Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers have had long stretches this year where news on Jarred Vanderbilt has essentially been non-existent. And for the most part, it has been a matter of no news not equaling good news. There's no update because he's not making progress.

Well, sometimes getting news isn't good, either. Such was the case Wednesday, when the Lakers delivered a health update on Jarred Vanderbilt. And ... it's not great! His feet aren't healing as fast as the Lakers had hoped. Is it a "setback?" They say no, likely framing "setback" as something involving a recurrence of the injury. This isn't that, but he's just not recovering as fast as the Lakers clearly had hoped when training camp began. So they'll slow things down, and reassess in a couple weeks. (At least publicly.) 

Needless to say, if Vando's rehab is ramping down more than up, it means it's unlikely he's on the floor for at least a month. Possibly more. And the length of his absence, combined with the recovery from injury, makes it fair to wonder how effective he'd be upon his return. How long would he need to round into form? Remember, last year Vanderbilt played poorly after he returned from injury the first time, and then he got hurt again. (A sequence of events surely on the team's mind as they try to navigate this year's problems.) It wasn't until he came back the second time that Vando actually made positive contributions. 

So given how slowly this has gone, should the Lakers, even 14 games in (with 15 tonight at home against Orlando) approach the  rest of the year as if Vanderbilt won't make a meaningful contribution? Would that be the wisest course of action? To prepare for the worst, and be surprised if happier events intervene? 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Vando out. Still. 

SEGMENT 2: Do the Lakers have a messaging problem, in addition to a potential roster issue? 

SEGMENT 3: Great shooters in Lakers history! 

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In a town that has seen its share of "manias" around young, exciting players (Fernandomania, Nomomania, and so on) it's fair to think we're probably one more big game from full blown Knectomania in Los Angeles. Dalton Knecht, who entered Tuesday's game against Utah at the Crypt riding a big hot streak, got even hotter. He finished with 37, on a cartoonish 9-11 from 3-point range. 

He was so hot, and energizing the crowd to such an extent, that the Lakers seemed to lose their flow in the second half, because they were trying so hard to get him the ball. 

With the win, the Lakers remain unbeaten at home, unbeaten in the history of the In-Season Tournament/NBA Cup, and push their record to 10-4. That's all good. Anthony Davis played well, so did LeBron James. But let's be honest - nobody cares. The night was about Knecht, and all the (legitimately) fun questions fans can start asking themselves, and the ways in which they can let the collective imagination run wild. 

Because the Lakers have one of "those guys." Meaning a true shooting threat that will either alter how teams defend the Lakers (and make things easier for guys like Davis, LeBron, Austin Reaves, and anyone else sharing a court with him) or punish them for not making those adjustments. Likely, the league will very quickly tighten up on Knecht, and that's fine. The Lakers will still benefit. If Knecht keeps up high end shooting (somewhere in the 40s, as opposed to the 82% he shot on Tuesday) it will open up tons of stuff for JJ Redick and his offense, and add an important energy to every building he enters. 

The Lakers have now worked through a soft part of the calendar, and will face a few tougher tests in the games ahead. But at 10-4, they've got some wiggle room that will undoubtedly come in handy over the course of the season. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers win their sixth straight game. 

SEGMENT 2: Dalton. Knecht. 

SEGMENT 3: The Knecht Effect

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The Lakers are riding a five-game winning streak, with a very good chance to make it six tonight at home against the 3-10 Utah Jazz. 

So while the hot start—the Lakers wake up Tuesday morning as the 3rd seed in the West—has fans rightly excited, it's not all they're talking about. First-rounder Dalton Knecht has, after a shaky start, grown red hot as a shooter. This, of course, is what he was drafted to do, but adjusting to the NBA, even for the most talented rookies, is a challenge. For most players, it takes a little time. And it's too early to say that a weekend's worth of good games from Knecht, inserted into the starting lineup thanks to an injury to Rui Hachimura, has fully adjusted and "arrived," so to speak. But with Knecht shooting over 50% from three in his last four games, and his overall percentages improving, it's not too early to recognize the impact he's capable of having on the team. 

Would the Lakers be better off getting him into the starting lineup? 

Generally speaking, an argument can be made that the purpose of an NBA rotation is to get the best players on the floor as much as possible. Obviously, context plays a role, here. Teams might not have the roster balance to find "starters minutes" for every player if the talent is clustered around one position. "Best" might not mean the totality of a player's skill set, but one really, really big piece of it - say high volume 3-point shooting. Like Knecht. Or maybe it's a situation where strengths and weaknesses don't align properly, so one person needs to be split from the "best players" group. 

That's what's happened with D'Angelo Russell, who was sent to the bench in part because the Lakers were suffering too much defensively when he and Austin Reaves shared the court. Monday at practice, JJ Redick pushed back against the idea Russell is playing a different role on the team. His role is more being reallocated. Whether you buy that logic or not - I suspect Russell doesn't at least not fully - it's worked. The Lakers haven't lost since making the move, and Redick praised Russell's adjustment both to Redick's offense and the rotation change at length on Monday. 

