It's taken a while for the Lakers to climb out of the hole they dug at the start of the season, but they have officially emerged. For the first time since last January (the one in 2022) the Lakers are over .500, following an impressive 123-111 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis. Anthony Davis was dominant, again, with 38 points and 17 rebounds, leading the Lakers down the stretch despite a bum ankle that he says will not keep him out of Sunday's game in Houston. (We'll see about that.) But it was a genuine team effort. LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt -- basically everyone who suited up did something to contribute to Friday's win. The Lakers are now 14-7 following the trade deadline, despite not having LeBron around for a big chunk of those games. They've won the first two games of the road trip, get Houston on Sunday, and still have two games left against a fading Utah squad. The six seed is still live. But more importantly, this is looking like a team that nobody would want to play, assuming A.D. and LeBron stay healthy. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

21m

Apr 01

The Lakers are in Minnesota Friday for a critical matchup against the Timberwolves, with the seven-seed on the line for L.A. It's a great opportunity to climb further up the standings, but to also show that Wednesday's thrashing of Chicago, fueled by a killer starting lineup of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt was no fluke. (Russell may also be entering this game with a little extra on his mind, this being the first game against the team that just traded him, much less in that city.) But despite the first five crushing it, the second unit struggled in ways that cause concern, in part because there were too many minutes with just Dennis Schröder on the court as a ball-handling play-maker. While staggering Reaves, D'Lo and LeBron feels like a simple way of keeping two facilitators on the court at all times, it also raises the question of whether it would just be simpler to play Reaves off the bench again to lead a second unit that was recently a real strength. What are the pluses and minutes? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Will D'Angelo Russell be looking for a revenge game in his first outing against the Timberwolves? SEGMENT 2: Would it be simpler/cleaner to play Austin Reaves starter's minutes, but off the bench? SEGMENT 3: More discussion about the rotation, and Malik Beasley's role in it. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

36m

Mar 31

The Lakers started a five game road trip on Wednesday in Chicago, the very team that beat the snot out of them on Sunday, in a very disappointing afternoon for the purple and gold. With only seven games left, the Lakers needed to start the trip strong, and get some revenge. And that's exactly what they did, winning 121-110 in a game they started strong and (save a couple minor lulls) controlled throughout. Particularly when the starting lineup - LeBron, Anthony Davis, D'Angelo Russell (he's back!), Austin Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt was on the floor. That group was dominant in the minutes they played together. It looked great, but would Darvin Ham still benefit from tweaking things a little? In reality, when Davis plays with the type of energy and force he did on Wednesday, it might not matter how Ham deploys his role guys. Davis was excellent from the jump, getting off to a strong start in the game and finishing with 38 points on 13-20 from the floor. LeBron, still under a minutes restriction (that is clearly somewhere around 30) was an efficient 10-19 for 25 points. Russell and Reaves combined for 36. Without being Pollyannish, that starting five, if healthy, is not one any team in the West would be all that excited to face in a playoff series. Not to say the Lakers are primed to make a run to the Finals, and are capable of winning four rounds (an odd thing to say about a team with no guarantee of even making the playoffs), but one round against any team in the West? Yeah, no question. Meanwhile, the Lakers (and definitely Lakers fans) could take some joy in a terrible game from Patrick Beverley, and Reaves managed to make himself even more popular among Lakers fans by giving Bev the "too small" after hitting a jumper over him in the fourth. Well played! Finally, the Lakers have a Malik Beasley problem. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Anthony Davis leads the Lakers to a big win. SEGMENT 2: That starting lineup is one that could be scary if it stays healthy. SEGMENT 3: Austin Reaves throws trash talk back at Pat Bev, and the Lakers have a Beasley problem. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

35m

Mar 30

The Lakers get some good news ahead of Wednesday's game in Chicago, the first of five on the road (four of which actually take place outside of Los Angeles). The team lists D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Davis as probable, and while LeBron James is questionable—a designation likely to follow him through every game left in the season, regular or post—nothing to this point indicates he'd miss the game. And it's a good thing, too, because not only did the Bulls just beat the snot out of the Lakers Sunday at the Crypt, they also represent potentially the most difficult challenge of any remaining game. If it's not this one, it's Friday in Minnesota. Or maybe April 5th against the Clippers, or the Suns a few days later. The Lakers also get two games against a Utah team that may or may not have packed it in by the time the games roll around (and isn't playing all that well, anyway), and the Rockets. Yes, those Rockets. Those are three very winnable games. Can they split the four more challenging ones, and finish 5-2? That would almost surely be enough to keep them in the Top 10, and get them in the postseason tournament (even if it requires a little extra work to make the big boy playoffs). Finally, Austin Reaves made it abundantly clear there will be no "Aw, shucks, I'm just grateful the Lakers gave me an opportunity" discount this summer when free agency rolls around. This is business time, and Reaves is going to get what's coming to him. The Lakers have a cap on what they can offer, but not what they can match. How large a risk is there that he could attract a number that might scare off the Lakers? What kind of fallout would there be? How relevant are the Alex Caruso comparisons, not on the court (where the side-by-side is lazy at best) but as a matter of business, roster management and fan sentiment? Could the Lakers be subject to a bit of a "Caruso Tax?" HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Who's in and who's not for a big game against the Bulls Wednesday night. SEGMENT 2: Previewing the final seven games of the regular season. SEGMENT 3: Austin Reaves says there will be no discount for the Lakers. It's time to get paid. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

33m

Mar 29

The Lakers are looking much more like a good bet to finish in the West's top 10, a big change from a month ago when the Lakers were staring down the barrel of weeks without LeBron James available to play. But they went 8-5 in his absence, managed to stay right in the thick of things in a Western Conference that just refuses prosperity, and actually still could finish as high as sixth if things break the right way and the Lakers run, or mostly run, the table. LeBron said himself after Sunday's loss that he was certainly inspired to crank up the rehab to 11 in order to try and get back on the floor, given how well the team was hanging in. It had an impact. And had the Lakers lost their first six or so games after his injury, that calculus would have (rightly) changed. So with all that in mind, should he have communicated a little better with the team about his recovery? They seemed to sort of know he was on the mend (they know he's working out, for example), knew enough to upgrade him to doubtful on Saturday (which is actually a big needle move, indicating there's a chance he could play) then questionable on Sunday morning. So was the seemingly rocky game plan a result of the Lakers being caught with their proverbial pants down? Should they have had a plan in place for whatever game in which James returned? Multiple plans for multiple scenarios? And what about Anthony Davis. Eight shots against the Bulls, part of a pattern where in too many games, Davis simply doesn't get enough shots up. And when the FGAs go down, so do the FTAs. Not a good formula for a team that needs as much offense as it can generate. And Pat Bev did Pat Bev stuff, and for the day at least, got to relish in it. But what's the deal with the toilet paper thing? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The Lakers really do have a chance to make a little noise, and that influenced LeBron's rehab. SEGMENT 2: Why isn't AD consistently getting 20 shots a night? SEGMENT 3: Pat Bev, trolling even when he's not technically trolling. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

