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Andy and Brian Kamenetzky bring you a daily look into the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA. The Kamenetzky Brothers have covered the Lakers since 2005 for a variety of media outlets including the LA Times, ESPN and The Athletic, with a unique style combining traditional journalism, informal commentary and offbeat humor. They'll break down all the latest news surrounding L.A.'s premiere franchise on the "Locked On Lakers" podcast, a part of the "Locked On Podcast Network". #nba #lakers
The Lakers may have won on Monday and evened their record at 2-2, but the big postgame news had nothing to do with them. The Clippers and Sixers agreed on a massive trade, sending James Harden to LA for draft compensation, mostly. Other human basketballers also moved in the deal, and whether PJ Tucker going to the Clippers or a host of dudes (K-Mart Jr., Nic Batum, Marcus Morris, etc.) going to Philly, some might make a difference, if only on the margins.
But the big thing for the Lakers is what Harden means for the Clippers.
For starters, it means the LAC are likely going to be shorthanded tonight when they "visit" the Lakers. Not in the same way Phoenix was last week (the stars are likely playing) but robbed of some depth. That tilts the game more towards the Lakers and (as it was vs. Phoenix) makes the game more winnable and therefore more important. These head-to-head games can/will have big implications for playoff seeding.
Long term, does this trade vault the Clippers into that top-half-of-the-West conversation with the Nuggets, Suns, Lakers and (for some at least) Memphis? Should the prospect of a Harden/George/Leonard Big Three scare Lakers fans? Clearly many have been hoping the Clips would make this deal, and then commit long term to Harden because his recent history is that of a franchise killer who doesn't even perform in the playoffs well enough to be worth the headache.
There is certainly an outcome here where the Clippers go up in flames. Like, badly.
But is that guaranteed? Is Harden as bad now as his reputation might suggest? He's not trash, that's for sure. And if — if — everyone buys in and stays healthy, that's a brutally difficult offensive trio to stop, and with George and Kawhi, the Clippers probably still have the foundations of a good enough defense to absorb Harden's deficiencies.
It's going to be very, very interesting.
Meanwhile, the Lakers have not gotten off to the hottest start in the world, and there is definitely some disappointment on the part of fans, at least judging by the comments on the YouTube page. So are they right? Where have the Lakers been a letdown over the first four games?
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: Harden to LA, in the short term, gives the Lakers an advantage tonight.
SEGMENT 2: Harden to LA, in the long term? Nobody. Knows. It could definitely work... but it could definitely implode, too.
SEGMENT 3: Have the Lakers been a disappointment through four games? If yes, how so?
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It wasn't pretty, but the Lakers got it done on the second night of a back-to-back, facing a much improved Orlando Magic team at the Crypt. Final score, 106-103, and on a night where LeBron James was present and game—but fairly inefficient and looked very much like a near-40 year old playing on consecutive nights—the Lakers needed Anthony Davis to be a scary, scary monster on the floor.
And man alive, he was terrifying, if you're a Magic fan.
26 points, 19 rebounds, five assists, a steal and three blocks. And perhaps even more importantly, Davis was everywhere on defense, looking every bit like the best player on that side of the ball in this or any other basketball league. But it wasn't just Davis. D'Angelo Russell, who has done just about everything else well in the early going except shoot from the perimeter, got the shot going on Monday. He was 10-14 from the floor (including 3-6 from downtown) en route to 28 points and eight assists. The flow of his game was strong, he set up teammates for success, and finally found a little of his own.
That he played well despite the tough results with the jumper was encouraging. If he can get back to his norms and keep the rest? Look out.
Christian Wood was also excellent, playing a huge role down the stretch on the glass and giving the Lakers length to combat the Magic. Wood hasn't scored in any prolific way as a Laker, but through four games has put out real effort defensively and is fitting in exactly as the Lakers had hoped. If the Lakers keep winning, likely Wood continues in this direction, because as Darvin Ham noted after the game, nobody wants to be the guy who starts chirping when things go well, or seems to be undermining success.
The Lakers are still waiting for Austin Reaves to get it going. Reaves was, technically at least, better on Monday night than Sunday, but overall is still performing well below expectations, and the Lakers/Reaves need to figure out why ASAP, because this thing is built with the idea Reaves will be a highly productive player. And the team's top end demands he be that guy, too.
Finally, Rui Hachimura has an eye contusion, suffered in Sunday's OT loss. That might have been the reason he didn't play late in Sunday's game.
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: The Lakers win behind a monster, and much needed, game from A.D., who since the second half of the opener has been dominant.
SEGMENT 2: D'Angelo Russell has been very good. Reaves... not.
SEGMENT 3: Derek Fisher's non-high flyer act, and Christian Wood buying in.
