Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - The Lakers Throttle Boston, 117-96. Best Win of the Year?

Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey everyone, welcome to Locked on Lakers for Friday. Brian Kaminetsky here, joined by special guest Matt Peralta from Lakers Nation. The Lakers Thump Boston, 11796. Best win of the season? JJ Redick thinks so. We'll break down next. You are Locked on Lakers. Your daily Los Angeles Lakers podcast. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Thanks to everybody for making Lockdown Lakers. First listen of Every Day. Monday through Friday, no matter how or where you get your podcast. This one's always free. It's never behind a paywall. And locked on Lakers on YouTube is where over 27,000 subscribers are surprised, stoked, unbelievably excited with what the Lakers did on Thursday night.

Starting point is 00:00:53 They throttle the defending champion Boston Celtics 117 to 96 is the final score in a game that the Lakers, frankly, controlled through a game. out. So we'll get into this win, obviously, start talking about the road trip, which starts this weekend in San Francisco with the Warriors. And of course, Anthony Davis talking to ESPN, said, no subtext here, Matt Peralta from Lakers Nation. He wants another center. Very, very clear. No reading in between the lines there. Do you want to let people know that today's episode is brought to you by Fandul from the first whistle to the final drive. Fanduel makes the NFL playoffs even more exciting right now. New customers can bet $500 and get $300 and bonus bets if you win your first bet.

Starting point is 00:01:41 Visit faddle.com to get started. So Andy is doing radio tonight for ESPN in L.A. And so Matt is kind enough to join us. He's from Lakers Nation, you know his stuff on the website, on the YouTube channel. Thanks for doing this. We never really had a chance to talk. So I really appreciate it. Well, Brian, thank you for having me.

Starting point is 00:02:02 always a pleasure to talk Lakers, especially after a win, was just joking offline a little bit ago that I'm normally bad luck. So it's nice for me to agree to a podcast appearance and talk about a win for once. It's really fun for me. I mean, look, and I just want to get this out of the way at the beginning because it's going to be said. And, you know, Boston, third game in four nights on a road trip. They were in overtime of the Clippers on Wednesday. I don't care.

Starting point is 00:02:27 Like, that's fine. this game to me was important, not because just the final score, although that was pretty cool. Let's be honest. It's how they played. It's what they did. It's all that other stuff.

Starting point is 00:02:43 Like that to me is, you know, coaches talk all the time, Matt, about like, don't get caught up in the results. Talk about the process. The process on Thursday was great. Yeah. I think, you know, Caviotes aside, like, I know the Celtics had just played the night prior in an overtime win.

Starting point is 00:03:03 And, you know, that's cool and dandy. But look, like, I think coming into this game, I think the Celtics were still heavily favored. I don't think anyone cared that they have been playing so many games and so many nights. And as a Lakers fan, I'm never going to complain about beating Boston. So going back to, you know, the process portion of it, though, like, yeah, like, this wasn't really a close game. This was end to end. Basically, the Lakers controlled this thing. JJ in his post game had brought up that he thought this was like their best defensive performance.

Starting point is 00:03:33 And I tend to agree with him so far. And yeah, like it's just nice to get a win over a long time rival like the Celtics, but also I think it's a good affirmation that this team can be pretty good on certain nights, especially against, you know, what's arguably going to be the favorite to win or repeat as champions. So again, one of those things that's a positive sign for the Lakers and I think just another indication that this might be a team that's worth investing into. Was there a point for you? Thursday where you started watching this and being like, okay, because we've seen this before.

Starting point is 00:04:03 Like, okay, look at them. They're playing cute. They're playing well for 15 minutes. Isn't that adorable? But like, you know it's going to, you're waiting for that inevitable letdown. Was there a point for you where you felt like, okay, like this really is how they're going to be playing over the course of the evening, like felt good about where it was going? I think that the nervousness started to set in the beginning of the third quarter when both teams were just not shooting well. I think the Celtics got within like a nine or 12 points, something like that. Yeah, that a chance to cut it to eight, I think.

