10/25/24
The Lakers made no major changes to their personnel this offseason, but they definitely made significant changes to the coaching staff. And that's the area that probably has the highest level of scrutiny for observers as the team kicks off the 2024-25 season. The first game? A major success, not just for the Lakers, but for Redick. His game plan was praised in a big way by his players, including Anthony Davis, who called the defensive blueprint "elite," and said the Lakers benefited from...
Published 10/24/24
Heading into Tuesday's matchup with Minnesota at the Crypt, the Lakers hadn't won on opening night since the waning days of teh Obama administration. October of 2016 to be precise. Well, that's not a problem anymore. The Lakers open the season strong, beating Minnesota 110-103 behind a monster game from Anthony Davis. 36 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, three blocks. He dominated in basically every measure, and was the reason the Lakers were able to gain control of the game early, and...
Published 10/23/24
The preseason is over, and in 24 hours or so, the regular season begins. Did the Lakers get everything they needed out of training camp? Are they in position to maximize the talent on hand in the face of a very, very challenging early slate of games? (And let's be honest, in the Western Conference, there are no easy stretches.) The Lakers were mostly healthy through the preseason, with guys missing a little time here and there with normal training camp caution. But they didn't get Jarred...
Published 10/21/24
It's Opening Night for the 2024-25 season! The Lakers kick off the campaign with a home floor matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves—still expected to be a major player in the Western Conference even after moving Karl-Anthony Towns to New York. Here to preview tonight's game is the host of Locked On Wolves, Ben Beecken! It's a wide ranging conversation getting you ready for the game—who guards the Anthony's (Davis and Edwards) on each team?—but also the season, including how the Towns...
Published 10/21/24
Thursday's penultimate preseason game against the Suns had a very preseason vibe. Players playing hard, but a few guys missing and a lot of weird lineups on the floor for both teams. From LA's standpoint, a few things stuck out: -LeBron James missed the game (DNP-Old, said JJ Redick), and won't play Friday in the finale, either. That'll give him a full week of rest before Tuesday's opener. -Anthony Davis did play (likely won't play Friday) and again was excellent, with 35 points on...
Published 10/18/24
The Lakers didn't look great in Tuesday's loss to the Warriors in Las Vegas. They get two more cracks at it before the real games begin next week. But while there were some highlights (Anthony Davis! Rui Hachimura's rebounding!) there were also some real issues. Among the most notable is defense. The Lakers really struggled. Some of it is a matter of learning a new defensive system, and a coach in JJ Redick who doesn't want the same stuff as Darvin Ham did. But it's also related to...
Published 10/17/24
There was plenty of stuff to like in Tuesday's preseason loss to the Warriors in Las Vegas. Start with Anthony Davis, who flat out dominated in 26 minutes of play with 24 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, plus a steal and a block. He was 10-14 from the floor. He hit from the basket working in the post, he finished on the pick and roll, he hit jumpers. It was all there. In fact, take away Davis's stat line, and the Lakers were a putrid 24-81 on the night. That is, to say the least,...
Published 10/16/24
The Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans are set to battle for relevancy in the Western Conference. Which team has the best chance to break into the top of the conference and which teams will miss the playoffs completely? The local experts of the Locked On Podcast Network break down the teams predicted to land in the middle of the West. For a full breakdown on the NBA season, subscribe to Locked On NBA to get all 6 episodes of...
Published 10/15/24
The Lakers enter tonight's game against the Warriors in Vegas halfway through their preseason slate. The regular season starts in a week. So with that in mind, the sense of urgency the team has displayed through this preseason (decidedly missing a year ago) is front and center as the Lakers try to get as much installed on both sides of the ball before the real games begin and practice becomes harder to come by. JJ Redick spoke with the media in El Segundo Monday about that process, and...
Published 10/15/24