Laker Film Room - Dedicated to the Study of Lakers Basketball

Mike and special guest Mychal Thompson sit down in Trudell's Boston hotel room to discuss Mychal's memories of playing - and beating - the Celtics, the greatness of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as LeBron closes in on the scoring title, why Mychal microwaves fish, and more.

From watching him come of age and mature in the NBA, to his influence on the league and their personal and professional lives, and everything in between, Pete, Mike, and Darius reflect on Kobe Bryant three years after his tragic passing. 

The Lakers won a mostly poorly played game against the Spurs on Wednesday night, but the bigger news was Anthony Davis returning to the lineup after missing the last 20 games with his foot injury and Rui Hachimura making his Lakers debut. From the immediate impact AD had on the Lakers defense to Rui's ability to shoot over the top to some of the rotation questions adding two forwards back into the...

The Clippers once again beat the Lakers with a dominant shooting performance, controlling the game from the beginning. The guys discuss why the Lakers’ base defense is vulnerable to jump shooting, the potential return of AD and debut of Rui Hachimura vs the Spurs, and why tonight’s starting lineup will be an indication of the team’s direction going forward.

Pete and Mike discuss the opportunities and challenges facing Rui Hachimura as he joins the Lakers, and reflect on a pair of improbable comeback wins this weekend vs Memphis and Portland.

The Lakers have agreed to a trade with the Washington Wizards for combo forward Rui Hachimura. Pete and Darius react to the trade and offer their initial thoughts on how Hachimura's addition can help the Lakers. 

The Lakers have an 8-9 record since Anthony Davis went down, finding ways to tread water and stay in the hunt for a low-end playoff spot in the process. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss how they've done it, the importance of the LeBron and Russell Westbrook duo during this stretch, what it means as the team gets healthier in the coming weeks, and how it should inform what the team does at the trade...

In the aftermath of another hard fought Lakers' loss, Mike and Darius look at the Western Conference standings through the lens of risers and fallers over the last 15 games, and how that might impact who the buyers and sellers are at the trade deadline. From OKC and Utah to Phoenix and the Clippers, the guys look at injuries and player availability while questioning what organizations will decide...

After starting the season 2-10 the Lakers have quietly been one of the best offenses in the league. A key driver of their success has been their pick-and-roll heavy attack led by multiple combinations of both ball-handlers and screeners. From Russell Westbrook's passing and ability to play in a crowd to LeBron's dual threat as both a screener and a setup man, Pete and Darius break down what they'v...

The Lakers snapped their 3-game losing streak with a win over Houston in a game without much defense. The guys discuss the balance between LeBron’s rhythm and rest, Thomas Bryant’s defensive struggles, and Wenyen Gabriel’s growing role.

In a game it feels like we've seen many times before, the Lakers lost in crunch-time when they weren't able to convert on their final offensive possession. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the recurring themes of these losses, focusing on Russell Westbrook's role, how much injury and skill-player absences matter, and whether additional shooting would help alleviate some of the spacing issues LeBron...

The Lakers lost a heartbreaker of a game in double OT to the Mavs on Thursday night. Pete, Mike, and Darius react to Luka's big shots, LeBron's (and the team's) crunchtime struggles, the Mavs' defensive approach and the resulting Lakers shooting woes, and much more. 

The Lakers have lost several games this season because their closing lineup struggled to close out the other team and a big path to improving in the team's final 41 games will come down to making strides with the closing group. Pete and Darius discuss some of the team's issues closing out games, Russ' role in helping and hurting those groups, and what is needed to get more out of those lineups. Th...

Have you been surprised by LeBron's level of play so far this season? How have the Western Conference standings impacted your outlook on the Lakers being able to get to the playoffs and make a run if they do get there? After starting out horribly, the Lakers outside shooting has normalized -- but do they still need one high level shooter to push their offense to the next level? Pete, Mike, and Dar...

The Lakers reached the halfway point of the season with a 19-22 record through 41 games. Pete and Darius reflect on what they've learned about the team, what's different than they thought it would be, how they value some of the role players on the roster, and what they think the needs are moving forward to build on the identity and improvements the team has made over the last 20+ games. 

The Lakers won in convincing fashion vs Atlanta and again in a shootout in Sacramento this weekend, and when the dust settled they had a 5-game winning streak and just a game back of the 6th seed. Pete and Mike discuss the fast-paced, high motor style that’s becoming the team's identity, the invaluable contributions of Dennis, Russ, and TB, and the emerging chemistry between Russ and LeBron.

The Lakers are dealing with injury issues heading into a weekend back-to-back against the Hawks and the Kings. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss how the injuries impact the lineup decisions Darvin Ham will have to make, what they expect from LeBron in his return to the lineup, and get into some of the details of the matchup vs. the Hawks. 

A shorthanded Lakers team beat the Heat for one of their best wins of the season Wednesday night. Pete, Darius, and Mike discuss the game, focusing on Dennis Schröder's big night, Thomas Bryant's resilience and his big 4th quarter, and why the mentality and makeup of this group of players is proving so endearing to fans. 

The Lakers are in the midst of a stretch of games where they face a team they recently played, in their current form without Anthony Davis. The guys discuss what the Lakers can learn from last week’s game that can be applied to tonight’s matchup vs Miami, the value of strength & athleticism, and more.

The Lakers closed out their road trip with a win in Charlotte, led by another masterful LeBron James performance. Pete and Darius discuss the Hornets game, but also the road trip overall, highlighting LeBron's play, how he's scoring so well, and examining some of the differences they're seeing compared to earlier in the season. Then later, the guys discuss how the Lakers have adjusted without Lonn...

The Lakers had an eventful weekend when LeBron James celebrated his birthday with a breathtaking performance against the Hawks and set themselves up for a potential winning road trip if they can get a victory in Charlotte on Monday. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss LeBron's performance, appreciating the level he's still able to reach in his 20th season, and then get into some of the ways the team su...

In a special bonus podcast, Mike speaks with special guest Bill “Billy Mac” MacDonald about the Western conference landscape, Anthony Davis, & life on the road as part of the Lakers’ broadcasting team.

Happy Birthday LeBron James! On the day that LeBron celebrates his 38th birthday, Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the incomparable level of production he's bringing in his 20th season, the prospects of him keeping up this level of play for seasons to come, and whether him playing this well creates urgency for the Lakers to improve the team this season — particularly in the wake of his comments afte...

The Lakers were competitive in their loss to the Heat, but were outdone by Miami's physicality on the backboards and in ball pressure that led to easy baskets on putbacks and off turnovers. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss how the Lakers can better deal with physical perimeter teams and how Juan Toscano-Anderson's 4th quarter play offers hints at potential solutions and his specific role in finding...

The Lakers snapped a 4-game losing streak with a surprisingly sharp performance vs a streaking Orlando team with a huge size advantage. Pete & Mike discuss how the Lakers used their speed, team rebounding, and transition to get an unexpected wire-to-wire win, then preview tonight’s game vs Miami.