However you want to define these things, roles could be changing in significant ways vs. what was expected going into camp. 

In other news, Hachimura is questionable for tonight's game, Reddish practiced (making him far more likely to play) and Pat Riley is getting a statue!

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers might have some reinforcements back tonight. 

SEGMENT 2: Should Dalton Knecht be a starter? 

SEGMENT 3: What's a role, anyway? Redick tries to define it, and Russell tries to live it. 

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The Lakers haven't always looked great in the process, but they are on a five game winning streak heading into Tuesday's game at home against the Jazz. That's a very, very, very good opportunity to make it six straight. 

It's easy to get wrapped up in aesthetics and style points, but there is no such thing as a bad five-game winning streak in the NBA. And there's definitely no such thing as a bad six-game streak. And it's worth noting that the Lakers, while catching a break here and there, have also played these games (and run their record to 9-4) while facing some adversity of their own. LA's frontcourt, already thinned out by injuries to Christian Wood and Jarred Vanderbilt, has had to absorb absences from Rui Hachimura, Cam Reddish and Jaxson Hayes. The backup center (Christian Koloko) missed about a year and a half before finally being cleared by the NBA to play again. 

So it's not all sunshine and roses. And all you can do is play the games on the schedule, anyway. 

Meanwhile, the Lakers are getting increasingly bigger contributions from Dalton Knecht, who is now shooting 48% from the floor and over 40% from 3-point range, including 14-21 over his last four games. The performances have been so impactful, there's already chatter among Lakers fans to put Knecht into the starting lineup, even when Reddish is healthy again. 

So can the Lakers turn current success into even bigger future gains? What do these wins now mean for the team going forward? 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers are winning games. Even if they're not getting much attention for it. 

SEGMENT 2: What's going right? What feels sustainable? 

SEGMENT 3: Knecht explodes, Christie resurfaces. 

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It wasn't at all pretty, but it ultimately got the job done. 

Playing on the second night of a back to back, the Lakers spent the first half running in mud against an extremely shorthanded but very hard working New Orleans Pelicans squad, and found themselves down by 10 at the break. They were being out worked, first and foremost -- as JJ Redick reportedly said at halftime, the adjustment was to "get the ****ing ball," meaning loose balls, rebounds and the like. In the second half, the Lakers didn't exactly run away with it, but they did execute at a far higher level, and just as importantly started hitting shots. 

The deficit was eaten up pretty quickly, and the Lakers even took a 10 point lead (that would disappear). In the end, they were simply too talented for the Pellies down the stretch. 

They're now 9-4, with a chance to get to 10 against Utah at home this week. All in all, a great start. 

The win was fueled by Anthony Davis (31 points) and Dalton Knecht (27 points), who hit five 3-pointers to help push LA to a win. On a night where Rui Hachimura and Cam Reddish were unavailable, Knecht showed again what he could do in the starting lineup. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

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Last season, the Lakers became the first team to win the NBA's in-season tournament. 

That means this year, they're the first team to try and defend that title. Of course, while the in-season tournament (now the NBA Cup) was a much bigger success than most anticipated, fans certainly remember how much the Lakers struggled following the tournament. It was miserable, in part because LA clearly used a lot of energy to try and win the thing and it took a while to recover. So with their portion of the NBA Cup opening tonight in San Antonio against a quickly improving Spurs team featuring a red hot Victor Wembenyama. 

But while Friday's game will get the most attention, a very solid argument can be made that Saturday's game in New Orleans is more critical. The Lakers, currently sitting at 7-4 in an extraordinarily crowded Western Conference, can't afford to give any games away. The best teams in the conference will almost certainly dominate against sub-.500 teams. Teams that fall to the bottom of the playoff ladder wil almost certainly have given away some games they shouldn't have. 

A 2-0 weekend, where the Lakers play better, establish themselves as a competent road team, and add tons of optimism would be idea. 

1-1, though, is the minimum. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: It's Cup time! 


SEGMENT 2: The Lakers need a strong weekend. 

SEGMENT 3: Let's say the Lakers were ready and willing to make a deal, likely for a big. Is there anything out there? 

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To this point, the Lakers have been a very good team at home (6-0) and a very, very meh group on the road. 

That made Friday's game against a solid-at-home, up-and-coming San Antonio team a big one (whether you're thinking regular season stuff, or the first game in NBA Cup pool play). LA took a punch in the mouth to start the game, but quickly got back on track defensively, finished the first quarter ahead, and stayed out front for (almost) the rest of the game. 

Final score, 120-115. The Lakers run their record to 8-4, with a game against an injury-riddled New Orleans squad coming tomorrow. 

This was a great game on a lot of levels. It starts with the stars. Anthony Davis finished with 40 points and 12 rebounds. LeBron James, pushing 40, had his FOURTH STRAIGHT triple-double (15/16/12). Austin Reaves, D'Angelo Russell and Dalton Knecht all finished in double figures, as did Max Christie, pressed into service with Rui Hachimura sidelined thanks to a bum ankle. 