Starting point is 00:04:39 Yeah. So I think at that point I was getting antsy. But then I think somewhere toward the end of the third quarter, beginning of the fourth, I was like, I think the Lakers are going to win this one pretty easily. And that's not something you can say a lot this season. And especially against a team like the Celtics, It was a pleasant surprise for me. So I love to be proven wrong.

Starting point is 00:05:00 I think a lot of fans have a little bit of anxiety every time the Lakers take a big league. A little bit. Yeah, just a little bit. It was just good to see them put a full performance on both ends of the floor against the Celtics, for sure. And I think you're kind of pointing to the same spot, really, that I did. Because I felt like the Lakers shot the ball incredibly well in the first.

Starting point is 00:05:26 50% from the floor, 55% from a three point range, Gabe Vincent hit a couple threes, Dalton Connect hit two of three that he took in the first half. Like, where's that been for the last six weeks? And so, you know, inevitably, you're like, what's going to happen, Boston is not going to shoot whatever they shot in first that was, you know, 23% or whatever it was from three point range. They're going to heat up a little bit.

Starting point is 00:05:54 the Lakers are going to cool off a little bit, what's going to happen? And we saw that. Like at the beginning of the second half, Boston starts shooting the ball a little better. The Lakers cannot buy a bucket. But, and Reddick referenced this and the players had. Like, they, they didn't allow the game to get away because they were still so effective defensively. And then you get like back-to-back buckets from Jackson Hayes of all people who kind of push the lead back to 16 or, you know, It goes like 18.

Starting point is 00:06:25 Yeah. And it was like that for me was when I was like, this is, this is the template. I don't know if they can repeat it all the time, but like this is the template in terms of attention to detail, in terms of energy and effort and investment and all that stuff. I mean, I know they said, Redick has talked about like they're not a fast team. They do not play fast. They don't get up and down the floor and all that. I think sometimes people confuse playing fast with running a lot.

Starting point is 00:06:59 For sure. And certainly the Lakers ran a little bit when they could in this game. But it felt to me at least, like they got into their stuff quicker. They just moved 15% faster in offense, getting the ball across half court. Like stuff like that, like that kind of urgency, even if you're still going to use 18 seconds of the shot clock, that to me, I think makes a huge difference. I think this is a great point. and one that I had also noticed during the game,

Starting point is 00:07:25 it just felt like there was more pep in their step during the game. I know LeBron, I think, really exemplified that, but I think the team as a whole just seemed not as slow as they normally are in the half court especially. I think that the point about playing fast and getting up and down is a good distinguished team factor too, because you can use as much time on the shot clock as you want, but I think if you move the ball with purpose

Starting point is 00:07:47 and some energy and some urgency, you can get into more actions rather than just settling for your first or second option. And I thought, we've seen it on the other end where teams do this to the Lakers and they've got them scrambling. I thought there were a lot of instances on Thursday where it felt like the Celtics were the ones that were a step slow in their rotations. And the Lakers were the ones canning open shots. You brought up Gabe Vincent, Dalton Connect. Austin had some good moments too.

Starting point is 00:08:10 And so I just think that this is in the Lakers. This is within the one of the possibilities for this team. And that's what makes them so frustrating sometimes because the outline of a good team is here. It's just you wish for more consistency and you'd like a little bit more depth than help. So again, as far as the wind goes, I'm excited. It's just now it's like, what does the front office do with this? And we'll get to that a little bit. Anthony Davis talking about that with Sham Sharani at ESPN.

Starting point is 00:08:36 I just cannot emphasize enough. Andy and I spend so much time. Like, do you don't have to be a fast, but get the thing ball up the floor and like do stuff. And like you say, like the opportunities. So you're not, you're not limited by time. from running or like ball pressure like when you come go real slow up the floor all of a sudden they can put more ball pressure on austin reeves they can do all this other stuff keep lebron from getting into the paint like you don't you you set up the defense and lebron can't put the ball on

Starting point is 00:09:06 floor for those monster dunks like he's like all that stuff that gets a team going just go faster yeah go faster so i want to talk a little bit more about that talk a little bit more about that about where the Lakers are after this win, because while nobody feels good necessarily about them as a true title contender, they are sitting in a pretty decent spot in the Western Conference as they head out onto the road. And then obviously Anthony Davis's comments will get to all of that coming up next. Locked on Lakers is brought to you by Fandual from the first whistle to the final drive. Fandual makes the NFL playoffs even more exciting, even though the Rams aren't in them anymore. That's okay. now new customers can bet $500 and get $300 in bonus bets if you win that first bet.

