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LOCKED ON LAKERS -- 12/3 -- Mailbag: What is Kyle Kuzma's ceiling?

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.

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Basketball

For most of Monday's Game 2 in Denver, the Lakers were in position to send the series back to Los Angeles tied at 1 game each. At points, it looked like they were guaranteed to do it, pushing their lead up to 20 in the second half. 

But little by little, Denver chipped away. LA's offense went into a near full hibernation in the second half (38 points) and while they did manage to get a few big buckets down the stretch — a pair of triples from LeBron, a drive and finish from D'Angelo Russell, a baseline jumper from Austin Reaves — it wasn't nearly enough to make up for the loooooooooong stretches of totally stagnant, ineffective offense. Tied on the last possession, the Nuggets put the ball in Jamal Murray's hands and let him do what Murray does. Stepback jumper over Davis. Game. 101-99, Denver up 2-0, Lakers on life support. 

The Lakers got a superhuman effort from Anthony Davis in the first half, especially. Russell bounced back from a horrible Game 1 to hit seven triples. LeBron was huge in the fourth quarter on both sides of the ball, despite fighting fatigue. 

But there were enough mistakes and poor performances; Rui Hachimura again was a non-factor, Spencer Dinwiddie and Gabe Vincent combined for zero points in 25 minutes. Darvin Ham missed a chance to challenge what appeared to be a ticky-tack foul on LeBron against Murray down the stretch. Reaves had a critical turnover down the stretch.

This was, in every practical sense, a must-win game. LeBron certainly played like he knew it. Any loss in this game would have been hard to recover from, emotionally. This one, however, was brutal. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky



SEGMENT 1: The Lakers blow a huge lead in the second half, and the season is on life support. 

SEGMENT 2: Too many little mistakes, too many performances that weren't up to standard.

SEGMENT 3: The Lakers might get some reinforcements, but are they coming too late? 



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Lakers Blow 20-Point Lead, Lose Game 2 vs. Nuggets 101-99 On Murray Buzzer-Beater

Saturday's Game 1 in Denver was undoubtedly disappointing, and once again put in stark relief the challenge facing the Lakers against the team most experts expect to represent the West in the NBA Finals this year. 

It also makes tonight's Game 2 a must-win, because the odds of this Lakers team showing enough high-end consistency to beat the Nuggets four times in five tries feels... unrealistic. So it's about breaking through tonight, and proving to themselves as much as everyone else that it's possible for the Los Angeles Lakers to beat the Denver Nuggets. So what has to get better? For starters, the offense has to function much more efficiently throughout the game. No minutes-long stretches where the shot selection is bad or turnovers throw the offense off kilter, or playcalling and structure go the way of the dodo. Because the Lakers lost that game offensively, not on D. 

Next, the best players on the team simply have to be better. Save Anthony Davis, more or less, everyone else has stuff that needs to improve. Obviously D'Angelo Russell's efficiency has to go way up. But Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura have to be better. LeBron James needs to be a bigger presence in the fourth quarter. Bench players need to shoot. 

The Lakers have played Denver tight for long stretches over this losing streak. But time has run out on finding a way to win. It's gotta happen tonight. 

Meanwhile, Anthony Davis is not a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year. Lakers fans are ticked, and ought to be. But it's reflective of the ways in which the bar moves for Davis. At this point, it's fair to say that whatever he does for whatever he might be given credit for, it's not going to be enough. 



HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: What the Lakers need to fix in Game 2. 



SEGMENT 2: Darvin steps in it, again. Plus, pick it up, Russell!!!

SEGMENT 3: Why wasn't Anthony Davis a finalist for DPOY? 

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Lakers Vs. Nuggets, Game 2: What Adjustments Can the Lakers Make In Must-Win Game?

The Lakers, as LeBron James noted before the series against Denver kicked off Saturday with Game 1, will need to play near-flawless basketball to move past the Nuggets into the second round. 

Fair to say on Saturday they didn't clear the bar in their 114-103 loss.

It wasn't all terrible. The Lakers actually led by double digits in the second quarter before Denver came roaring back. Still, LA led by three at the half. But in the second half, the Lakers fell apart offensively. Completely and totally. 43 points just isn't going to get it done. And overall, the offensive effort had too many massive holes. Start with a 6-20, 1-9 night from D'Angelo Russell. But Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura were total non-factors. The Lakers had one bench player (Taurean Prince) score. Even worse, the Lakers only had one bench player shoot. 

LeBron, while productive overall, was a non-factor in the fourth quarter and turned the ball over seven times. The Lakers were under 28% from 3. 

Anthony Davis answered the bell with 32/14/5, plus four blocks, and Prince off the bench was a nice boost. Not everything was bad for the Lakers, but Denver is elite, and won't do you any favors to help win games. You have to beat them. 

If the Lakers are going to have a chance, they have to win Game 2 on Monday. It's hard to see them, or anyone, beating Denver four times in five tries. 



HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky



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Lakers Lose Game 1 vs. Nuggets 114-103: Russell Struggles, LeBron Fades Late

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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NissanOur friends at Nissan have a lineup of SUV’s with the capabilities to take your adventure to the next level. Take the Nissan Rogue, Nissan Pathfinder, or Nissan Armada and go find your next big adventure. Shop NissanUSA.com.

eBay MotorsFrom brakes to exhaust kits and beyond, eBay Motors has over 122 million parts to keep your ride-or-die alive. With all the parts you need at the prices you want, it’s easy to bring home that big win. Keep your ride-or-die alive at EbayMotors.com. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers.

BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA today to get 10% off your first month.

PrizePicksGo to PrizePicks.com/lockedonnba and use code lockedonnba for a first deposit match up to $100!

GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.

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 -- 12/3 -- Mailbag: What is Kyle Kuzma's ceiling?

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