37m

Mar 28

The good news? LeBron James, upgraded to doubtful on Saturday was quickly moved to questionable on Sunday ahead of the Lakers' game against Chicago, and declared himself good to go following pregame warmups. Rather than start, the Lakers brought James off the bench, where he ended up playing 30 minutes, scoring 19 points on 6-11 from the floor, with eight rebounds and three assists. Five turnovers indicated some rust and timing issues with teammates, but all-in-all, James looked pretty comfortable in his first game action in weeks. Nor did he report any discomfort after the game. He now gets two days to rest and continue treatment before the Lakers play the Bulls in Chicago. The bad news? Everything else that happened Sunday, in a 118-108 loss. The Lakers were pretty flat out of the gate, got put way behind after the Bulls used a hot shooting spree to build out a lead in the first half. And playing uphill the entire way, the Lakers just couldn't hit enough shots or play enough defense to get it done. They were bad at the line, bad beyond the arc, and turned the ball over without getting Chicago to return the favor. Not exactly a recipe for success. Anthony Davis was mired in foul trouble, Malik Beasley continued missing shots, Austin Reaves was forcing things... It was not good. And the Lakers paid for it. With only seven games remaining, it's starting to look a little more like the Lakers will make the top 10 (Dallas is dropping like a rock, and the Jazz are banged up and fading), but their hopes of rising to sixth are still alive... but don't have much space to breathe at this point. The hope is with James available down the stretch (and hopefully with D'Angelo Russell, too, who missed his second straight game on Sunday) the Lakers can string together wins. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: LeBron returns. How'd he look? Did Darvin Ham make it too complicated by bringing him off the bench? SEGMENT 2: More on James... and more stuff the Lakers did poorly on Sunday. SEGMENT 3: What about AD? What do the Lakers fix heading into Wednesday? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

36m

Mar 27

It's taken more than a year, but the Lakers have returned to the .500 mark. Behind a huge game from Anthony Davis (37 points, 15-21 shooting) on a night the Lakers badly needed it (no LeBron, and D'Angelo Russell was a late scratch with a bad hip), Davis provided a bonafide superstar performance, playing well from the first quarter to the end. He had company, too! Lonnie Walker IV, given a chance to play thanks to the Russell injury, took advantage of the opportunity, scoring 20 points and hitting half of his eight 3-point attempts. Darvin Ham let him close the game, a nice show of trust in a guy who earned the opportunity, based on his play Friday, but hadn't been in the rotation for a while. Dennis Schröder was great down the stretch, Jarred Vanderbilt made Shai Gilgeous-Alexander work for each of his 27 points, and overall the Lakers defense was nails in the second half. LA only scored 43 points in the final 24 minutes, but held OKC to 19 in the fourth. That's gettin' it done. With the win, the Lakers are now in a tie with Minnesota for the 7-seed in the West, with Chicago coming to the Crypt on Sunday. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

19m

Mar 25

Updates about LeBron James and his injured foot have come out in drips and drabs, and have almost always been couched in very vague language that promises nothing and leaves only a sort of broad, general impression about what might maybe happen, perhaps with a week left in the season or maybe four days or possibly eight or maybe none. Point being, nobody has been saying anything even a little bit definitive. But perhaps it's still been too definitive for James, who put out his own update on social media, which let folks know what he's been up to and also did the SMH at "sources" out there. Granted, LeBron's update was equally fuzzy as anything else that's been reported, and didn't even really refute anything. So what was the point of putting it out there? Time to read some tea leaves! From there, the length of James's absence, combined with the quality of play from Austin Reaves, has some folks overthinking what might happen when James returns, and how the Lakers might want to handle things. Finally, it's fairly standard operating procedure for players, after they've been traded and especially when they're traded to a marquee franchise like the Lakers, to almost reflexively declare they'd like to be in (insert new city) forever. It may not turn out that way, obviously, but that's how the conversation usually starts. After Wednesday's win over Phoenix, D'Angelo Russell spoke extensively about his maturation as a person and a player, and whether or not he felt "at home" yet with the Lakers. No, he doesn't. Not yet. And it's not hard to understand why. Russell's career arc has been remarkably unstable for a player producing at his level, and he's a reminder of just how much we ask of young athletes, in ways we don't do for 19 and 20 year olds in any other profession. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: LeBron delivers his own injury update. SEGMENT 2: Should the Lakers be concerned about what happens to the lineup when LeBron comes back? SEGMENT 3: D'Lo's path back to LA hasn't been easy, and you can hardly blame the guy for not assuming he'll be here forever. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

36m

Mar 24

For Wednesday's show, we asked whether Darvin Ham needed to make a move to take a slumping Malik Beasley out of the starting lineup. Apparently, he listens. Wednesday vs. the Suns, Ham lifted Beasley and replaced him with a red-hot Austin Reaves, and the results were outstanding. The Lakers won 122-111 (in a game where they generally exerted control) and on a personal level Reaves was fantastic. 25 points on only 10 field goal attempts, bolstered by 13 trips to the line, 11 assists and a steal, while only turning the ball over once. He played nearly 39 minutes, and was a +18. So yeah, it worked pretty well! D'Angelo Russell had a very efficient 26 points, making half of his six threes. And then Anthony Davis came alive in the second half to finish with 27/9/5. With the win, the Lakers regain a place in the Western Conference's top 10, though a very precarious one, no question. They're in a group of seven teams with either 36 or 37 losses. With only nine games remaining on the schedule, each one is going to be massively important, starting with Friday's against a hot Oklahoma City team that has won eight of ten heading into their game Thursday against the Clippers. So does Darvin keep rolling with Reaves the starter? Do defenses start to adjust to his style, getting more aware of his ability to draw fouls and get to the line? And what is keeping Davis from doing what he did in the third and fourth quarters on Wednesday earlier in games? Is it Davis? Is it scheme? Is it teammates missing opportunities to get him the ball when they should? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The Lakers get a huge win as Darvin Ham makes a change in the starting lineup. SEGMENT 2: Reaves shines. Could teams start to adjust to him? SEGMENT 3: What triggered Davis's big second half? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

