Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

In a series where the Lakers came in as heavy underdogs, the Lakers now have a 2-0 lead heading into Game 2 in Houston.  So are they now series favorites?  A lot goes into that. Are the Lakers playing above their heads right now? Do you think Houston's offense can improve? if so, how much? Insofar as the Lakrs are concerned, it should be heartening to see that, while maybe the shotmaking has been...

Before things kicked off in their series against the Houston Rockets, the hosts of this space were confident in one thing: The Lakers would set a bar and make the Rockets clear it to beat them. LA is too resilient and composed to fall apart and fold.  The expectation, though, was that the Rockets would have enough talent on hand to put down those plucky Lakers in five or six.  Well... not so far!...

Without question, Rockets center Alperen Şengün has the better pedigree and resume than either Deandre Ayton or Jaxson Hayes. However, over the course of two games between the Lakers and Rockets, the Laker centers have demonstratively outplayed and out-impacted their two-time All-Star counterpart. How is this happening, and why is it so critical to the Lakers' 2-0 series lead? Hosts: Andy and Bria...

We figured Kevin Durant would be back on the floor for the Rockets in Game 2, and we were correct.  We figured that would mean Houston would crack 100 points... and we were wrong. The Lakers defense frustrated Durant, sending waves of bodies after him throughout the game, and save a red hot first few minutes, was held in check. LA dared anyone else to beat them, and the Rockets simply couldn't do...

The Lakers may be up 1-0 in their series against the Houston Rockets, but the odds are still stacked against them. Houston is favored in Tuesday's Game 2 even while it's still not guaranteed that Kevin Durant is going to play. And if he does? Houston is an even bigger favorite.  But the Lakers do have an early advantage, and part of that is due to the leadership provided by, and the history of, Le...

The Lakers got a big lift in Game 1 when Rockets star Kevin Durant was declared unavailable with a knee injury.  Now the Rockets might feel like they're on the receiving end of some good news, as more signs point to his availability for Tuesday's Game 2 at Crypto.com. He'll be called a gametime decision, but there is speculation that he's likely to play, and reports were that Durant was moving muc...

The NBA released its list of finalists for postseason awards - the top three vote-getters in each category - and there were no Lakers among any of them. No real surprise, there, and someone like Luka Dončić is widely expected to finish fourth in MVP (no dishonor there). It wouldn't surprise to see JJ Redick finish among the top 5-7 in Coach of the Year balloting, either.  That, though, is a bit of...

Losing Kevin Durant for Game 1 had a profound impact on the Rockets not just because suddenly they had 25-30 points to replace.  Durant's presence (or lack thereof) changes the dynamic of how the Lakers can attack the Rockets, how their length and size can bother them, and how the Rockets can in turn attack the Lakers. It makes it easier for LA to play Luke Kennard bigger minutes without as much p...

The Lakers caught a break heading into Saturday's Game 1 when a bruised knee suffered in practice knocked Kevin Durant out.  Even with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves out, losing Durant ate up a lot of the advantage the Rockets have head-to-head against LA. But their good fortune would only matter if the Lakers came out and took care of business.  That they did, playing active defense throughout and...

It's about time to stop talking and start playing the games.  Game 1 is Saturday at 5:30 local time, down at LA Live. The Lakers begin what remains a very, very uphill battle. The Rockets are playing well, and won't want to give the Lakers any space to think they can win the series. A good start is important. But no matter what, the Lakers will be on the wrong end of the talent allotment.  So what...

The Lakers got some good news Thursday as the NBA said it has approved the appeal from Luka Dončić and the Lakers for an exemption from the 65-game rule that governs postseason awards eligibility. The league agreed that the pair of games Luka missed to attend the birth of his daughter met the extraordinary circumstances threshold, and that he otherwise would have made it to 65.  So he's good to go...

"All hands on deck."  "Next man up."  These are pretty stock sports cliches trotted out anytime someone important suffers an injury. But while there isn't really a next man to be up when the lost men are Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves -- they're too good to be replaced in that way -- the Lakers do need to adopt a mentality where everyone is ready to contribute, and truly all hands are, in fact, on...