Low bar to clear, but this was easily Christie's best game of the season. 11 points, three rebounds, two steals and a block, and a level of aggression that has not been present to this point in the season. Between him and Russell, the Lakers got real, live bench production. It can't be overstated how important that is for them. 

Will Christie have a chance to build on this? With Hachimura potentially out Saturday, he could have a chance. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

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FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Introducing Game Night: Luka Doncic's defensive lapse costs Dallas Mavericks the game from Locked On NBA – Daily Podcast On The National Basketball Association.

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Luka Doncic's late-game defensive lapse cost the Dallas Mavericks a crucial win against the Utah Jazz, allowing an easy game-winning dunk. This surprising upset showcased standout performances from Jordan Clarkson and John Collins, leaving fans questioning the Mavericks' current form.

Hosts Jake Madison ( @LockedOnPelicans ) and John Karalis ( @LockedOnCeltics ) break down the implications of this game, exploring the Golden State Warriors' impressive 9-2 record despite injuries, and the Cleveland Cavaliers' undefeated start. The episode also covers the Los Angeles Clippers' resilience without key players, and the struggles of the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks amid roster changes. Coaching impacts on teams like the Cavaliers and Clippers are also discussed.

Tune in for an engaging analysis of these pivotal moments and insights into the evolving dynamics of the league.

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Definitionally, everything LeBron James does at this point in his career is historic, because nobody in NBA history has ever, at age 39, done what James is doing. But that doesn't mean all the history is created equal. James came through on Wednesday with another triple-double (his third straight) on a night the Lakers really needed him. 

Following a hot shooting start to the game (where they built up a 15 point lead) the Lakers went cold in the second and third quarters, losing defensive cohesion and then the lead. They had to dig deep to find a way to win, and they did. 

At the core of the comeback was James (35 points, 12 rebounds, 14 assists), playing in a way that was physically and mentally dominant without being reliant on high flying athleticism. You can see the craft of basketball in action when James puts on displays like this one. On a night where Anthony Davis struggled with foul trouble, which took him and his teammates out of their flow, the Lakers needed others to fill the void. Dalton Knecht stepped up with his most consequential game as pro, playing 31 minutes and hitting all five of his 3-pointers. Knecht, Redick said, provided not just production, but also real energy coming off the bench. 

How Knecht might break through going forward, especially as Gabe Vincent continues to be a disaster, is going to be a topic going forward. The Lakers need that production in a big, bad way. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers build a big lead, then lose it, then get it again. 

SEGMENT 2: AD in foul trouble? No worries. LeBron steps WAY up. 

SEGMENT 3: Is it time to play Knecht more (and sit Vincent)?

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The Lakers got some good injury news on Tuesday. Anthony Davis, poked in the eye during Sunday's win over Toronto, is fine (or fine enough) and will play. Without goggles, because he just hates them, apparently.  But he'll play. 

Meanwhile, the news wasn't so good for Christian Wood. The team's most offensively talented reserve big man has suffered a setback in his rehabilitation following (another) knee surgery, and will essentially be shut down for a month. Realistically, this means the earliest he might return to play would be mid- to late-December. It's very possible if Wood returns it's after the first of the year. 

Needless to say, combined with news that Jarred Vanderbilt seemingly isn't any closer to returning than he has been over the last few weeks, the Lakers aren't getting any help anytime soon. And it raises all of the same questions about the team's training and medical staff. Did they do anything wrong in regards to Wood? Nothing indicates that at this point. The body is complex, and recovery can be difficult, especially when the bar to clear is "can play NBA basketball." 

But at the same time, it's easy to believe the Lakers have a recurring problem with their medical staff and keeping people on the court, if for no other reason than their own actions seem to confirm it with consistent turnover in those departments. At the least, they have a communication problem. While most teams now don't like to give much information about injuries—and there are a lot of good reasons for that—the Lakers seem particularly challenged when it comes to communicating in ways that craft expectations, and then help keep them in check. 

Frankly, a little more "we don't know" would be good. Guys are hurt, recovery is slow. "We don't know when a player will be back. He's doing everything he can, but we have a to be careful." Something like that. 

Meanwhile, Rui Hachimura's performance has been all over the map. And D'Angelo Russell? Don't assume he's being traded just because he's on the bench, now. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers get AD back for Wednesday, but lose Christian Wood for a while more. 

SEGMENT 2: Do the Lakers have a problem with their training and medical staff? 

SEGMENT 3: What's up with Rui? 

Mint Mobile
To get the new customer offer and your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just $15 a month, go to mintmobile.com/lockedonnba. See Mint Mobile for details.

Robinhood
Robinhood Gold provides the privileges of a high net worth for any net worth. These generous benefits are now available for only $5/month. The new Gold Standard is here with Robinhood Gold. Sign up at robinhood.com/gold. 

Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.

FanDuel
You can start the season with a big return on FanDuel. New customers can place a FIVE DOLLAR bet and you’ll get started with ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS - if you win your first FIVE DOLLAR BET ! Visit FANDUEL.COM to get started.
 

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)