37m

Mar 23

The Lakers catch a break tonight against Phoenix, as the Suns will be missing both Kevin Durant (expected) and center DeAndre Ayton, who (when KD isn't playing) is Phoenix's second-best player after Devin Booker. (Due respect to Chris Paul.) So a must-win game for the Lakers (aren't they all, now?) is much more winnable. It's also an opportunity for Anthony Davis to do more damage, because at the least he will not have the same level of defensive responsibility guarding Jock Landale and Bismack Biyombo. So we'll see how that goes. Meanwhile, how Davis performs isn't the only issue facing the Lakers right now, particularly in the starting lineup. Malik Beasley has essentially been in a slump since joining the team (a couple good games notwithstanding) and the low shooting percentage is putting a strain on the productivity of the starting five, which already carries Jarred Vanderbilt, an inconsistent producer of points, to be charitable. Both guys have been negatively impacted by the absence of LeBron James (Vanderbilt more as a defender, Beasley as a scorer), and will likely benefit from his return. Except that's not going to happen for a little while longer, if it happens at all, and the Lakers need to be as productive as possible in the interim. So is switching Beasley out of the starting five the best option? For Lonnie Walker? Rui Hachimura? Austin Reaves? What's the ripple effect of making a change like this one? And speaking of ripple effects, the Lakers have some decisions to make this offseason, including on Beasley. How should his current performance impact those choices? Does it make a lot of sense to let him go, but keep guys like D'Angelo Russell, Hachimura and Vanderbilt, then re-sign Austin Reaves? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Housekeeping! AD may not play in the last back-to-back after all! The Lakers catch a break against the Suns. SEGMENT 2: Is it time to remove Beasley from the starting lineup? SEGMENT 3: What happens if the Lakers decide to let Beasley (or other potential FA's) go this summer? The front office faces a bit of a binary choice... Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

37m

Mar 22

The Lakers are hanging on the fringes of the Western Conference Play-In race (the top 6, at this point, is a real stretch). They've been doing it without LeBron James, who remains sidelined with a bum foot. Before Sunday's game, Darvin Ham said that the team expects James will be available before the end of the regular season. Yahoo's Chris Haynes reports that while it's certainly a possibility James could return, if he does, he won't be 100%. Or really anywhere close. So what exactly would the Lakers be getting with a diminished-but-available LeBron James? Is that guy enough to help fuel that miracle playoff run that some kiiiiiiinda refuse to rule out, just because he's LeBron James, has won a title with A.D., and the West just isn't that dominant this year? Is he enough to help get the Lakers through a play-in game or two? Most fans, right now at least, would take the latter and cross their fingers for anything else. What can people expect? Meanwhile, the Lakers ability to succeed is still dictated more than any other player by how Anthony Davis performs. After games like New York, the end of Dallas, Sunday vs. Orlando -- there are still a lot of nights where the floor just doesn't seem high enough, and the consistency with which he performs is too low. Is that a function of scheme? Of newness with the supporting cast? Of issues around Davis himself? (None of these are mutually exclusive, btw.) Finally, Austin Reaves has been nails of late, and has ramped up his upcoming free agent price tag over the last few weeks in a big way. The Lakers can offer 4/$50 million. Other teams can offer more, and the Lakers will be able to match. How much might he draw in a soft year for free agents? Can the Lakers afford, on the court and off it, to let him go, even if it costs more than they'd like to spend? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: LeBron won't be 100% when he returns. What % is good enough? SEGMENT 2: Can Anthony Davis be relied on to deliver nightly, in the way MVP candidates generally can? SEGMENT 3: How much $ does Reaves make this offseason? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

39m

Mar 21

After dropping a game against the Rockets and then suffering a crushing buzzer beater Friday against the Mavericks, the Lakers are basically all out of hall passes. With 11 games to go, if they want to give themselves a shot at the playoffs, they can't afford more than a couple losses. And for one of those to come at home against Orlando? Can't have it. Austin Reaves made sure the Lakers went home with a W. Career game, 35 points, six rebounds, six assists, and 18 trips to the free throw line. He was incredible, and easily the best player on the floor for either team. And the Lakers, who got better performances from D'Angelo Russell (18 points, 4/8 from downtown) and Troy Brown Jr. (4/8 from 3), needed every ounce of production Reaves was able to provide because the Lakers still haven't figured out how to spring Anthony Davis loose offensively now that teams are giving him so much extra attention. Davis played a good game defensively (four blocks, countless shots deterred/contested), but with only 15 points, just wasn't a big factor on that end. It's something the Lakers need to fix over their final 10 games if they're going to win enough of them to make the potential return of LeBron James relevant. And on that front, Darvin Ham said Sunday the Lakers expecting him to be back before the end of the regular season. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Austin Reaves is incredible on a night where Anthony Davis is not, and he may very well have saved LA's season. At least for now. SEGMENT 2: How can the Lakers do more to shake Davis loose offensively? SEGMENT 3: The bench has come through for the Lakers in a big way, but the starters aren't pulling their weight. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

37m

Mar 20

The Lakers played with fire all night, missing free throws and 3-pointers. That was a problem. Anthony Davis, who was pretty good most of the night, had about as bad a final minute as a player can, fouling Maxi Kleber on a closeout, sending him to the line for three free throws. He missed a free throw of his own in the final 15 seconds, and then he lost Kleber on the last possession, leaving enough space for Kyrie Irving to find him with a crosscourt pass. Kleber hit the shot, and the Mavericks won. That, obviously, was a BIG problem. Overall, the Lakers did just enough stuff wrong throughout the game to make sure they weren't in a comfortable spot, late. They were too slow out of the gate. They didn't get enough from D'Angelo Russell or Malik Beasley on the perimeter. They couldn't chase Dallas off the 3-point line in critical moments. And in the end, they missed another opportunity, because while this loss doesn't knock them out of the top 10, it pushes them to the very end of the play-in race, just in front of a Jazz team with two games in hand. Now the Lakers need to win a couple games back to keep the pace they need, following consecutive losses to Houston and Dallas. A modest winning streak could still have the Lakers moving up quickly, especially because they play Minnesota, Utah (twice) and Oklahoma City before it's over... but they're not making it easy, that's for sure. Ugh. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ibotta Right now, Ibotta is offering our listeners $5 just for trying Ibotta by using the code Locked when you register. Go to the App Store or Google Play store and download the FREE Ibotta app.  Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON BetterHelp This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at Betterhelp.com/LockedOnNBA and get on your way to being your best self. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

