Laker Film Room - Dedicated to the Study of Lakers Basketball

The Lakers beat the Warriors 103-100 in the Play-In Game to secure the 7th seed, which culminated in a one-eyed, dagger 3 from LeBron James to win it. In this episode, Pete and Darius discuss an emotionally exhausting, instant classic, as Mike joins them halfway through the pod, live from Staples Center.

The Lakers and Warriors will face off in the play-in game in a matchup between tested champions. In this episode, Pete, Mike, & Darius discuss how the Lakers can best leverage their size advantage, the team effort it will take to contain Steph Curry, and the self-inflicted mistakes that the Lakers need to avoid.

The Lakers finished the season on a 5-game winning streak, and a matchup against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors awaits in the Play-In Tournament. In this episode, Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss their levels of confidence in the team as they begin the postseason.

Who are the Lakers best bench options in a potential playoff series vs. the Suns? If the Lakers end up in the play-in game, should Frank Vogel change his starting lineup to better matchup and go all out for the win? What Lakers championship team is your favorite? Pete, Darius, and Mike answer these questions, and more, in this Mail Bag edition of the LFR Podcast.

Dennis Schröder posted to social media telling us he's on the verge of returning. And while the team is still being cautious with LeBron James' ankle, he should be back soon too. The prospects of the Lakers having their "full squad" back together offers excitement, but also poses interesting questions the coaching staff has not had to answer or navigate in a long time. From reconfigured rotations,...

A Wes Matthews tip-in to force overtime, some inspired defense by Anthony Davis, and a Talen Horton-Tucker step back 3 in the final minute of OT lifted the Lakers to a much needed victory over the Knicks on Tuesday night. Pete, Mike, and Darius break down the win and highlight how THT's performance was the quintessential performance from him after being thrust into the role of primary ball handler...

Anthony Davis is playing great and the Lakers look to be getting back on track, but the West playoff seedings remain bunched up with several scenarios still in play with less than a handful of games remaining. Are the Lakers going to end up in the play-in games or is the 6th or 5th seed still possible? If they do make the play-in, how would a potential matchup with the Warriors go and should the L...

Anthony Davis caught a lob pass for a reverse dunk and emphatically screamed "I'M BACK" to punctuate an absolutely dominant performance that propelled the Lakers to a win over the Suns on Sunday night. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss ramifications of AD getting back to playing at an All-NBA level, why Alex Caruso's growth as an offensive threat were so important in this win, and why KCP's defensive...

The Lakers fell to the 7th seed after losing to the Portland Trailblazers on Friday night, but also saw Anthony Davis touch superstardom for the first time since his return from injury. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss AD's encouraging step forward, a long-awaited lineup adjustment, and how the team built positive momentum on a night where they fell to their lowest point in the standings.

LeBron's injured ankle will keep him out of the Lakers next two games -- and maybe even longer. How concerned should we be? What can the Lakers do to compensate for his absence or, when he does return, a more physically limited LeBron? Pete, Darius, and Mike provide perspective on what steps the team can take moving forward. Later, the guys discuss Marc Gasol's strong game vs. the Nuggets and what...

The Lakers next stretch of games features a slew of playoff ready teams who offer the opportunity to get a good picture of how resilient the Lakers are and what approach they will take in getting ready for the playoffs (or, if things break against them, the play-in). Pete, Darius, and Mike discuss how they think the team will respond to this stretch and what changes to approach they'd like to see...

The Lakers not playing well is now an ongoing theme, with their latest effort against the Raptors only deepening their recent tailspin. Pete, Mike, and Darius take stock in the team, zeroing in on the team's approach to prioritizing health over continuity and urgency, and how Anthony Davis' play is symbolic of the current morass the team is stuck in.

With LeBron James' return getting closer by the day, the prospect of the Lakers getting back to full strength is becoming more a reality. Pete, Darius, and Mike break down how his return can help reorient this team from a mental approach and preparedness perspective, particularly on defense when playing with both AD and Drummond. Later, the team discusses potential playoff matchups and how the pro...

The Lakers lost to the Wizards to end their road trip with a disappointing 1-3 record, showing a noticeable lack of urgency and engagement along the way. Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the current state of the team and how much LeBron's impending return will help this team get back on track from the standpoint of focus and showing more desperation as the regular season nears its close.

The Lakers got back on track by beating the Orlando Magic on Monday, getting the best game from AD since his return and a great closing kick from Dennis Schröder to seal the win. However, the game also highlighted some of the issues the team is trying to manage as they wait for LeBron to get back from injury while also trying to ramp up as the playoffs get closer. Pete, Mike, and Darius debate how...

The Lakers dropped their 2nd consecutive game vs. the Mavericks on Saturday in one of the more frustrating games of the year. Rather than dive into the specific details of that game, however, Pete, Mike, and Darius zoom out to discuss the big themes of continuity and chemistry of this current Lakers group and how, with only 12 games left in the season, the Lakers can move forward together to ramp...

Anthony Davis returned to the Lakers starting lineup after missing the previous 30 games. In this episode, Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss both the rust and flashes of brilliance he showed in his first game back, their first impressions of his pairing with Andre Drummond, and much more.

Anthony Davis will return to the Lakers lineup soon and with that there are a lot of questions about the adjustments the rest of the team will need to make to having him back in the lineup. From how the AD/Drummond defensive pairing will work, to how lineups with two bigs will function offensively with reduced spacing, to how Drummond's skill set translates to a change in role, Pete, Mike, and Dar...

The Lakers split a two game set against the Jazz and,even in less than ideal circumstances, got a very good look at a potential playoff opponent. Pete, Mike, and Darius break down what a potential matchup between these teams could look like, debating how much what the Jazz do well on offense can give the Lakers issues defensively, how crucial a role AD would play in the series, why the size of Uta...

In part two of their discussion on Anthony Davis' impending return, Pete, Darius, and Mike discuss the balance between his individual dominance and what the team needs, how he can develop chemistry with Schröder and Drummond, and much more.

A depleted Lakers roster lost to the hated Celtics, although not before our South Bay guys made it interesting in the 4th, but that was not the big news of the day. In this episode, Pete, Darius & Mike discuss the impending return of Anthony Davis, the challenges he faces while rounding into form, and its ramifications on the team.

The Lakers better-than-expected road trip revealed many positives about the team's progression and their collective ability to play through adversity, but many of the games also exposed some flaws that should not be ignored. From Dennis Schröder's turnover problems to some defensive lapses from Andre Drummond, Pete, Mike, and Darius debate how meaningful some of these deficiencies are when placed...

The Lakers finished their 7-game road trip with a 4-3 record, and in the process learned a lot about themselves -- both positively and in some areas of potential concern. In part one of our look at the current state of the Lakers, Pete, Darius, and Mike discuss Markieff Morris' strong play and push for inclusion in the rotation even after LeBron and AD return. Then later, the guys get into how Tal...

The undermanned Lakers came away with a surprising 126-101 victory in Brooklyn on Saturday. In this episode, Pete, Darius & Mike discuss the culture of detail and defense that the team has established, what to take away from the game as a possible Finals preview, and the instant impact of Andre Drummond & Ben McLemore.

How much should the Lakers be worried about the standings? Are they at risk of landing in the play-in game? Do they actually matchup better with the teams at the top of the conference, making the seedings less important? Pete, Mike, and Darius answer those questions and more when they dive deep into the West standings and examine the race towards the playoffs.