Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - Lakers say Luka Doncic and Marcus Smart Probable to Play Against Grizzlies!

Starting point is 00:00:00 What's up and welcome to a special bonus midday episode of Locked-on Lakers. The Lakers announced Luca Donchich and Marcus Smart are probable for tonight's game against the Grizzlies in Memphis. Oh, hell. Yes. Let's get excited. Coming up next. You are Locked-on Lakers. Your daily Los Angeles Lakers podcast. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. And thanks for making Locked on Lakers your first listen every day, Monday through Friday, wherever you get your podcast. It's always free. It's never behind a paywall.

Starting point is 00:00:45 And for the sickos who like to watch, Locked on Lakers is also available on YouTube with a community of over 37,000 subscribers, really fun, smart, very energetic, very passionate, leaving comments for each other, leaving comments for us that we like to use in the show. want the experience to be as interactive as possible, whether you are watching the show, whether you are viewing the show, whether you are, and this is the best, doing both, make sure you are always subscribing so you never miss shows like this, popping up midday reacting to the great news that Marcus Smart and Luca Donchich are probable to play tonight versus the Grizzlies, generally speaking, when players get upgraded to probable, there is a very slim to no chance that they do not end up playing. And it was interesting. Brian and I talked about this during Friday's full-length show. It felt like both Luca and Marcus Smart were at least live

Starting point is 00:01:53 possibilities to play tonight. But I got more of a sense that Luca would be available on Sunday and that Marcus Smart had better odds for tonight just because he had been close to, it seemed like playing Wednesday versus the Timberwolves before he ultimately was held out. So it felt like it was trending in that direction anyway and that Luca Donchich was basically on a timeline to get re-evaluated return Sunday. Either way, it felt like both were progressing. there had been optimism expressed by the Lakers' sources to different reporters, that they were not particularly concerned about Lucas' injury, Marcus Smart's injury.

Starting point is 00:02:37 But the idea that they will both be back tonight against the Grizzlies, obviously awesome news as the Lakers try to build on what's been a strong start to the season, despite some adversity. Austin Reeves, I guarantee, is stoked out of his mind to get some, more help as much as he's been putting up just insane numbers and Austin mania is taking over LA, taking over NBA coverage, all of that stuff. People are already looking ahead to his next chiching deal. The reality is this is a lot on his plate. This is pretty exhausting. He can actually in some ways be a more dangerous version of himself if he's got Luca Donchich and Marcus Smart out there

Starting point is 00:03:24 to help with the facilitating duties to take some of that pressure off him. My expectation as far as the starting lineup, if they have both these guys available, the night, Luca obviously starts. I think Jake Laravia, who is coming off a great game against the Timberwolves, 27 points, 5-3, 17 points in the third quarter. He's going to move back to the bench, help Fortify, give them some more scoring options. If I had to guess, I think Smart will also play off the bench,

Starting point is 00:03:52 and Jared Vanderbilt will stay in the starting lineup, in part because Vando has really played very well with that group of trying to hold down the fort with all the different absences. He also gives them some rebounding help that I think the team needs, but also the grab and go possibilities, helping push the ball up the court. It can make things a little bit easier for Luca and Austin. Plus, I think playing Marcus Smart off the bench helps you limit his minutes, which both Brian and I thought was how. happening anyway as they were getting Marcus back from the preseason Achilles concerns. But also, too, if you play Marcus Smart off the bench, I think it makes it easier to rotate ball handlers as Luca and Austin eventually get their rest. It makes it easier to keep two guys on the floor at all times.

Starting point is 00:04:44 So that is my expectation. The starting line will be Luca, Austin, Rui, Vando, DeAndre Aiton. but regardless, having both of these guys back is just fantastic news for the Lakers. Some of the things I'm going to be watching for in this game tonight against the Grizzlies. First, the Lakers this year so far, they are third in the league for points in the paint. And that is happening despite the fact that they are in, I think, the bottom five for second chance points. So this is not them making opportunities off misses. this is them just actually getting into the paint and dominating and really being productive,

Starting point is 00:05:27 which matters a lot. I talked with Drew Hill from the Memphian and 929 ESPN for my ESPN L.A. Lakers talk show. It's a weekly show that I do for ESPNLA in Los Angeles, 710 ESPN. And he mentioned how beyond Jaron Jackson Jr., who has been a defensive player of the year, and, you know, very good shot blocker, lane deterrent. He is foul prone.

Starting point is 00:05:54 And beyond him, Zach Edie and Brandon Clark are both injured. So the paint has been very vulnerable for the Grizzlies this year. The glass has been very vulnerable for the Grizzlies this year. So this could be an area, especially with Luca now available and Marcus Smart available, to help Austin facilitate looks in the paint. I'm curious to see if Luca has been observed. and taking notes with the way Austin Reeves has developed this pick and roll synergy with DeAndre Aiton in particular, exploiting D'Andre Aiton as a mid-range pick-and-pop option as opposed to the way we often think about pick-and-rolls with Luca,

Starting point is 00:06:35 which is a guy rim running, going hard to the rim, setting up with lobs. DeAndre Aitin can do that, but it's not really his game. And there's been a really good synergy between Austin and Aiton in this period, where Luca's been out and Austin, I think, has really developed a great knack for finding Aiton in the spots where he likes to go after setting these screens and also he's really productive. So we'll see if Luca starts making those adjustments because the synergy between the two of them, Luca and Aiton, has been a bit more clunky. Also, I asked Drew Hill if he expected Jalen Wells to, at the time, guard Austin Reeves,

Starting point is 00:07:19 this was before we knew Luca and Marcus Smart would be back. And he actually said that he expected Cedric Coward, their rookie who was off to a phenomenal start. He's quickly inserted himself into the rookie of the year conversation. He is a very good defender and just a plus, plus, plus level athlete. He thought Cedric Coward would actually be the guy starting on Austin. So I'm now curious with Luca playing in this game. And does Cedric Howard actually take on the assignment of Luca as opposed to Austin Reeves?

Starting point is 00:07:56 And then in that case, I'm imagining that Jalen Wells would end up on Reeves instead. So some of those assignments, I'm really curious to see how they shake out. But in any event, for just very obvious, awesome reasons, great news that Luca Donchich and Marcus Smart will be back. We just get more reps with Luca and Austin together as they look to build themselves up as a foundation. And this is something that I'm sure Laker fans are really excited about. So obviously, we will be back tonight after the game, break everything down for a special Friday night show. But either way, very much appreciate everyone watching, everybody listening. Again, subscribe to Lockdown Lakers on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

Starting point is 00:08:44 And we will see you then. Thank you.

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - Lakers say Luka Doncic and Marcus Smart Probable to Play Against Grizzlies!

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