Laker Film Room - Dedicated to the Study of Lakers Basketball

Pete, Mike, and Darius use the Timberwolves Game 4 win over the Mavericks as a jumping off point to consider two-big lineups, how the Lakers can lean more into that identity next season, and why Jarred Vanderbilt's role in these types of lineups can be critical to their success defensively while also needing to be accounted for offensively by what schemes the team is running. And then later the gu...

Pete, Mike, and Darius check-in on the Lakers coaching search, discussing the candidacy of JJ Redick, why experience can come in many forms and to what degree lack of head coaching experience matters in this search, and what leadership qualities they're looking for in a candidate. And then later the guys discuss defensive philosophies and the importance of a candidate's approach on that end to the...

Pete, Darius, and Mike discuss the Game 1's of the Conference Finals, highlighting the challenges the Mavericks posed on both sides of the ball for the Wolves and why, even in game they gave away, the Pacers have some positivity to build on vs. Boston. And then later the guys talk about LeBron and Anthony Davis being named to All-NBA teams.

Pete, Darius, and Mike discuss the conference finals matchups, the through-line between the different teams and the success they've had making it this far, the Wolves taking down the Nuggets, and their initial thoughts on who has the edge in each matchup. 

Informed by the 2024 playoffs, Pete, Mike & Darius continue their discussion about Lakers roster building, centered around building an defensive identity, the importance of meshing that with the defensive scheme of the new coach, the best utilization of Lebron on defense in his 22nd season, acquiring a defensive swing man, how Jarred Vanderbilt fits into this, the importance of having more ath...

Pete, Mike, and Darius continue their discussion about the Lakers roster construction by debating the merits of chasing an on-ball guard vs. a pursuit of more defense and rebounding from the wing, whether the Lakers need an infusion of perimeter athleticism at the guard spot, and why chasing higher perimeter usage should not come at the expense of featuring Anthony Davis more. 

Pete and Darius debate the pros and cons of chasing a high-usage guard this offseason, diving into the skills and traits this player would need to have to be the right fit, how much they view a player of this type as helping LeBron vs. helping Anthony Davis, and how the salary a player like this commands impacts roster construction and team building.

Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the playoffs by diving into the Nuggets/Timberwolves series and examine how Denver has turned things around to even things back up 2-2. And then later the guys continue their discussion about the roster composition and why offensive versatility and more well-rounded players are necessary for the Lakers to improve.

With the playoffs in full swing, Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the Wolves defense and roster build, Denver showing the wear of trying to repeat, the entry point the Cavs used to attack Boston's defense in Game 2, and the back-and-forth nature of the Mavs/Thunder series. And then later, the guys dive into some of the lessons learned from the teams still playing and how it applies to the Lakers. 

In the second of a 2 part pod, Pete, Mike, and Darius continue their discussion about the Lakers head coaching search, debating what they value in a candidate, and specifically diving into how much experience matters, the difference between NBA experience as a player vs. previous coaching experience, and the different paths candidates can take to becoming successful head coaches. 

In the aftermath of the team firing Darvin Ham, Pete, Mike, and Darius continue their discussion about the Lakers search for a new head coach by examining traits they first consider important in a new coach, how much the roster should or should not inform the type of candidate the team looks at, philosophical alignment between the front office and the potential new hire, and much more. 

The Lakers have parted ways with Darvin Ham after two seasons as their head coach. Pete and Darius discuss the decision, highlighting the ups and downs of his tenure, why they believe the change was made, and whether they think this was the right move. 

Pete, Mike & Darius give their thoughts on the 1st Round of the playoffs, with an eye toward the type of shotmaking that endures through the postseason, how bigger teams are finding new advantages, and begin their talks about the Lakers roster moving forward.

The Lakers battled the Nuggets in a hard-fought Game 5, but another last second shot by Jamal Murray ended the series and with it, the Lakers season. Pete, Mike, and Darius reflect on the series clinching game and the series vs. Denver as a whole, and offer their initial thoughts on the season that was.

The Lakers staved off elimination with a wire-to-wire win in Game 4. Pete, Mike & Darius discuss overcoming the Lakers' 3Q scoring woes, LeBron’s off ball work and the impact that has on D'Angelo Russell & Austin Reaves, Anthony Davis’ dominance, how Denver might turn up the pressure in Game 5, what the Lakers can do to adjust, and more.

The Lakers are once again on the verge of elimination against the Nuggets after falling down 0-3 by losing Thursday's game. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the game, but also the ingredients of the series to this point, the challenges the team has not been able to overcome on the backboards and defensively overall, their inability to sustain their top level for long enough, and much more.

Pete and Darius continue to preview the Lakers game 3 matchup with the Nuggets by looking at what the team has been doing to get Anthony Davis going offensively that has worked, potential counters to the adjustment Denver made in changing their matchups, and where the Lakers can best attack with LeBron depending on who is defending him. And then later, the guys discuss the Lakers defense and some...

Pete, Mike, and Darius begin their preview of Lakers/Nuggets Game 3 by further diving into where there are gains to be made offensively, some of the strategies the team is employing defensively to good success, where some of their defensive shortcomings are showing up, and whether it's fair to ask for more bench production from their backup guards or whether the focus should be on getting Austin R...

The Lakers lost in heartbreaking fashion to Denver in Game 2, falling at the hands of a Jamal Murray buzzer-beater after leading by 20 points in the 3rd quarter. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the game, the mental toll losses like that can take, the defensive adjustment that triggered the Nuggets comeback, AD's brilliance offensively, the team's struggles on offense down the stretch, and much more...

The Lakers fell to the Nuggets in Game 1, losing the rebounding battle, the turnover battle, and the transition battle. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the game, highlighting where the Lakers were good and why they were able to take an early lead, where they need to show improvement and how the Nuggets took control back, and what they can do differently in Game 2 on Monday. 

In part 2 of their preview of the Lakers first round playoff series against the Nuggets, Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the challenges of defending Denver's offense, debate different strategies for dealing with Nikola Jokic, the various matchups the team could deploy when dealing with the Nuggets' front court, why Aaron Gordon is particularly important for the Lakers defense, dealing with Jamal Mu...

In part 1 of their preview of the Lakers first round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets, Pete, Mike, and Darius offer their initial thoughts on the matchup and how it differs from last season's playoffs and even some of the regular season games. And then later, the guys dive into some of the keys for how the Lakers offense can be successful against Denver's defense.

The Pelicans had the Lakers on the ropes late, but a Zion injury, clutch play from DLo, a huge rebound by AD, and near perfection at the FT line sealed the win. Pete & Darius discuss the Lakers making the playoffs, Zion’s brilliance, DLo’s crucial contribution, how the Lakers are more equipped than ever to win with the stars struggling, and more. 

Pete, Mike, and Darius preview the Lakers play-in game against the Pelicans, highlighting the challenges of beating a good team twice in a row, some of the Lakers advantages over this Pelicans group, whether the team can continue to contain Zion, and the problems Anthony Davis presents for New Orleans on both ends of the floor. And then later the guys discuss some x-factors for this game, includin...

The Lakers beat the Pelicans to claim the 8th seed and end the regular season with a 47-35 record. Pete, Mike, and Darius offer their thoughts on what has been a roller coaster of a year and then dive into the details of the Lakers win, highlighting the team's great focus and execution, LeBron's great game on both sides of the ball, the way the team stepped on defense with everyone chipping in, an...