22m

Mar 18

The Lakers lost a disappointing game on Wednesday in Houston, one that could end up being quite costly in the standings when all is said and done. It was certainly bad enough that the disappointment and anger about it from Lakers fans was still palpable. Many left comments about Darvin Ham's work in that game (starting Rui Hachimura instead of Wenyen Gabriel, for example) or the fact that the Lakers, despite knowing Anthony Davis wouldn't play and that Gabriel was their only available big with Mo Bamba injured, didn't bother to sign another center to have on hand. A little size couldn't have hurt, given how bad the rim protection was on Wednesday night. So how confident should Lakers fans be with Ham right now? On the one hand, with better players, lo and behold, suddenly the team is winning a lot more. And while he shoudn't get all the credit, it's unfair only to pin losses on Ham, but never give him credit for success. The pressure on Ham to be excellent has remained consistent, even as the team has improved because the entire season has been free of margin for error. Big picture, it's easy to feel encouraged by what the Lakers have done since the deadline. This is a team that clearly is much better than it was, even without the opportunity to play with LeBron for any meaningful stretch of time. So it was encouraging then to see reporting from Jovan Buha (The Athletic) that the Lakers are leaning now to running it back this summer, rather than making a big play for a high priced star free agent. (That would be Kyrie Irving, because he's really the only one.) There are eleventybillion reasons this is the better path forward. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Viewers weigh in on Darvin Ham's performance on Wednesday and for the season. SEGMENT 2: Just how good or bad has Ham been? Is his performance any different than you'd expect from a first time head coach? SEGMENT 3: Will the Lakers go for Kyrie, or run it back? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ibotta Right now, Ibotta is offering our listeners $5 just for trying Ibotta by using the code Locked when you register. Go to the App Store or Google Play store and download the FREE Ibotta app.  Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON BetterHelp This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at Betterhelp.com/LockedOnNBA and get on your way to being your best self. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

38m

Mar 17

Weeks ago, the Lakers built a plan that mapped out exactly how Anthony Davis would be used once he came back from injury. It prescribed no back-to-backs, something the Lakers have stuck with even as the stakes have gone up with time running out in the season. And that's what they should do. Can't risk a guy's health, if that's what the doctors believe is at stake, here. But even without Davis, even without LeBron, even on the second night of a back-to-back, the Lakers needed to win Wednesday's game against a terrible Houston Rockets squad. They needed a better game plan. They needed a little more foresight. They needed better performances from guys like D'Angelo Russell (5-17) and Malik Beasley (6-17). The Lakers didn't get any of that stuff, and they lost. And this one stings, not just because it cost the Lakers a chance to move into a tie for 7th in the West. There just isn't enough season left to set games like this aside. So why, in a game where margins could be tight, did Darvin Ham choose to start Rui Hachimura instead of Wenyen Gabrial, the closest thing to a true center (undersized though he may be) available on roster? It certainly didn't pay off, as the Rockets got off to a red hot start in part because the Lakers offered zero resistance defensively. And why was Gabriel the only C on a night the Lakers KNEW they'd be without Davis, because they came up with the plan weeks ago? Would a big body on a 10-day have made a big difference? We'll never know, will we? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The Lakers lose a painful game to the Rockets in Houston. SEGMENT 2: Why did Darvin choose to start Hachimura over Gabriel? SEGMENT 3: What the loss means in the standings, and why didn't the Lakers sign someone on a 10-day deal, just.to have the option of size? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ibotta Right now, Ibotta is offering our listeners $5 just for trying Ibotta by using the code Locked when you register. Go to the App Store or Google Play store and download the FREE Ibotta app.  Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON BetterHelp This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at Betterhelp.com/LockedOnNBA and get on your way to being your best self. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

39m

Mar 16

The Lakers were not pleased with the results of Sunday's loss to the Knicks at the Crypt, particularly Anthony Davis who put the blame squarely on his shoulders. He pledged to do better next time, and that he did. Davis was central to LA's big early run in New Orleans on Tuesday. They put up two touchdowns before the Pelicans were even on the board. At one point, the Lakers were up by 40. It was almost too big a lead, because the Lakers clearly got complacent and had to scramble a little more to hold on than they should have. Davis finished with 35 points on 11-18 shooting, with 17 rebounds. Malik Beasley broke out of his slump in a big way, hitting 7-10 from 3-point range in the first half. D'Angelo Russell was solid (if inefficient), as were Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura. It was one of those nights, growing more common, where the Lakers look like they have real depth that can match up with a lot of teams. There's also a much, much more positive energy around the group. Some of that is a byproduct of winning. Some of it is personnel and context. But it's palpable. The big question was if the Lakers could steal enough time back from this game to allow Davis to play tonight against Houston. Then there was the concern that needing to put Davis back in the game might prevent him from playing. Turns out, he was never going to. Darvin Ham reiterated that Davis still isn't cleared for back-to-backs, and while he's pain free, it's an "active" injury and the Lakers aren't going to break from the plan they devised when Davis returned from injury. Nor should they. And the Lakers should still win tonight. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The Lakers are playing with a much better energy, and took it to the Pelicans on Tuesday. SEGMENT 2: Anthony Davis kept his promise... and the Lakers are sticking to the medical plan. SEGMENT 3: The bench is legitimate. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ibotta Right now, Ibotta is offering our listeners $5 just for trying Ibotta by using the code Locked when you register. Go to the App Store or Google Play store and download the FREE Ibotta app.  Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON BetterHelp This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at Betterhelp.com/LockedOnNBA and get on your way to being your best self. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

