Laker Film Room - Dedicated to the Study of Lakers Basketball

The Lakers competed well, but missing LeBron James -- and the subsequent lack of frontcourt size with him out -- did them in vs. the Spurs on Monday night. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss how much the team's lack of size mattered, how this game showed the limitations of the team's talent and some of the players skill sets, and why it's important to compete the way the team did -- even in defeat. Th...

LeBron James provided a masterpiece performance over the weekend, scoring 56 points to fend off the Warriors and get the Lakers a much needed win. Pete and Darius discuss LeBron's game and what stood out to them most. Then later, the guys explain why they believe the starting lineup from the Warriors game should continue to start going forward, and discuss the search for other small-ball lineups t...

Losers of four games in a row and seven of their last eight, the Lakers are in a rut and need to dig themselves out of it. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the nature of being down the way the team currently is, why playing better can't just be about improving schemes or rotations, and how LeBron's leadership is needed now more than ever -- even if the asks being made of him aren't entirely fair con...

What team inspires the most confidence they can get through the west playoffs and compete for a title? The Suns? The Warriors? The Grizzlies? What about a lower seed like the Mavs or the Nuggets? Pete, Mike, and Darius break out their confidence meters to debate who they most believe in to make a deep playoff run from the west. Then later, the guys talk about their confidence in the Lakers and whe...

The Lakers played well on Tuesday night, but not enough to overcome some stagnant late game offense that ultimately cost them against the Mavericks. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the game, focusing on how the team's shortened rotation and smaller skewing lineups helped generate the pace and tempo they used to take their 4th quarter lead. Later, the guys discuss why Frank Vogel's ever-shifting lin...

The Lakers have made some roster moves, waiving DeAndre Jordan, signing point guard D.J. Augustin to fill his roster spot, and adding forward Wenyen Gabriel on a two-way contract. Pete, Mike, and Darius dive into the games of both Gabriel and Augustin, focusing on their skill sets and what they add to the team, how both fit into different lineup types, and how much both should play once they settl...

Over the weekend, the Lakers suffered a hard-fought loss to the Clippers before a terrible and unacceptable lack of effort doomed them in a blowout loss to the Pelicans on Sunday night. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the games and how the loss to the Pelicans showed a group of veteran players resigned to their fate, and what that should mean moving forward. Then later, the guys discuss some potent...

The Lakers have 24 games left to get the best out of their season and a narrow path forward after Anthony Davis' injury before the break. In this episode, Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss LeBron's mentality, how the team can use their lack of size to their advantage, and the many obstacles they will face along the way.

Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the Lakers' supporting cast around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the various responsibilities that the 3-8 spots fill on a good team, and why that portion of the roster has struggled this season.

All-Star Weekend felt especially Lakers-centric as several franchise icons participated in the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team celebration and LeBron James' game winning fadeaway led his team to another victory in Sunday's game, all while his future in Los Angeles was speculated on after he openly spoke about what lies ahead for him after his current contract expires. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss th...

With news that Anthony Davis will be out at least a month with a mid-foot sprain, the Lakers will need to make a determination on how hard to push for their final 24 games considering their place in the standings and the talent available to them. Pete and Darius discuss the team's calculus night to night, why LeBron's mentality towards these games puts him in the middle of it all, and how much Rus...

The Lakers got a bittersweet win on Wednesday night when they beat the Jazz in a thrilling 4th quarter comeback, but lost Anthony Davis to a 2nd quarter ankle injury that projects to keep him out of the lineup for some time. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the night's events, the team's resilience in the face of another injury, how Russell Westbrook's spirited play impacted the game, and how the La...

The Lakers face the Jazz in their last game before the All-Star break and it's not a stretch to say this is a must-win game, not only for the standings but to keep the team's spirits up and to build some momentum heading into the final stretch of the season. Pete, Mike, and Darius preview the game and discuss the standings, but not before Mike puts both his co-hosts through a gauntlet of questions...

Talen Horton-Tucker and Austin Reaves don't play the same style of game and both have had wildly different seasons in terms of expectations and their performance relative to them. But, as the Lakers head into the All-Star break, both project to be key performers and can build on a string of good performances -- particularly in their last game against the Warriors. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss bo...

The Lakers lost another heartbreaker on Saturday, falling to the Warriors on a night that Klay got hot down the stretch and the Lakers stars weren't able to make the plays they needed to close out the game. But despite the loss, the Lakers showed a level of spirit and togetherness that will do them well if they can maintain it moving forward. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the game in general, but...

The trade deadline came and went with the Lakers making no moves. Pete, Mike, and Darius, discuss the team standing pat, where the team goes for here, and the trades that did go down around the NBA.

As the Lakers lick their wounds from another terrible loss, the trade deadline is also upon them. Whether they make a major roster change or not, the team -- from the front office to the coaches to the players -- must look themselves in the mirror and determine what type of team they're going to be and what their goals are, both in the short and the long term. Pete and Darius discuss what comes ne...

Pete, Darius & Mike discuss the fallout from the Lakers definitive loss to the Bucks, delving into some of the postgame comments by LeBron & Russ and try to find a way forward for the team.

To switch or not to switch, that is the question....for the Lakers defense. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the Lakers defensive philosophies, how much they are (and aren't) switching, why the coaches might be making the decisions they are, and debate whether there really is an all-the-time solution defensively for these Lakers considering the limitations of their personnel.

Through all the turmoil and disappointment so far this season, there is still one simple truth to these Lakers: when you have LeBron James and Anthony Davis playing like the superstars they are, they can give you a path to a win. Saturday's game vs. the Knicks was more evidence of that as they, along with Malik Monk's hot 2nd half, led the Lakers to an overtime victory. Pete, Mike, and Darius disc...

 The basketball gods found a new way to torment Laker fans last night as they lost to the Clippers in the final moments of a well-played game. In this episode, Pete & Mike discuss the Lakers comeback and why they came up short, the implications of Carmelo Anthony's injury, and the increasingly difficult path to the playoffs.

A frustrating win is still a win, right? The Lakers certainly put that theory to the test in a squeaker of a victory vs. the Blazers that was more frustrating than fulfilling on Wednesday night. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the game, focusing on how the team's strong start devolving into a mistake riddled, low effort performance irked them so much. Later, the guys find the bright side by focusin...

Because of injuries, the need for a point-of-attack defender, and his familiarity with Frank Vogel's defensive schemes, Avery Bradley went from waiver wire pick up on the eve of opening night to the Lakers' starting shooting guard this season. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss Bradley's play this year, whether he should remain a starter, and, if not, what the other solutions on the roster are and wha...

The Lakers got more bad news on the injury front with reports that LeBron's troublesome left knee will likely keep him out of Wednesday's game vs Portland and possibly beyond. in this episode, Pete, Darius, and Mike discuss the fallout of his absence, express frustration at the steady stream of injury issues over the last two seasons, and how Russell Westbrook's strong road trip gives the Lakers a...

The Lakers road trip closed with two close losses over the weekend, both without LeBron James who continues to deal with swelling in his knee. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss how missing LeBron impacted the games and how the loss to the Hawks highlighted the team's depth issues at forward, particularly on defense. Later the guys debate how much a better back end of the roster could help the Lakers...