Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers get a big lift Monday night. Rui Hachimura is off the injury report entirely and, barring some sort of late setback, will be back in the lineup Monday night in Sacramento. No surprise, given the time he was out, but JJ Redick said Sunday he'd be on a minutes restriction, and come off the bench. The big question for Lakers fans is whether this is just temporary, or if the minutes restriction is the entry point Redick will use to do the thing he should have been doing, anyway: Bring Hachimura off the bench. We've been calling for it in this space since the summer. The numbers, small sample size notwithstanding, indicate that the Lakers would be better off with Hachimura as a reserve. Redick, though, has resisted. But if the Lakers can find some rhythm over the next few games and Rui performs well, maybe things just stay as they are? With Jake LaRavia in the starting lineup, with Marcus Smart. Then when Austin Reaves comes back, another adjustment is made. The Lakers really need Rui back, not just as a floor spacer and an offensive weapon -- both of which are very important for this group -- but also to slot guys like Jarred Vanderbilt into a workload that makes more sense and helps maximize positive impact while minimizing the negative. Finally, former Laker Denis Schroder won't be playing Monday. Why? Because he was suspended by the league for three games for trying to fight Luka Dončić following the last time the two teams met, responding to smack talk Luka delivered, specifically about how Schroder dropped the enormous bag the Lakers tried real hard to get him to take. Crazy!  HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky  SEGMENT 1: Rui is back! SEGMENT 2: Rui will come off the bench Monday... will he stay there?  SEGMENT 3: The delightful story of Denis and Luka.  Everydayer Club  If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclubSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DoorDashFrom tipoff to overtime, stay in your bag and order on DoorDash.Get snacks, drinks, gear — whatever gets you through the season — delivered right to your door.DoorDash. In your bag all season long. ZocdocStop putting off your doctor’s appointments and get the care you need.Go to htps://Zocdoc.com/lockedonnba to find and instantly book a top-rated doctortoday.WayfairGet last-minute hosting essentials, gifts for all your loved ones, and decor to celebrate the holidays for WAY less.Head to https://Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. Wayfair. Every style. Every home.  GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. The NBA and NFL seasons are here, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For most of the night, the Lakers looked like they weren't going to have a chance to win... then all of a sudden they not only had a chance, but found themselves up four with three minutes to play. From there, though, they couldn't extend the comeback. Giannis poked the ball away from LeBron James on the final trip, and the Lakers lose 105-101. It's the first clutch time loss of the year for the purple and gold, and it came largely because Luka Dončić had likely his worst game as a Laker, finishing 8-25 from the floor, and fouled out of the game for only the third time in his career. It was Luka's foul that put Porter Jr. on the line with a chance to win the game, and it became his sixth only because he picked up his fifth with two seconds left in the third quarter, on one of the worst fouls you'll ever see a player earn. The whole night was a struggle for 77. LeBron (26/9/10, plus three steals) did what he could to keep the team afloat, and the Lakers used good performances from guys like Jake LaRavia (13 points, two steals) and Jarred Vanderbilt (nine points, nine rebounds) and a whole lot of hustle from every player that took the floor. Ultimately, though, they dug too deep a hole to climb out of. It was bound to happen sometime, but it's nonetheless disapppointing to see the Lakers drop a game they were in position to win. Against the Spurs, a shorthanded Lakers team could lean into some of the positives that came from the game, even without winning. Friday, though, definitely counts as a big missed opportunity.  HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky  Everydayer Club  If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclubSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Rocket MoneyLet Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Join at http://RocketMoney.com/LOCKEDONBetterhelpBetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist.Sign up and get 10% off at https://BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA. QuoMake this the year where no opportunity — and no customer — slips away. Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to https://Quo.com/lockedonnba.Quo — no missed calls, no missed customers.  GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. The NBA and NFL seasons are here, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's only early January, but we've already seen the first big deal of the year, as Trae Young was sent to Washington. Giannis says he's not asking out in Milwaukee, and the Bucks are reportedly trying to find ways to improve. Yep, we're in the thick of it. For the Lakers, it's a tricky proposition. With 23 wins, they're among the league leaders. But their 12 losses have all been by (famously at this point) double digits. So their flaws are pretty clear. So what's available to help address them? ESPN on Thursday put out a few hypothetical deals for teams around the NBA. One included Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III, a player the Lakers would love to have. Would LA have a shot? What about defense-first guard Keon Ellis, who is expected to move from Sacramento? Could the Lakers put deals together for either? And what kind of trade would the Lakers make? Would they be willing to take on salary? Would they be too tempted by the very potential of getting someone like Giannis in a summer or two? Would the Lakers prioritize flexibility? Would they take a risk on a player they'd have to commit to financially, even if it's not at a huge salary, even after getting burned by contracts for Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt? Keep in mind, the Lakers don't exactly have a treasure trove of assets. Only one tradable first rounder, only one second round pick, and a few swaps. The only remotely appealing expiring contract (meaning a player that other teams would deem useful) is Rui Hachimura. No slam dunk young assets to offer. So it's a tough assignment for Rob Pelinka. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky  SEGMENT 1: It's tradin' time!  SEGMENT 2: What can the Lakers do? Is Keon Ellis an option?  SEGMENT 3: What would they be willing to do?  Everydayer Club  If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclubSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Rocket MoneyLet Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Join at http://RocketMoney.com/LOCKEDONBetterhelpBetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist.Sign up and get 10% off at https://BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA. QuoMake this the year where no opportunity — and no customer — slips away. Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to https://Quo.com/lockedonnba.Quo — no missed calls, no missed customers.  GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. The NBA and NFL seasons are here, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's hard to fault the effort, but the Lakers—who added LeBron James to the list of guys in street clothes, to go along with Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura—ultimately were out-talented Wednesday night in San Antonio. Final score, 107-71. It was a sloppy game, for sure, but the Lakers did what they could to stay in it. What they needed, though, was a night where the whole team shoots well from downtown, offense came from surprising sources, or maybe both. Those things didn't happen, so the Lakers were essentially left with a very, very good Luka Dončić, who was involved in basically every bucket the Lakers managed to score. He finished with 38/10/10. Jake LaRavia finished with 16 points, but the rest of the starting lineup (Deandre Ayton, Jarred Vanderbilt, Marcus Smart) combined for TK points. The bench wasn't of much help, either, with only Jaxson Hayes cracking double digits (10 points). San Antonio, on the other hand, also had a rough night shooting as a team, but even without Devin Vassell available, just had significantly more firepower on hand to get the job done. It shows why it was so important for the Lakers to win on Tuesday in New Orleans. Even if LeBron played, the end result (if not the path to get there) could have looked much different. So now the Lakers come home to kick off a stretch of winnable games, specifically five games in a row against teams currently under .500.  HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky  SEGMENT 1: Lakers are shorthanded, and the game goes as expected.  SEGMENT 2: Lakers don't have much offense in the supporting cast.  SEGMENT 3: Five critical games coming.  Everydayer Club  If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclubSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Rocket MoneyLet Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Join at http://RocketMoney.com/LOCKEDONBetterhelpBetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist.Sign up and get 10% off at https://BetterHelp.com/NBA. QuoMake this the year where no opportunity — and no customer — slips away.Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go tohttps://Quo.com/lockedonnba.Quo — no missed calls, no missed customers. GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. The NBA and NFL seasons are here, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It wasn't a work of art, but it was enough to get the job done. After being outplayed in the third quarter, the Lakers entered the fourth down seven in their visit to New Orleans against the Pelicans. At that point, LeBron James took over, looking extremely spry as he put on an offensive show (including one steal and finish at the other end). Luka Dončić hit a pair of improbable 3's late, and the defense held down the Pels en route to a 111-103 win. Overall, it was probably LeBron's strongest game of the year, finishing with 30/8/8. He was able to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, which should help him get a little more space on his jumper. (James was 3-5 from 3-point range on the night.) Dončić didn't hit a three in the first half, but had two big ones late - including one circus shot to bail the Lakers out on a bad trip - and along the way, threw two of the most incredible lob passes you'll ever see. FInal line, 30 points (11-22 shooting) along with 10 dimes. The Lakers also saw very strong contributions from Deandre Ayton (18/11) and Jarred Vanderbilt (7/8/4, with tons of energy). And the defense really tightened up. New Orleans was held to 17 points in the final frame, and while some of that can be attributed to it being the Pelicans, but overall the Lakers did a good job with specific strategic actions, like putting heavy ball pressure on Zion Williamson. And importantly, the Lakers had (with the exception of the opening minutes of the third quarter) played hard, even when they weren't playing well. Which matters a lot. Had they sleepwalked through bigger stretches, they could have dropped a very important game. Wednesday, the Lakers are in San Antonio, and will still be shorthanded. Really big to pick up the win on Tuesday.  HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky  SEGMENT 1: Luka and LeBron come up big, Lakers win.  SEGMENT 2: It helps to try all the time.  SEGMENT 3: Who plays against the Spurs on Wednesday?  Everydayer Club  If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclubSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Rocket MoneyLet Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Join at http://RocketMoney.com/LOCKEDONBetterhelpBetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist.Sign up and get 10% off at https://BetterHelp.com/NBA. QuoMake this the year where no opportunity — and no customer — slips away.Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go tohttps://Quo.com/lockedonnba.Quo — no missed calls, no missed customers. GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. The NBA and NFL seasons are here, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.