36m

Mar 15

The Lakers, according to the fine folks at Tankathon (and by other measurements as well) have the league's easiest schedule down the stretch. That includes tonight's game against a hobbled New Orleans squad, and Wednesday against the Rockets, who are awful. They see the Bulls twice, get a beat up Dallas team, the Suns (at least once) without Kevin Durant and the Magic. By the time the schedule grants two games against Utah, the Jazz may or may not still be playing for a playoff berth. (Of course, they're saying the same thing about the Lakers on Locked On Jazz.) So the idea they could be playing significant games down the stretch, even understanding that LeBron is going to miss a huge chunk of time, isn't at all far-fetched. Not given how the Lakers have played since the NBA's trade deadline, Sunday's loss notwithstanding. To get there, they need top shelf performances from Anthony Davis, and on days where he's anything less, elevated performances from the supporting cast. They didn't get the latter on Sunday, particularly from Malik Beasley, who has struggled mightily since joining the purple and gold. Like, from everywhere around the floor. Is he in danger of losing playing time to someone like Lonnie Walker IV? What would it take for that to happen? Would the Lakers be better off? And how about Darvin Ham? His coaching choices have been a point of scrutiny for Lakers fans all season. On Sunday, he was criticized for sitting D'Angelo Russell and Davis at the same time, on a night where the other dudes weren't up to the task. So is he, in his rookie season as a head coach, capable of navigating a situation in which pretty much every string he pulls needs to be the right one? It's a tough spot to be in. How confident should Lakers fans be? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: LeBron James is trying mightily to find a way back to the floor this season. Will the Lakers still be playing meaningful games if/when he does? SEGMENT 2: Malik Beasley needs to pick it up. SEGMENT 3: Is Ham up to the task? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ibotta Right now, Ibotta is offering our listeners $5 just for trying Ibotta by using the code Locked when you register. Go to the App Store or Google Play store and download the FREE Ibotta app.  Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON BetterHelp This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at Betterhelp.com/LockedOnNBA and get on your way to being your best self. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

39m

Mar 14

Under normal circumstances, Sunday's 112-108 loss to the Knicks wouldn't be a major source of concern. The Lakers played hard, they didn't underestimate their opponent. They just weren't sharp. It happens. Except right now, the Lakers simply can't afford to have games where they're not sharp, and can't execute well enough to win games there for the taking. With the loss, the Lakers drop into a statistical tie with the Thunder for the 10th spot in the West. Still only a game out of 7th, and two out of 6th, but obviously a much shakier spot than they were 24 hours ago. It was a few things - Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt and Troy Brown provided absolutely nothing for the Lakers in support of Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell (who was again excellent on Sunday, with 33 points on 13-19 shooting. As a team, the Lakers didn't get to the line enough, and when they did, they - and Davis more specifically - didn't hit enough of them. Darvin Ham erred it seemed in not keeping either Russell or Davis on the floor on a night where the supporting cast wasn't elevating the team (Davis was a +9, Russell +14 on a night the Lakers lost by four). But the person who put the blame on himself first and foremost was Davis. He took responsibility for the loss, which while not totally accurate - AD wasn't dominant, but he wasn't awful, and it certainly wasn't one of those games where Davis sort of floats through 48 minutes - was still a good sign of leadership, of understanding what the Lakers need from him night to night, and a reason to be encouraged about Tuesday's game in New Orleans. Davis has, for the most part, responded well to games in which he felt he underperformed. We'll see. And we'll see as well if Davis plays in both ends of this week's back-to-back, Tuesday against the Pelicans, Wednesday in Houston. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The Lakers don't execute, and they lose. SEGMENT 2: Anthony Davis puts the loss on his shoulders. Is he being fair to himself? SEGMENT 3: The standings are tight, and the Lakers need to keep Davis on the floor for every game now, right? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ibotta Right now, Ibotta is offering our listeners $5 just for trying Ibotta by using the code Locked when you register. Go to the App Store or Google Play store and download the FREE Ibotta app.  Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON BetterHelp This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at Betterhelp.com/LockedOnNBA and get on your way to being your best self. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

38m

Mar 13

The Toronto Raptors arrived at the Crypt on Friday determined to prevent Anthony Davis from beating them. Whenever Davis got near the ball, he was generally double and even triple-teamed in an effort to either force a pass or prevent him from getting it in the first place. Toronto was clearly challenging the supporting cast of the Lakers, and to say the least, the supporting cast responded. It started with D'Angelo Russell, who put up 28 points and nine dimes in his return after missing six games with an ankle injury. But Austin Reaves, Dennis Schroder, Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt were all in double-figures as well. Reaves, Russell and Schroder combined for 21 assists, and as a team the Lakers shot over 43% from 3-point range. Sure, there were too many turnovers, and the Lakers often seemed out of sorts offensively as they tried to work around Toronto's overplay of A.D., but broadly speaking there was a great deal to like about Friday's game, including a lockdown fourth quarter in which the Raptors only scored 22 points. With the win, the Lakers move to within a game of the 6th seed (Dallas) and are only a game and a half behind the Clippers in the 5th spot. Worth noting: The Lakers have games left against both, providing an opportunity to eat up some ground, directly. Meanwhile, they'll welcome a hobbled Knicks squad that could be missing star guard Jalen Brunson to the Crypt on Sunday. Then they'll play injury-riddled New Orleans, and a horrible Rockets squad. Opportunity knocks, and the Lakers are feeling confident. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON BetterHelp This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at Betterhelp.com/LockedOnNBA and get on your way to being your best self. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20m

Mar 11

The Lakers are expected to get some serious lineup relief tonight vs. Toronto, with D'Angelo Russell returning to the floor after a six game absence. And none too soon, because while the team has performed admirably with Dennis Schröder and Austin Reaves functioning as primary ball-handlers and team organizers, it's not a role that either is perfectly suited to play. Having Russell back in the lineup returns both guys to a more natural role - Schröder as an attacking guard off the bench, and Reaves as a natural facilitator and connecter, but not necessarily a point guard. Darvin Ham gets more options, which is something every coach appreciates. Plus, Russell's ability as a shooter should open the floor not just for interior players like Anthony Davis or Jarred Vanderbilt, but should also take some of the heat off a guy like Malik Beasley, who struggled in D'Lo's absence. Mo Bamba, unfortunately, will be out for about a month with an ankle sprain, robbing the Lakers not just of their only source of rim protection not named Anthony Davis, but also the opportunity to see how Bamba fits with this Lakers roster. They have choices to make this offseason, and Bamba (who has a team option for about $10 mil next year) is one of them. Even if the Lakers make the playoffs and Bamba is able to return by then, they're simply not going to get the kind of sample size of games/minutes they'd have liked. But while the Bamba injury hurts, the opportunity to have Russell back and playing well in a Western Conference that seems even more wide open following injuries to Luka Doncic on an already slumping Mavs squad, Brandon Ingram on a Pelicans team that is barely keeping its head above water, and then Kevin Durant on the Suns, who will miss a few weeks with an ankle injury. Phoenix isn't a team the Lakers are likely to catch, but it means when they play the Suns later this month, Durant is likely going to be in street clothes. From a scheduling standpoint, things just continue to open up for LA. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: D'Angelo Russell returns to the lineup. What's the impact on LA's rotation? SEGMENT 2: Mo Bamba will miss a month, a blow not just for this year, but for thinking of next season, too. SEGMENT 3: An interesting YouTube page comment pointing to a low key benefit of bringing this deeper group back next year, plus a look at more ways things are breaking in favor of the Lakers. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON BetterHelp This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at Betterhelp.com/LockedOnNBA and get on your way to being your best self. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