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Starting point is 00:10:22 That's fandual.com. this playoff season, Unforgetable Fandul, an official sportsbook partner of the NFL. All right, quick reminder, the postcast with Dave Palais after every game. Surely you've seen it in your timeline already. So that is just more content from the network into your Locked-on Lakers feed after every game. And obviously you see down there in the corner next to Matt, the free daily newsletter. Lockdowndaily.com is where you go to. sign up for the newsletter, have the show and all kinds of NBA analysis delivered to you every day.

Starting point is 00:11:03 Just you go there. It's really helpful to us. Like you do what Matt Peralta has done. You sign up for the newsletter. Surely you've signed up for the newsletter, haven't you, Matt? Of course I have. Thank you, Matt. Appreciate that.

Starting point is 00:11:13 Of course. So really easy to do, and we appreciate doing that. So I, look, the individual performance in this game, you talk about LeBron James having a little bit of energy. Like, first of all, he and AD, neither one of them had to play more than 30 minutes in this game. Excellent. Love that. But like those two dunks, like you saw two of those in the first like 15 minutes of the game.

Starting point is 00:11:39 And it's like, oh, okay. That's what we're on tonight. There is a palpable difference when LeBron is playing at the energy and the level that you kind of figure he'll be at in the postseason. We can't do that in every single game at age 40 in year 22. But the nights that he turns it on, it's a reminder a little bit of like, oh, okay. So this is the LeBron that knock on wood you have when the playoffs roll around. And he was good. He was really good on Thursday.

Starting point is 00:12:14 Oh, LeBron was great. I think that the two dunks you mentioned was a good reminder that he also hates the Celtics as much as the Lakers do. I will personally choose to believe that was on purpose. But I think he finished with like 20 points. I thought the most impressive thing was the 14 rebounds. I think that's been usually my barometer for a good LeBron game is how does he look like on the rebounding and the glass? Because this Lakers team is pretty small,

Starting point is 00:12:40 and they kind of need LeBron to be one of those enforcer bigs down low. And so I thought the rebounding was great. But overall, like you said, if this is the LeBron, the Lakers can count on in the postseason, I think that is why I'm a little bit bullish on this team down the stretchers, because they to me are kind of like the team that you might not want to see just because you've got LeBron and AD, and that by default gives them a high floor, the physicality to play with, the size, or versatility, et cetera. There's things for the team to work around.

Starting point is 00:13:10 I think it's just really the regular season and the doldrum sometimes of January, February basketball. You start to see the worst out of this team, but on nights like against like the Celtics, you can kind of see what the ceiling could potentially look like. And you know, it's, I think, a great point that you're making about, like, being a team that you don't necessarily want to see. In some ways, I could see the Lakers as a group that you absolutely would want to because they have not been a consistently good defensive team. They have not been a consistently good offensive team. Matt, judging by the numbers, and, you know, I haven't looked up with a point differentialist now, but they have the 18th best going into the game. They have the 18th best tied for 18th among the 20 that are either playoff.

Starting point is 00:13:51 or play-in. But, you know, the point you're making, I think, holds some weight because especially if they can stay out of the play-in, where the Lakers would get, you know, with a few extra days off by not having to play in any of those games while the league sorts, you know, that part of the playoff bracket out. So you get a few days off. And then the first round, they're not into every other day yet. It's still, you get those weird extra days off and the first round takes longer and all that other stuff.