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In context, 1-2 is neither bad nor surprising for the Lakers three games in. They opened on the road against the Nuggets, the defending champs and current consensus "best team in the league." They won at home against Phoenix (albeit in less-than-dominant fashion), and then Sunday lost in OT to Sacramento, who return basically intact a team that was the 3-seed last season.
But Sunday's 132-127 loss is nonetheless a disappointment, because the Lakers had a chance to win, and instead let it get away. And given how competitive the conference is likely to be this season, any truly winnable game (the Lakers had 4th quarter leads) that turns into a loss will feel like a missed opportunity. Especially winnable games against conference rivals.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis were both excellent Sunday night. LeBron again blew through his target minutes window en route to 27 points on an efficient 11-19 shooting, plus 15 rebounds and eight assists. Anthony Davis had 30/16/2/2/3. But while Taurean Prince helped give the Lakers some balance, Austin Reaves (1-12) was pretty awful and Gabe Vincent (3 shots in 32 minutes) was a massive non-factor.
Reaves in particular has to pick it up, because there isn't a player on the team with a bigger gap to this point between expected/needed production and actual output on the court. So why has Reaves been so out of sorts? What might be done to get him going the right way again?
One thing that will likely help him, and the rest of the team (on both sides of the ball) is a more consistent, tightened rotation, which Darvin Ham says is coming. He acknowledged that to this point, the patterns haven't been consistent enough, and that likely it includes too many players. That's something he and the staff will look at, though we might not get to see the results until Wednesday if LeBron, for example, sits out the second night of the back-to-back tonight, at home against Orlando.
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: The Lakers lose a tough one in Sacramento, and Ham is going to be looking at the rotation.
SEGMENT 2: Austin Reaves is stuck in Strugglesville.
SEGMENT 3: Did Darvin Ham make the wrong call not playing Rui Hachimura to finish the game?
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With Devin Booker and Bradley Beal on the sidelines, the Phoenix Suns came into Thursday's game at the Crypt at a decided disadvantage. But for most of the game, the Suns were ahead. Down by 12 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Lakers had to play true shut-down defense over the final 12 minutes, outscoring the Suns 28-11 to get the win.
LeBron James, whose minutes the Lakers would like very much to limit as much as possible, blew through the team's 28-32 minute target, playing the whole fourth quarter en route to 35 minutes overall. Still nothing extreme, but definitely more than they're aiming for. And on the one hand, keeping the minutes down did allow the Lakers to use him more liberally down the stretch. Although you could also argue that the light minutes were a reason they were down 12. Either way, LeBron was excellent down the stretch.
Anthony Davis, meanwhile, clearly figured out what the problem was after a scoreless second half in Denver on Tuesday. Thursday night, he had 19 second half points en route to a 30/12/2/3/3 stat line. These are games that simultaneously silence and energize his doubters.
Those guys needed to produce, because while the Lakers defense came up large, the offense wasn't good, and the supporting cast particularly struggled. Austin Reaves wasn't particularly good, Rui Hachimura was worse and while guys like D'Angelo Russell and Gabe Vincent found ways to contribute, they were a combined 1-12 from 3-point range, which undercuts a lot of those accomplishments.
Meanwhile, as a team the Lakers were 5-29 from downtown.
Finally, the Lakers got a ton of mileage out of a lineup many (including the hosts) thought might not work - LeBron, Davis and Christian Wood playing together. Is it something they can replicate? Something that might only work against teams like Phoenix (Thursday's version at least) that don't have the firepower to press potential mismatches? How far should Darvin Ham go to find out the answers to these questions?
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: The Lakers grind out a win. Resilient... but concerning?
SEGMENT 2: Anthony Davis bounces back with a huge game, while LeBron plays the entire fourth quarter.
SEGMENT 3: Can LeBron, Davis and Wood play together after all?
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Fans were hoping to get a truly marquee matchup Thursday night in the Lakers home opener, with the high-powered, star-driven Phoenix Suns paying a visit to the Crypt. Well, with Bradley Beal and Devin Booker both listed as doubtful, that seems unlikely. Players don't typically get upgraded after being downgraded, and certainly not this early in the year.
So that means it's the Lakers vs. Kevin Durant and ... well, a lot of players casual fans might not know exist.
So in a tightly packed, crabs-in-a-bucket Western Conference, that kind of makes tonight a must win. Not in the sense of immediate, season ending consequences (it's not Game 7 of a postseason series), but this season, when a contender has a chance to take a game off another contender, whether because of injury or whatever, it needs to be done. The Suns do have Durant, but the Lakers roll out the far better roster, and need to take advantage or this becomes a game they might regret in six months.