38m

Mar 10

Tuesday was a good night for the Lakers in the standings, and for the Lakers celebrating history. They got a big win over the Grizzlies and also celebrated the retirement of Pau Gasol's #16. For the first time in a long time, it seems, the Lakers managed to combine a great night for pageantry with a great night for basketball. And it got a whole lot of people thinking, what about Anthony Davis and LeBron James? Should those two eventually have their jerseys retired? One of those people putting it out for discussion was Davis himself, who noted how much he'd like to be part of that incredible lineage of Lakers bigs that hover over the floor. Mikan, Wilt, Kareem, Shaq, Pau... Davis would like to be next. He's unquestionably a Hall of Fame player, even if he hung 'em up today. But would he be in the Lakers Hall of Fame, so to speak? It seems he'd have some work to do. Yes, there's a title, but has Davis played enough games to earn the honor? Has there been enough consistency? There's certainly been lingering doubt even this season, when he's mixed incredibly dominant play with more "meh" stretches and, of course, another serious injury. Do fans see him differently than James, who only has one more season in purple and gold than AD, has plenty of injury history here, too, and only has the one season of real winning? We guess "yes." One thing that'll help AD's argument? Continuing to play like he has since James went down. And it could also change the way people view his long-term future in LA. Plenty of fans have wondered over the course of the season (particularly during the down moments) whether it was time to cut bait on Davis. The injury risk is always going to be there, and likely any season you got 60 games from him would be a blessing. But if it was 55 or so games of this? Is that enough to cross you're fingers and hope it's the 55 you need? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Does the way he's playing now change the viability of an Anthony Davis-focused core? SEGMENT 2: AD wants to be the next Lakers big with his jersey in the rafters. SEGMENT 3: Should LeBron and AD have their numbers retired by the Lakers? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON BetterHelp This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at Betterhelp.com/LockedOnNBA and get on your way to being your best self. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

36m

Mar 09

It's been a long, long, looooooooong climb, filled with some ups and a whole bunch of downs and aided by a Western Conference that just refuses to kick it into high gear... but the Lakers have finally crawled back into the playoff picture. After beating the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night, behind yet another epic effort from Anthony Davis (30 points, 22 rebounds, 11-17 shooting, two blocked shots), the Lakers are back in the West's top 10, meaning if the season ended today, they'd be in the play-in. (And tonight, SB Nation/Silver Screen and Roll's Harrison Faigen joins to break it all down!) It's a remarkable piece of progress for a team that has seen long-term injuries to Davis and LeBron James, has barely played with D'Angelo Russell since acquiring him, and generally has had little to no continuity for... years. But since the trade deadline, the Lakers have won seven of 10, despite all the absences. The sample size is large enough to say that, while the O might still struggle, the defense is vastly improved. And Tuesday, the Lakers locked up the Grizzlies (admittedly a shorthanded version of that crew) on a night where Jarred Vanderbilt, who has been a defensive catalyst since his arrival, wasn't all that impactful. But really, it starts with Davis. His elevated play isn't just needed because it gives the Lakers a shot to compete, but because it elevates his teammates, too. They can play with the swagger and freedom of guys who know they have one of THOSE DUDES on their team. The schedule going forward has plenty of winnable games, so what's the realistic upside, here? Finally, Tuesday night the Lakers sent Pau Gasol's #16 to the rafters, in an emotional ceremony. Truly one of the most unique, talented and high quality humans the Lakers organization has ever seen. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky, with guest Harrison Faigen! SEGMENT 1: Lakers win! And with that, they're part of the play-in gang, at least for now. SEGMENT 2: How high can they go? Well, if Anthony Davis keeps doing *this*... there's upside. SEGMENT 3: A perfect night honoring Pau Gasol. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON BetterHelp This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at Betterhelp.com/LockedOnNBA and get on your way to being your best self. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

40m

Mar 08

Of late, The Athletic's Shams Charania hasn't exactly been the bearer of good news for Lakers fans. And Monday, talking with FanDuelTV, wasn't much different. Charania noted that while the Lakers are going to re-evaluate LeBron James after three weeks, there is certainly some belief that the actual length of LeBron's absence could extend past that mark. Well past it, potentially, calling into serious question just how much regular season action James might get before a (hypothetical) play-in matchup. Or whether the Lakers can hang on long enough to even make those last few games meaningful. And what exactly will be the considerations the Lakers and LeBron make when deciding whether LeBron can/should return to action? It's all very speculative and super-unpleasant for the Lakers, and puts that much more pressure on Anthony Davis to elevate the team, D'Angelo Russell to get back on the floor, and the supporting cast to rise a little above role player status. But the flip side? The schedule is favorable. The Lakers play teams in front of them, they play teams that are slumping. They play teams, like Tuesday against Memphis, missing significant pieces (Ja Morant, Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke). They've shown themselves fully capable of winning games since the deadline. One reason? Guys like Troy Brown Jr., who has thrived since the Lakers reorganized the roster at the deadline, finding a steadier role, greater confidence and plenty of rhythm. He's now firmly occupying that spot on the roster of cheap offseason additions last summer that now look appealing to hold on to this summer, but could be tough because he's outplayed his contract. Finally, the Lakers will retire Pau Gasol's 16 on Tuesday. He's one of the best humans we've covered in sports, and now finds himself not only representing a symbol of basketball greatness and Lakers greatness, but as important connective tissue for the memory of Kobe Bryant. It's a unique role he is well-suited to play. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Just how many games is LeBron going to miss, now? SEGMENT 2: The burden on AD, and the increasing confidence of Troy Brown. SEGMENT 3: Pau Gasol gets his jersey retired tonight. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON BetterHelp This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at Betterhelp.com/LockedOnNBA and get on your way to being your best self. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