Starting point is 00:14:26 So at the very least, if the Laker, you know, if they can build in that kind of time, the extra rest that particularly LeBron can thrive on. Yeah. I mean, like the LeBron AD combination gives you a chance against basically every team. It was interesting to you, you talk about LeBron and rebounding. It was the loudest rebounding game. I think it was. Like literally, the loudest rebounding game I've heard from. LeBron a long time. He was slapping

Starting point is 00:14:53 the hell out of the ball, like making it very clear. Every one of those were his. Yeah, I think he just knows when to turn it on and he gets up for these big national televised games, especially against rivals. This is why again, like, I

Starting point is 00:15:08 always look at the Lakers through a playoff lens. I don't know if you do, but if I'm just trying to extrapolate what I can from the regular season, I look at that kind of performance and I go, okay, give him a few days off between games, let them know that these games count and that they matter now and that tomorrow is basically not promised.

Starting point is 00:15:28 I will take LeBron and AD as like the foundation of my team and kind of go from there and put them up against basically every team in the postseason setting. Not to say that they'll win, but I think you'd be hard-pressed. I feel like a lot of teams would like to have that sort of floor for their own playoff teams. Yeah, and look, you have to question whether or not

Starting point is 00:15:50 the Lakers can sustain a level like they had on Thursday. Again, not talking about just about, oh, they blew out the Celtics by 20-something points. Like, no, it's, again, it's the process. It's what they looked like in the process of doing. They could have been an eight-point game or a six-point game. It would have felt just as good about, like, what it looked like. It was nice not to stress out over like, oh, my God, are they going to lose this game where they've played so well? They actually got to win.

Starting point is 00:16:16 They kind of claw back one of the stupid losses. that over the course of the season. There have been a few. So that part of it is encouraging, but you look at Anthony Davis, 24 points, eight rebounds, three blocks,

Starting point is 00:16:36 integral part, obviously, of every good defensive effort, but he was really all over the place and strong for the Lakers defensively. You know, Max, I'm sorry, Austin Reeves finished with 23 and 6, no turnovers. Lakers took care really good to carry the ball after the first couple minutes of this game. They only had six turnovers as a team. And even like, you know, we mentioned in the first

Starting point is 00:17:01 segment what connected early and what Gabe Benson provided early, those guys finished with 25 points between them. But like even Dorian Finney Smith, who didn't score was a plus 20. So like defensively, he was part of that push. And they just, they got some good. contributions from a lot of different players. It makes a huge difference. When they get scoring from the bench from anyone, it makes such a huge difference for a team that struggles badly to put the ball in the basket. Yeah, I think the Lakers, you know, quote unquote big three of LeBron, AD, and Reeves did what they were supposed to. I thought, you know, going back to the AD point specifically, you know, the numbers

Starting point is 00:17:44 offensively might not jump out, but I thought defensively he was great. I think the early signs were a couple of the Chris Staps perzingis buckets that or the shot attempts near the rim that you know AD was there to contest I was like okay we're getting this version of Anthony Davis kind of the all-world defensive destroyer I personally think he's at his best when he doesn't need to score the ball all the time and drop 30 plus to for the Lakers to have a chance so to your point about the bench I think when you've got contributions from other guys it lets AD focus on what he does best and I think the Lakers as a whole as an ecosystem perform a lot better so that's what I'm hoping to kind of see more of as the regular season goes.

Starting point is 00:18:22 Obviously, you're going to need AD to do a lot of the heavy lifting, but I feel like if you've got at least one or two guys ideally that are chipping in offensively, I think that sets up the Lakers really well. Yeah, I mean, look, Andy and I talk about this a lot. I make this point. It's one of those, when they lose, the first thing I look at, just be based on how they're constructed is how much did Davis, LeBron, and Reeves score. And it's sort of unfair.

Starting point is 00:18:46 And like you say, it'd be nice if there are nights when AD doesn't have to put up 29 or 30 or whatever for them to win. And in this one, they got, just make sure I do the math right, 67 points. I put the baseline at 60. Like if the Lakers do not get 60 from those three guys. And sometimes people get mad at me when I put in Reeves as a part of a big three because he's never made it all. But the Lakers treat him like he's part of that.

Starting point is 00:19:13 So that's what we do here. And the structure of the team says, he is one of these three guys. They cleared the bar, but then it's so much easier when you factor in the 25 points and the big first half, especially from Connect and Vincent.