Meanwhile, LeBron James played 29 minutes in the opener in Denver, and this seems like it is part of the team's larger process. So while conventionally, teams would try to keep a star's minutes down by playing him a normal load when it's demanded, the Lakers are at least early on, baking those low minutes into the script. Is this ultimately the better way to go about it?
Well, if you win, it certainly could be. But that means they have to win, and other guys will need to fill the void created by four or five fewer minutes of James on the floor.
Finally, Darvin Ham went with Cam Reddish against the Nuggets, as opposed to Max Christie. Reddish did ok, starting slow but getting better as the game went on. But the idea he was out there over Christie would (right or wrong, fair or unfair) seem strange to people watching the lead up to the season. Was it a matchups thing? (Denver is big!) Or does Ham see something in Reddish he wants to try and build out?
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: No Booker, no Beal means the Lakers need to win on Thursday.
SEGMENT 2: Are the Lakers approaching LeBron's minutes with a sensible plan?
SEGMENT 3: Reddish vs. Christie.
Dave
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The Lakers have long struggled in openers, last winning one in 2016. Tuesday in Denver against the defending champions was no different. The Lakers put themselves in a big hole with a horrible stretch of play over the last half of the first quarter and into the second, but fought back and made a game of it.
Until it wasn't, and Denver pulled away to win 119-107.
Without question, the Nuggets showed that they still appear to be the class of the conference, and over time the Lakers will need to raise their level over the next 81 games. One thing they'll need for that to happen? Much more scoring from Anthony Davis than they got in the second half Tuesday. Like, something higher than zero. Davis had no points after halftime. None. Nada. Zip. This after a 17-point first half. Needless to say, the Lakers can't afford that kind of silence from their most important player. Perhaps worse than the zero points? Only six shots. Again, FAR too few. Even if he misses all of them, AD has to take more shots, too.
Meanwhile, LeBron James only played 29 minutes. They were good minutes, no question, but it was weird to see James finish a game healthy with a minutes total in the 20s. Is Darvin going to make a habit of this sort of thing? It sure seemed like it. I would mean the Lakers are trying to systematically lower LeBron's minutes, rather hoping nature takes its course, and hoping James can earn more rest by the Lakers blowing teams out or things like that. What would it mean for the team if James really was limited to 30ish minutes a game?
And what might get this experiment to end?
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: The Lakers lose in Denver. What went wrong?
SEGMENT 2: Anthony Davis simply must be better than he was in the second half Tuesday...
SEGMENT 3: LeBron's minutes were low. Was this on purpose? What to expect going forward.
Dave
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The Lakers kick off the 2023-24 NBA season tonight in Denver, and nobody on either side wants to make it a big thing, or add significance to the game, or talk about bad blood or certainly not to call it a rivalry.
Which, as it turns out, is the best sign it's a rivalry. And after all, the Nuggets -- especially head coach Mike Malone -- spent plenty of time talking about the Lakers in the wake of their title run. The Lakers had knocked them out a couple years earlier, too. And while they tried not to make a thing of it, the Lakers (from Austin Reaves to Darvin Ham) have had some stuff to say about the stuff that was said.
In short, yeah, it's a game that means something a little more for both teams. WHICH IS AWESOME! The Lakers have been woefully short on fun rivalries over the last few years, whether because of down seasons or up seasons that came in the midst of pandemics and thin-to-non-existent crowds.
Now, though? This season has the potential to drive something like LA vs. Denver to new heights, and create plenty of new rivalries, because the Western Conference is an endless string of marquee matchups, and the Lakers have the potential to be good for a few years. Just one reason to look forward to this year.
Another? The Lakers have a great chance, it seems to at least duplicate and perhaps exceed their results from last year. A Western Conference Finals run is a real possibility, and something past that, too. But what about other predictions? What about season awards for Anthony Davis? MVP? DPOY? Austin Reaves for Most Improved? What about D'Angelo Russell for the same? Darvin Ham, Coach of the Year? We break it down.
Finally... some numbers about Davis, LeBron and the Lakers in the fourth quarter last year that will likely shock you.
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: The Lakers vs. Denver: A real rivalry brewing.
SEGMENT 2: Bold predictions for 2023-24!
SEGMENT 3: Last year's fourth quarters, by the numbers. And what that means this season.
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The Lakers kick off the regular season Tuesday in Denver, and after a strong training camp have very few questions of significance still in need of an answer. Over the weekend, Darvin Ham said that Taurean Prince would start against the Nuggets at small forward. He did leave the door open to a dinged up Jarred Vanderbilt, however, to re-enter the starting lineup once he's recovered from the heel injury that has cost him most of training camp.