40m

Mar 07

Without LeBron James in the lineup, the Lakers (on most nights at least) will need Anthony Davis to provide 48 minutes of MVP caliber basketball to give themselves a good chance to win. Friday against Minnesota, he delivered most of that, but not quite all. Make no mistake - Davis was LA's best player, by far. But he couldn't quite deliver perfection to elevate a bad night from the supporting cast. Sunday against Golden State, Davis was everything he could be for the Lakers, and while for a stretch it looked like he might be again let down by his teammates, this time they came through. Whether a big first half from Jarred Vanderbilt, a big fourth quarter from Dennis Schroder, or excellent efforts throughout by Troy Brown Jr. and Austin Reaves, the Lakers role players stepped up and provided great backup for Davis, and as a result, the Lakers picked up a must-have on Sunday. With the win, the Lakers into a statistical tie for the 10 spot, are only a half-game behind New Orleans for the nine, and two behind the Clippers and Mavs for seven and eight. They're also a half game from 13th... so no time to rest on their laurels. But for a team that had to pile up wins after the All Star break to have a chance, the Lakers are still looking good, even without LeBron James. They're 6-3 since the deadline, including 3 games LeBron missed due to injury, with a relatively easy schedule (or about as easy as could be asked) going forward. They're catching a break Tuesday, for example, because a slumping Grizzlies team will be without the injured Brandon Clarke and star guard Ja Morant, who has stepped away from the team (quasi-suspension?) following a run of disturbing reports about off-court behavior. But it all starts with Davis, who has to maintain this pace and in the process, help re-write the narrative about his time with the Lakers, and potentially how people feel about his future here. And meanwhile, fans might want to cut Darvin Ham a little slack on his rotation choices, at least until D'Angelo Russell is back. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Anthony Davis comes up big for the Lakers, who get a badly needed win. SEGMENT 2: Can Davis keep this up? What about the rest of the supporting cast, Sunday and beyond? SEGMENT 3: Context matters with rotation choices. Darvin Ham's option tree is pretty limited with both James and Russell sidelined. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON BetterHelp This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at Betterhelp.com/LockedOnNBA and get on your way to being your best self. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

37m

Mar 06

The Lakers had a chance to make a significant move in the West on Friday, as the Clippers, Pelicans and Jazz all lost. Had the Lakers defeated the Timberwolves at the Crypt, they'd have moved into the top 10 and pulled into a loss-column tie with all four of those squads. Instead, after a 110-102 loss, they're still on the outside looking in, with the Golden State Warriors coming into town Sunday. (On the one had, Golden State has been a wretched road team all year. On the other, Steph Curry is expected to play after a long absence.) It was definitely a missed opportunity, which is perhaps why Darvin Ham was more visibly angry following this game as he's been at any postgame press conference this season. He said his team lacked urgency and fire. Minnesota played desperate, the Lakers did not. And certainly LA was flat coming out at halftime, where the Wolves pulled ahead and had the Lakers playing uphill for the rest of the game. But how much of their performance was a matter of being overmatched thanks to a hyper-aggressive Minnesota defense designed to attack LA's ballhandlers. That's a group missing not just LeBron James, but also D'Angelo Russell. Without them, the Lakers struggled to get into any sort of offensive rhythm. Most possessions were a tremendous grind. Anthony Davis was, overall, very good. 38 points, 14 free throws. But on a night where the rest of the team was pretty ineffective, the Lakers needed something closer to perfection. That's a tall order for any star, and Davis couldn't quite hit the bar, and his teammates couldn't lower it at all. (Mostly, they kept raising it.) This one stings for the Lakers. And it'll require a major bounce back game on Sunday. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

17m

Mar 04

News earlier in the week had LeBron James missing time, and being re-evaluated in two weeks. Times have changed, and not for the good. Reports on Thursday provided a little clarity into his injury. Turns out it's a tendon problem in his right foot (ouch!) and the Lakers will take another peek under the hood in three weeks. So let's say for a moment that he's cleared and good to go on evaluation day (which, to be honest, seems unlikely), it would mean the Lakers would be without James for another 10 games. They only have 20 left, so realistically the hope is LeBron could return with about five or six left to play. So the big question at that point: Will those games, however many there are, have any meaning? Well, it won't be easy, but assuming D'Angelo Russell, who won't play Friday against Minnesota but hopefully won't miss too much time after that, gets back in the lineup a look at the schedule shows the road is about as easy as could be expected. A couple games against Houston, a some of those inconsistent squads bunched up in the middle of the conference, including teams like New Orleans (slumping!). Could it all go downhill in a huge hurry? Of course! But the Lakers have shown they are a better team now than they were three months ago. Even with James out. Meanwhile, this situation does set up some interesting long-term questions the Lakers have to answer about how to get LeBron and Anthony Davis successfully through a season. Is it even possible? Can teams figure out the right balance when it comes to questions like load management? Are teams, who no doubt drive the bus on these player management questions, getting it right? First things first, though: The remaining 20 games, including Friday against Minnesota. You may have heard this before... but it's kind of a must win. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: LeBron is now out for at least three weeks. What changed? SEGMENT 2: Breaking down the remaining schedule. Could the Lakers be playing meaningful games when LeBron returns? SEGMENT 3: Are teams more broadly doing the player health management thing correctly? Is there even a correct answer to find? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

36m

Mar 03

A lot of things happened Wednesday afternoon when the Lakers announced that Anthony Davis would join LeBron James and D'Angelo Russell in street clothes for Wednesday's game in Oklahoma City. People thought Davis, listed as out with a stress injury in his foot (the injury that caused him to miss weeks of play earlier this year, might have aggravated the injury. Or maybe it was that wrist injury he suffered in Memphis a night earlier that, in combination with the foot, had the Lakers sitting him down. It wasn't just regular maintenance, because the Lakers don't have enough games left to be giving players who can play the night off, even for health reasons. And certainly the assumption was the Lakers, even against a slumping OKC team without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, wouldn't win the game. Well, about that... Much has been made of the team's improved depth in the wake of the trade deadline, and that those players simply fit together in a more coherent, cohesive way. Well, Wednesday was the proof. The Lakers got a true depth win. They had six players in double figures. It was a huge win for morale, and a huge one in the standings as well. The Lakers have won five of seven, and three of four since the break. They're creeping closer to a playoff spot, and play two teams (Minnesota, Golden State) directly in front of them over their next two games. Now about AD, it turns out this absence was scheduled for a while, according to Ham. Weeks, he said. And the Lakers weren't going to change that in ways that could compromise a player's health. Argue context says they shouldn't have done that. Argue they could adjust the timeline a little to let him sit against Memphis - a game they would lose anyway - to make sure they got the win in OKC (which they did, as it turned out). Argue Davis should demand to play if he's healthy (that's not how the world works these days). But the real problem? It wasn't long ago Ham said it was all hands on deck. Go time. No sitting to for maintenance, no sitting back-to-backs. This came well after, apparently, the Lakers had already determined which games Davis wouldn't play, no matter what. But because it wasn't presented that way from the jump, the Lakers made Davis look really bad for a fan base that already has some reservations. It wasn't intentional, surely, but the Lakers did him wrong. But they won! HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The Lakers get an improbable, and massive, win in OKC. SEGMENT 2: Wait, so why was Anthony Davis out of the lineup? SEGMENT 3: Did the Lakers do the Lakers wrong on Wednesday? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

