With a couple off-days between games, Pete and I opened up the iTunes mailbag to try to catch up to all your questions. Regarding the team right now... How good does Kuzma have to be to make the Lakers title favorites? Is this now a championship-or-bust season? Could Alex Caruso make an all-defensive team? And then to have some fun, a listener asked Pete and I to draft all-time Lakers teams.
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LOCKED ON LAKERS -- 12/10 -- Mailbag: Could Alex Caruso make an all-defensive team?

Locked On Lakers podcast is your daily ticket to stay ahead of the game and the first to know the latest news, analysis, and insider info for the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA. Hosts Andy and Brian Kamenetzky, who have covered the Purple and Gold since 2005 for media outlets including the LA Times, ESPN and The Athletic, offer traditional journalism, informal commentary, and offbeat humor to provide expert, local analysis. Locked On Lakers takes you beyond the scoreboard for the inside scoops on the biggest stories from within the Lakers locker room and all over the NBA. The Locked On Lakers podcast is part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

Sports

Basketball

The overwhelming consensus has the defending champion Denver Nuggets winning their first-round series against the Lakers, and relatively easily. And it makes sense why, given all their credentials and that Nikola Jokic/Jamal Murray pairing. But the Lakers have played extremely well over the last few months, and the starting lineup of LeBron James/Anthony Davis/Rui Hachimura/Austin Reaves/D'Angelo Russell has often been deadly piling up points. Hachimura and Russell are having career years. James looks healthy. The team can actually make outside shots. Gabe Vincent is perhaps primed for a key role as a defensive specialist. There's actually a playable backup big in Jaxson Hayes.

If nothing else, it feels like the Lakers are in a better place to beat the odds than last season, when the Nuggets swept them in the Western Conference Finals.

Our guest, basketball analyst and former college baller Jason Timpf (Hoops Habit, @_JasonLT), agrees. The road will be tough, but the Lakers shouldn't be pushovers in this series... assuming they play their cards right. What are the best strategies for doing so? Timpf breaks down exactly what needs to go right, and more importantly, can't go wrong, if the Lakers want to pull off a massive upset. 


HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky, with guest Jason Timpf. 

SEGMENT 1: The state of the Lakers. 

SEGMENT 2: More of what the Lakers must do against Denver.

SEGMENT 3: What are the Nuggets' weaknesses? 

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Lakers-Nuggets Series Preview: Davis v. Jokic, DLo vs. Murray, LeBron vs. the Odds, and more!

Everyone has the Nuggets beating the Lakers. Everyone. 

And why not? 

Denver are the defending NBA champions. They're elite. And they've won seven straight games over the Lakers. The same Los Angeles Lakers that were a bit of a basket case all year long, never caught any consistency, and built no faith with anyone. So it's a foregone conclusion, right? 

Maybe not! Because there are real reasons to believe that the Lakers have a chance to surprise some people. Not made up stuff that doesn't mean anything, or not super unrealistic stuff that can't possibly happen. The Lakers have a real opportunity to do a lot better than many are expecting. There are legitimate reasons to feel optimistic about LA's chances to make things happen in this series. First, the whole "seven straight wins" thing between the Nuggets and Lakers isn't meaningless, but it's also misleading. All of the games have been competitive, and five of the seven have been inside five points with four or so minutes to play. Some even closer than that. 

So if the Lakers can figure out how to solve those last few minutes, they're in it. 

Meanwhile, the Lakers are healthier than they were (in non-Jarred Vanderbilt ways) last season. They get more days off in between games. Basically, they're more likely to win playing Denver now than they do in five weeks, in a hypothetical conference final. 

It's ok to be optimistic, Lakers fans! 

This, of course, is dependent on Anthony Davis picking things up a little to match the production of Nikola Jokic. It's not that AD has been bad, it's just that he hasn't been quite as good as his averages, this season. 

So while nobody is picking the Lakers, they shouldn't be writing them off, either. 



HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Reasons for Lakers fans to be optimistic about their chances against the Nuggets. 

SEGMENT 2: MORE reasons to be optimistic about their chances. 

SEGMENT 3: This, of course, if Anthony Davis can close the gap a little between him and Jokic. 



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Why the Lakers Have a Better Chance to Beat the Nuggets Than People Think

This win didn't quite look like the others, but in the end the Lakers got what they came for, and once again defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, winning Tuesday in the 7/8 Play-In Game.  It's the fourth time in five this season LA has topped the Pelicans, and the second time in three days - both on the road - and this one is undoubtedly the most significant. It pushes the Lakers into the first round of the main draw, where they'll kick off a series against the Nuggets beginning Saturday in Denver. 

It's been a very long time since the Lakers beat Denver, and there will be plenty to say about that series between now and Saturday, but for today it's worth noting how the Lakers got it done on Tuesday, and how that might influence things going forward. 