The Lakers are facing a serious talent deficit heading into the first round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets. Their best available player is 41 years old. They don't have anyone else on the roster who has been a real number one, or even a number two. The closest thing would be Deandre Ayton, who at his best was a featured player in Phoenix who put up close to 20 a night.  Everyone knows...

Earlier, we previewed the Lakers-Rockets first round series by grilling Locked On Rockets host Jackson Gatlin about the team he covers every day. What changed for a team that has turned things around on the court and with the vibe? What kind of leader has Durant turned out to be? Why is the offense cooking? Where might they be vulnerable?  Today, it's the opposite. We answer questions about the La...

The Lakers have a tall task in front of them, playing a Rockets squad that not only has more talent but is also playing arguably its best ball of the season.  After a rough stretch, which included the consecutive games the Lakers took off them in Houston during The Happier Times, Houston has since got its stuff together and finished the season winning nine of 10. The vibes have improved considerab...

Once again, it's falling on LeBron James to lead a team into the playoffs.  This time, though, James is 41 years old, and will enter the series as part of a roster meant to be led by Luka Dončić first and foremost, and then by James and Austin Reaves. With Luka and Reaves unavailable, the lineups around James will be at a constant talent deficit. So can LeBron muster up one more run of greatness,...

The news from Monday was, whether intentionally or not, going to get Lakers fans excited. Luka Dončić is on his way back to the US having completed his treatment in Spain. Whether that means he'll actually return to play in time from his injured hamstring to actually help the Lakers remains to be seen—no news yet about any return to play—but for a fanbase that is open to some hopium, this certainl...

Shams Charania of ESPN reports that Luka Dončić is on his way back from his treatment in Spain on his injured hamstring, and is expected to rejoin the team later this week. Presumably someone will poke around and see how that hammy is doing, but it would certainly be a surprise to see Luka play in the first round, and DEFINITELY would be a shock were it to come by the weekend and Game 1.  More inf...

he Lakers went ahead and played everyone in the rotation (save Jaxson Hayes, still nursing a foot injury) Sunday against Utah, despite having no worse than a four-seed locked up in the West.  The results were pretty solid. It seems everyone came through it well enough, and in the meantime the Lakers got a few more reps in another confidence boost heading into the postseason. Final score, 131-107....

The Lakers had another excellent night on the floor Friday, beating the Phoenix Suns 101-73 behind 28/6/12 from LeBron James, who also added four steals. Luke Kennard added 19, but the Lakers didn't need much offensively to get past a skeleton version of their Pacific Division rivals.  The big benefit here isn't just more confidence, but a guarantee to open the first round on their home floor. The...

After Thursday's win in Golden State, LeBron James was asked by Amazon/Spectrum's Allie Clifton about what's needed from him as the Lakers head into the playoffs:  "Everything. Nothing changes for me, it's just back to the old ways. I gotta give them my leadership both on the floor and off the floor. I gotta lead in all facets on the court, both ends. That's what the job requires, so I look forwar...

The Lakers needed a win. For the standings, for their confidence.  And they got it, led by LeBron James and five more Lakers finishing in double figures. They beat the Warriors in San Francisco, 119-103. It allows them to keep pace with the Rockets in the race for the 4 seed and home court advantage in the first round. LeBron James led the way, scoring 26 points on a very efficient 11-17 from the...

Injuries to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves have cost the Lakers a ton as they head into the postseason.  Most obvious is the opportunity to win games and make a run. But beyond that, approaching a critical offseason this spring would have been useful to see more about how Luka and A.R. work together in a postseason setting, and get more data about Reaves as a featured player in the postseason. Is h...

The Lakers will get some welcome relief on Thursday in San Francisco, with LeBron James returning to the lineup, and at least the possibility of Marcus Smart joining him. For a game the Lakers need to win if they want to hold on to the 4 seed and home court advantage in the first round, this will be a big boost.  Especially since the Warriors could be without... well, almost everyone. Steph might...

The Lakers are in dire straits right now, no question.  And to his credit, Luka Dončić crossed an ocean to try and get back to help give them a chance in the postseason. But even with the cutting edge treatments available to him in Europe, there is still a recovery period required for his injured hamstring, and a risk of recurrence should he come back to fast. But how big a risk, exactly? And how...