38m

Mar 02

The Lakers got a little more clarity on LeBron James Tuesday, learning that the injury to his right foot will be re-evaluated in two weeks. So more than likely, it means James misses at least 10 games, which would basically mean half of what the Lakers have left to play. And that's the optimistic outcome. So it's going to be life without LeBron for a little while, and the Lakers got their first taste of it in Memphis, losing 121-109 in a game that was actually closer than the final score would indicate. The Lakers, who played VERY hard throughout, were within four deep into the fourth quarter, and save a very loose third quarter defensively held up well against one of the best teams in the Western Conference. The big problem, though, was of their own doing. The Lakers set a season high for turnovers, not only helping provide the Grizzlies with easy points, but robbing themselves of 26 potential field goal attempts. And that was the difference on a night where the Grizzlies were awful from downtown and not exactly dominant from inside the arc, either. After, Darvin Ham and Anthony Davis both emphasized that the Lakers could continue to find success playing with the energy and effort of Tuesday, and just making fewer mistakes. Now, easier said than done, no question. LeBron being out means more players have step further outside their comfort zones, because the great enabler that is James isn't there to set everyone up and make the trains run on time. But when D'Angelo Russell comes back -- hopefully by Friday? -- that'll add a facilitator back into the lineup, and if nothing else a few games more of this will help players get more used to what needs to be done. It's not going to be easy, and the dreams of a top 6 finish are probably done. But nothing that happened on Tuesday should convince anyone that the Lakers are essentially done for the season. A win Wednesday against an OKC squad without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would go a long way to boosting confidence. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: LeBron to be re-evaluated in two weeks. Can the Lakers hang on that long? SEGMENT 2: There were things to like in Tuesday's game for sure. Starting with Anthony Davis, who was as good as the Lakers will need him to be. SEGMENT 3: More good stuff, and reasons for optimism. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Place your first FIVE DOLLAR bet to get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Free Bets – win or lose! Visit Fanduel.com/LockedOn today 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

32m

Mar 01

Sunday was one of, if not the, best night of the year for the Lakers, who staged an epic 27-point comeback to beat Dallas and continue their push into the Western Conference playoff race. But it did come with a catch. LeBron James finished the game following an injury to his right foot in the second half, but he was clearly uncomfortable and limped noticeably as he left the building. It was, to say the least, concerning. Darvin Ham put as optimistic a spin on the situation as he could, but noted they'd need to learn a little more before issuing a definitive update. Well, there's still no update, but reports from Shams Charania of The Athletic indicate the news isn't good. James is expected to need multiple opinions to figure out the problem and miss multiple games before returning to the floor. The Lakers, he says, are bracing for him to miss weeks. It's the type of news that feels par for the course. Just when things seem to be really, rightly and truly turning around... more of this. So what happens now? Well, it starts with Anthony Davis. The Lakers saw his best game since returning from injury on Sunday against the Mavs. That was the MVP caliber Davis the Lakers saw earlier in the year, and the guy they'll have to get going forward if the team is going to continue to win enough games to give themselves a shot at the postseason. It's not an impossible task - the Lakers have more depth now (once D'Angelo Russell heals, at least) and play a schedule including vulnerable teams. Memphis on Tuesday will be a chore, but OKC on Wednesday might be without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Steph Curry is still out in Golden State, as is Zion Williams with the Pelicans. So while this definitely, definitely, DEFINITELY hurts, and probably quashes any fever dreams of finishing in the top 6, it's too early to give up hope. There are other numbers, too, indicating that the Lakers might be better equipped to weather the storm, starting on the glass. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: LeBron is down. Are the Lakers out? SEGMENT 2: Anthony Davis, it's your time to step up. Like, BIG. SEGMENT 3: What data out there could give Lakers fans some hope? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Place your first FIVE DOLLAR bet to get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Free Bets – win or lose! Visit Fanduel.com/LockedOn today 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

35m

Feb 28

NBA teams were 0-138 heading into Sunday's action when falling down by 27 points or more. They are now 1-138. Why? Because the Lakers executed an epic, and monumentally critical, comeback against the Mavericks in Dallas, clawing back from a 27-point deficit to win 111-108. It was a game that featured huge performances from damn near everyone on the roster. Anthony Davis morphed back into MVP Anthony Davis in the second half, finishing with 30 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks. Jarred Vanderbilt was everything everywhere all at once, with 15 points, 17 rebounds and four steals. LeBron James muscled through another foot injury to score some massive hoops down the stretch. Austin Reaves got scrappy, Malik Beasley hit a critical three -- it was the type of game that builds not only momentum in the standings, but serious belief in the locker room. Can the Lakers turn this into something bigger in a Western Conference in which 10 -- TEN!!! -- teams have between 29 and 32 losses? The Big Mo might take a hit on Tuesday if LeBron and D'Angelo Russell are sidelined (and they might be) but overall, this team is clearly a much, much different beast than the one that took the floor for the first 50-something games of the year. Vanderbilt showed how context can be critical, not just for the player himself and how he's used, but on how that usage/presence impacts the rest of the roster. In Utah, there were some complaints he wasn't utilized as effectively as he was in Minnesota. That the activity and energy didn't always translate to better results. But with the Lakers, what Vanderbilt replaces, and how he slots different players into better, more comfortable usage (particularly on defense) makes a world of difference EVEN IF Vanderbilt himself isn't perfect. Context is everything! And the Lakers couldn't have asked for a better time to get the return of that AD. Some of that energy he displayed can be attributed to Vanderbilt, too. We'll see where this goes, but the Lakers clearly are on the move. If guys aren't out for too long, it's not crazy to start thinking more ambitiously about where they might finish in the West. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The Lakers score a massive comeback, critical psychologically and in the standings. SEGMENT 2: Jarred. Vanderbilt. JARRED VANDERBILT!!! SEGMENT 3: Davis comes up big when the Lakers needed him most. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Place your first FIVE DOLLAR bet to get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Free Bets – win or lose! Visit Fanduel.com/LockedOn today 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

39m

Feb 27