But while for many teams, "Who is in the starting lineup?" feels like a doozy of an unanswered question, on this squad, less so. The Prince lineups have been great in the preseason. Plenty of early evidence they work well. The Vanderbilt lineups helped the Lakers to the Western Conference Finals last season.
Two good options, it seems.
Most of the bench questions feel pretty minor. It's easy to see how someone like Gabe Vincent fits in, even while he's missed a lot of time. Hachimura is a clean and comfortable fit coming off the bench. Maybe there are some remaining questions about how much Max Christie is going to play? But overall, that's not a huge one.
About the only question that has to do with fit is one with Christian Wood and Jaxson Hayes. Having been given a simple, clear directive on how he's supposed to operate, Hayes had a great camp and probably earned more early minutes than expected. That clear role, that generally doesn't involve him having the ball or plays called for him, seems to be a good fit and helps explain the big energy and positive vibes he's brought on the floor.
Wood has had a tougher time. His role is harder to bring along, because he's a scorer who is expected to create and take shots. But from where? What kind? What's the right balance?
It's a first world problem, no question, and while the Lakers need to solve it, on the grand scale of BIG ISSUES this one is pretty minor for a contending squad. And there's lots of time for everyone to get it right.
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: Reflecting on 19 years covering the Lakers, and the positive vibes around this season.
SEGMENT 2: Darvin has a starting lineup... for now?
SEGMENT 3: Hayes vs. Wood.
Dave
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The Lakers finished off the preseason Thursday night in Palm Springs, losing to the Phoenix Suns, 123-100. The score? Doesn't really matter. As it is with virtually everything in the exhibition games, it's much more about process and how certain players—and combinations of players—look on the floor. And for the Lakers, there was again much to like. Anthony Davis was huge defensively in the early going, racking up five blocks in the tirst eight minutes of play. Davis looks very much like a guy who is ready to elevate his team, and understands the obligation he has to be great.
LeBron James looked smooth and spy over the course of 22 minutes, with 19 points including three triples.
D'Angelo Russell continued his run of great play, piling up six assists in short order and showing really high end chemistry with the team's centers, whether Davis or Jaxson Hayes.
But it's Hayes who has been the most surprising person in the exhibition games. Hopes in this space at least for a breakout year, or even anything that would be considered consistent, above-level performance, were relatively low. He's simply not shown any consistency at all through the first part of his career.
Of course, now Hayes is in a situation where his role is very narrow and easy to define. Nobody in LA is trying to make a star out of him, or justify a lottery pick. The pressure is pretty low, and the situation far more stable. And thuse far, it's a combination that suits Hayes well. Christian Wood, however continues to struggle. He looks slow and unsure, which of course could be related.
Anything in here to be worried about?
HOSTS: Andy and Brian kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: Reactions to the final preeason games, and the preseason in general. The good, the bad and the ugly.
SEGMENT 2: Davis and Russell continue to thrive.
SEGMENT 3: Does it matter that Hayes is outplaying Wood?
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Betterhelp
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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)
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Are any of these teams real NBA contenders? Could the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, or (dare we say) the Philadelphia 76ers emerge as threats to win the NBA Title?
Tenitra Batiste is joined by Brian Kamenetzky (Locked On Lakers), Cyrus Saatsaz (Locked On Warriors), Keith Pompey (Locked On 76ers), Darian Vaziri (Locked On Clippers), and Evan Dammarell (Locked On Cavaliers) to preview the NBA Season. Can Lebron James & Anthony Davis get the Lakers back to the Finals? Will Steph Curry & Chris Paul work well enough together? What will happen to James Harden and Joel Embiid on the Sixers? Can Kawhi Leonard & Paul George finally play enough together? Can Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs bounce back?
Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
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Betterhelp
This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/lockedonnba today to get 10% off your first month.
FanDuel
This episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, Official Sportsbook of Locked On. Right now, NEW customers can bet FIVE DOLLARS and get TWO HUNDRED in BONUS BETS - GUARANTEED. Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.
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)
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Amanda is a wife. A mother. A blogger. A Christian.
A charming, beautiful, bubbly, young woman who lives life to the fullest.
But Amanda is dying, with a secret she doesn’t want anyone to know.
She starts a blog detailing her cancer journey, and becomes an inspiration, touching and
captivating her local community as well as followers all over the world.
Until one day investigative producer Nancy gets an anonymous tip telling her to look at Amanda’s
blog, setting Nancy on an unimaginable road to uncover Amanda’s secret.
Award winning journalist Charlie Webster explores this unbelievable and bizarre, but
all-too-real tale, of a woman from San Jose, California whose secret ripped a family apart and
left a community in shock.
Scamanda is the true story of a woman whose own words held the key to her secret.
New episodes every Monday.
Follow Scamanda on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
Amanda’s blog posts are read by actor Kendall Horn.
