Laker Film Room - Dedicated to the Study of Lakers Basketball

Pete, Darius & Mike talk about Carmelo Anthony's & Trevor Ariza's games & what they see is the best fit & role for them on the offensive & defensive ends of the floor for next season's Lakers team.

Kent Bazemore is a well-rounded player who doesn't do any one thing great, but does a lot of things well enough to impact the game in multiple ways. Will this type of versatility lead him to starting for the Lakers? Will changing from the ball-movement heavy Warriors system to the Lakers more star-centric, isolation and post heavy system hurt his productivity? What is his best defensive position?...

Yes, the Lakers now profess to have a big-3 of superstar talents, but newcomer Kendrick Nunn just might be the team's x-factor this season. Pete, Darius, and Mike dissect Nunn's game, looking at his strengths and weaknesses, how they believe he'll fit in on the team on both sides of the ball, and whether he could end up being a surprise starter if the Lakers pivot away from playing big to begin ga...

After remaking their roster this offseason, the Lakers added many talented players -- but ones whose skill sets skew more towards offense. Under head coach Frank Vogel, however, the Lakers have won with a culture of defensive intensity and commitment. Do the Lakers have enough defense this season? Can Anthony Davis and LeBron continue to set the tone on that end? Can Russ turn his focus up to be b...

When the Lakers introduced many of their newly signed free agents, a common theme among several of them in their comments was the need to sacrifice so the team could be at their best. Pete, Mike, and Darius explore the idea of sacrifice in the context of this year's team and discuss how that idea could mean different things for different players. Later, the guys look at the roster construction of...

We know LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook are going to start for the Lakers, but who will join them? Will Anthony Davis start at Center? Is Marc Gasol and his spacing be the best option for this group or would Dwight Howard's rim protection and physicality prove the better choice? At shooting guard, will Kent Bazemore or Wayne Ellington get the nod? Is THT in the mix there? Pete,...

In what seems like a yearly tradition for the Lakers under Rob Pelinka's stewardship, the team's roster was almost completely turned over, headlined by a trade for Russell Westbrook and signing an entire new group of high profile role players. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss all the changes, focusing on the team's clear shift towards offensive minded players, what they expect from Russell Westbrook...

Via trades and free agency, the Lakers have not only added several high level contributors who they hope to win a championship with, they said goodbye to several key players from the 2019-20 title team. Pete, Mike, and Darius say goodbye to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, and Alex Caruso by talking about their contributions to the Lakers over the years and their favorite moments from those p...

Before the other Lakers' free agent signings, Pete, Darius & Mike react to Russell Westbrook being a Laker, talking about how Westbrook playing with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, how much Russ will have to adapt to the team as opposed to how much the team will have to adapt to Westbrook, slotting, how Westbrook will amplify AD, Russ being a floor raiser, how Russ will benefit LeBron, spacing...

The Lakers begin summer league play in the California Classic on Tuesday, giving fans their first opportunity to watch undrafted free agents Austin Reaves, Joel Ayayi, and Chaundee Brown get their first action for the team. Mike Garcia rejoins Pete, Mike, and Darius to discuss these prospects and what to expect from them in these games as summer play begins. Later, the guys discuss how valuable su...

A draft day report that the Lakers will add a 3rd star to flank LeBron James and Anthony Davis shook up the league, and has implications both towards how the team will play next season and how the rest of the roster can and should be constructed. Pete and Darius discuss the new direction the team is taking, how much of a call back to their championship season the rumored move is, and debate what p...

 In part 2 of their discussion on 2021 NBA draft prospects who could help the Lakers, Pete, Darius, and Mike Garcia take a look at players who might be less ready to contribute next season but who offer real upside or are hidden gems Lakers fans should be aware of. From playmaking guards to lob-catching bigs to 3-and-D wings, the guys go on a deep dive of players who the team could target at pick...

With the 22nd pick in the 2021 NBA Draft the Los Angeles Lakers select....? That is the question we're all trying to answer and to try and sort through all of the potential options, Pete and Darius are joined by Mike Garcia to break down the most rotation ready prospects who could be available when the Lakers are on the clock. From Chris Duarte to Jared Butler to Trey Murphy III and Kessler Edward...

This offseason will give us a lot of insight into how anxious the Lakers are to add a 3rd star to their roster in complement to LeBron and Anthony Davis while also informing us of the organization's willingness to pay and go deep into the luxury tax when building a championship roster. Pete, Mike, and Darius dive into these topics by using some of the free agent and potential trade targets the Lak...

Many cultures throughout history believed that a collection of gods represented certain principles and governed specific domains accordingly. The God of the Sea, the Goddess of Love, the God of the Sky, etc. Basketball is no different. While some basketball gods are more powerful than others, various players, coaches, and other figures throughout the league’s history act as emissaries who illustra...

The Bucks are the NBA champions, beating the Suns in game 6 on the back of a masterful 50 point, 14 rebound, 5 block performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo. Pete, Mike, and Darius celebrate Giannis' performance to lead his team to the title and discuss why they're happy to see him, specifically, succeed in this way. Later, the guys debate what the Bucks title can teach us about roster construction...

Last season the Lakers won a championship with a "bigger, faster, stronger" roster grounded in the talents of LeBron and Anthony Davis, but supplemented with role players who carried those same attributes. This season, the Bucks are on the verge of winning a championship using a similar formula. Pete and Darius use this idea to discuss what approach the Lakers should take to building their roster...

After coming back from a 16 point deficit after the 1st quarter and then holding on vs. a late game Suns rally, the Bucks won game 5 and are only a win away from the NBA championship. Pete and Darius break down the game, keying in on Jrue Holiday's monster performance on both ends of the floor and how his "power" game as a guard epitomizes the Bucks' physical advantages taking their toll on the Su...

With Kawhi Leonard's partially torn ACL and the anticipated time that Kawhi will be out in rehab after undergoing surgery to repair it, the seeding for the Western Conference is wide open. Pete & Mike discuss what teams they think will be on top of the West next season, as well as what team Pete thinks Lakers should be wary of as a potential contender as a Lakers' fan. They continue their disc...

The Bucks tied up the series on Wednesday night with an engaging game where the Suns led for the majority of the game. Pete & Mike talk about Milwaukee's adjustments that they employed in Game 4, Giannis's AMAZING BLOCK, why the Bucks' have a higher offensive floor in this series, and what adjustments Phoenix can make for Game 5.

The Lakers have a long history of prioritizing talent, but that can result in quality players being unhappy with their role, minutes, and touches. In this episode, Pete and Mike discuss the delicate balance between acquiring the best players available with and those who will fully buy in to their roles.

In the latest LFR Pod mailbag, Pete & MIke answer questions about what the Lakers can do (other than getting shooters) to improve their scoring, structural changes in the NBA that could be made to improve the league, soccer, building the team around AD or LeBron, favorite albums that came out after 2010, unsung heroes within the Lakers organization, and advice for people who are stuck in a rut...

Pete and Mike discuss their different paths toward covering the Lakers.

The Phoenix Suns continued their torrid playoff run with a convincing Game 1 victory over Milwaukee. In this episode, Pete and Mike discuss Phoenix targeting Brook Lopez on switches, Phoenix’s adaptability, and the options Milwaukee has to counter their attack in Game 2.

The NBA Finals bring two not so recent combatants to the field. Pete, Darius & Mike preview the matchup between the Suns and the Bucks, discussing how soon they expect to see Giannis Antetokounmpo playing in the series, the intriguing matchup between Deandre Ayton & Giannis, the Bucks' unique ability to guard Chris Paul & Devin Booker, Paul's & Booker's effectiveness against the dr...