Because while Anthony Davis and LeBron James played hard (Davis through back spasms) and gave it what they had, neither was efficient offensively (12-36 combined from the floor). The Lakers as a team didn't crack 42% from the floor. But they didn't turn the ball over (eight total TOs), they were solid from 3-point range (over 40%), and they made their FTs (26-29, including 9-9 in the fourth quarter). 

And most importantly, other guys stepped up, whether D'Angelo Russell with big early production combined with a critical steal and a clutch corner triple, or Gabe Vincent playing high end defense and scoring nine points (which doesn't soundn like much until you remember he had seven over his last six games combined.) 

The Lakers had to grind this one out. They had to play defense. They had to hit their free throws down the stretch. They had to win without the best performances from their stars. It was, in short, a fantastic dress rehearsal for what's coming. 

But for now, rest. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky



SEGMENT 1: The Lakers beat New Orleans, advance to face Denver. 

SEGMENT 2: The supporting cast picked up the stars in a big team win. 

SEGMENT 3: Gabe Vincent steps up, D'Angelo Russell has a challenge in front of him. 



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The Lakers Beat Pelicans 110-106, Advance to Face Nuggets in the First Round of the Playoffs

The Lakers spanked the Pelicans on Sunday to earn their way to the 8-seed and... a repeat of Sunday's game in New Orleans. This time, however, the winner of the game advances straight into the rest of the postseason, finishing as the West's 7-seed and winning a chance to travel to Denver this weekend. 

The loser plays the winner of Wednesday's game between Sacramento and Golden State. 

On paper, at least, the Lakers would seem to be the favorites. Three wins in four games over New Orleans, with an average mergin of victory exceeding 26 points. That's some real dominance and indicates the Lakers have structural advantages in the matchup. LeBron James, in addition to being excellent, is also a bad matchup for Zion Williamson, who can't use his strength to bully James around  offensively and can't outthink the supercomputer that is LeBron, either. The Pellies don't have a great matchup guarding James, either. And meanwhile, as Sunday showed, they're not rich in guys who match up well with Anthony Davis. 

On the other hand, the Pelicans have been, at least until a bit of an injury-induced lull at the end of the year, among the best teams in the conference for much of the second half. There is plenty of talent there, and no shortage of shooting. 

So what's going to happen? We break it down in a fantastic crossover episode with Jake Madison, host of Locked On Pelicans. 

What are the matchups to watch? How might the Pelicans turn things around against LA? What are the big strategic plays available for both teams? 

Plus, should either group be looking to tank the game in order to change their odds for a longer playoff run? 



HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky, with Jake Madison

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers get another crack at the Pels, after throttling them good three out of four games this year. 



SEGMENT 2: LeBron vs. Zion. 



SEGMENT 3: How the Pelicans can turn the tables on LA. 



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Play-In Preview, Lakers Vs. Pelicans: Can LeBron Stop Zion Again? Who Stops Anthony Davis?

The Lakers played about as poorly as a team can Friday in Memphis without actually losing. 

Sunday, they made up for it in a huge way. Win, and the Lakers would solidify an 8-seed, and a chance to get into the postseason bracket with only one win (while earning the luxury of a do-over, if needed). Lose, and they're the 10. Win twice, or go home, both on the road. 

It was pretty clear which option the Lakers preferred. The came out hot early, with a determined and focused effort to take control. They increased their lead big into the half (17 points) and won the third quarter by five to refuse the Pelicans even an inch of opportunity. Anthony Davis (30 points) and LeBron James (28 points, 17 assists) were both dominant, and had more than enough help from Austin Reaves (20 points ) and D'Angelo Russell (18 points, 5-10 from downtown). The defensive effort was stellar as well. 

Now the Lakers, as the 8-seed, take on New Orleans on Tuesday with a chance to move through into the first round. The opportunity is there- LA's margin of victory in the three they've won over the Pellies is massive. And the game they lost was on the second night of a back-to-back, with multiple players missing. Advantage Lakers. That would earn them four full days of rest before visiting Denver (sigh) in the first round. 

Speaking of that, some of the more artful on Lakers social media are suggesting the Lakers might want to lose on purpose Tuesday, then go ahead and win on Friday in the second game of the play-in, thus earning the 8-seed and a date with top-seeded Oklahoma City, a much, much better matchup for LA. 

Is this an idea worth entertaning? 



HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky



SEGMENT 1: The Lakers throttle New Orleans, in one of their best games of the year. 

SEGMENT 2: Anthony Davis and LeBron James dominate. The supporting cast is there. And it's pretty clear the Pelicans just don't match up well with the Lakers. 



SEGMENT 3: Should the Lakers try to avoid Denver in the first round? 



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FanDuelFanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning GUARENTEED That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – win or lose! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON 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)

LOCKED ON LAKERS -- 12/10 -- Mailbag: Could Alex Caruso make an all-defensive team?

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