Starting point is 00:19:34 Like that's what, they have to hit the minimum, and then that's what gives the breathing room. Like, they're a completely different team. And like you say, it makes it so AD doesn't have to do everything. for them to win.

Starting point is 00:19:50 Kind of almost sounds like you think the Lakers have a small margin for error, which seemed to be the buzzwords from a couple of Lakers players a couple days ago. So I think we're all in agreement. Yeah. Seeing it Thursday against the Celtics, like, oh, that's what a bench,

Starting point is 00:20:10 you know, scoring bench does, reminds you of how small that margin is and what it can look like if it doesn't have to be that way. Speaking of which, Anthony Davis talking to ESPN is looking for some reinforcements that might increase that margin for error. And we will explain that next. Locked on Lakers is brought to you by Talkspace Therapy. Can be a game changer.

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Starting point is 00:22:01 Quote, I think we need another big. Excuse me, I think we need another big. I feel like I'm always at my best when I've been at the four having a big out there. This is in the context of saying, you know, he feels like the Lakers are pretty close, that they can do some stuff. But we are back to Anthony Davis wants to be a four. I mean, I agree with them.

Starting point is 00:22:26 The Lakers could use another big, but I do have to admit I was a little like, oh, man, we're, we got to go through this again, you know, this process. But where do you put center on the priority list of things the Lakers need between now and February? I mean, this is going to sound like the boring answer, but I do think it's probably the most glaring need. and I think you don't really need to look further than what you saw out of Jackson Hayes tonight, or sorry, Thursday, just given that, I think it was easier to pick on him or at least point out some of the things he wasn't doing well on the floor because the rest of the team was doing well. And it's not new news that the Lakers are hurting for some more front court depth, especially at the center position. The rebounding issues have been apparent. I feel like anytime Anthony Davis is off the floor and there isn't another traditional big,

Starting point is 00:23:20 teams just kind of have an open open lane to score all the time and that's just not how you're going to win games especially in the playoffs so again it's kind of the boring answer but I do think that center is the biggest need on the roster although I mean it's just one

Starting point is 00:23:37 of a few needs I think like if you're asking me what I would do I'd be looking at you know centers first I'd be looking at another 3 and D wing and then I'd be looking at a three level score yeah position forward it's fun we talked about this on Thursday's show, like what is actually out there?

Starting point is 00:23:55 Like, you know, what is this magical mythical trade that Rob Polenko will make that he's comfortable with that makes them better now? But also, you know, it was a great fit with Anthony Davis for the next three or four years and all this other stuff. And the only one I could come up with was the sort of at least discussed Walker Kessler slash Colin Sexton thing because both of those guys timeline wise. are pretty young, Sexton's 26 and Kessler's 23. Yep. You know, Dejante Murray is not old. It's 28, I believe. And like, I, 29 maybe.

Starting point is 00:24:33 I don't know if any of those players are actually going to be traded, though. Yeah. Do you buy the idea that Utah really is going to trade Walker Kessler? Because I don't. I do not think so for what, I mean, as far as, you know, what's been reported so far, I don't think so. I think that a team like the Lakers would just need to blow Danny Aange out of the water. I think that would require something like both first round picks that are available.

Starting point is 00:25:00 And if we're talking about, you know, a starting center but might not play like 30 plus minutes in the playoffs, that's probably not worth it. But if you're just saying for the sake of can you get a deal done, I think you could. Is it likely, though, or do you think Rob is going to feel comfortable with that price point if it sticks? Probably not. What do you do about, you know, obviously, you know, Chicago is more than happy to trade like a Vucevich or guys like that. But, you know, great offensive center can do a lot of stuff and offensively could play with Anthony Davis. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:25:33 You know, that's a nice sort of almost, you kind of go back to like a Brooke Lopez kind of fit in terms of the offensive skill set. He's a terrible defender. Yeah. He's just terrible. And so is Jonas Valenchunas. also a bad defender. Those are not players that I think you can keep on the floor for 25, 35 minutes a game in the playoffs.

Starting point is 00:25:58 I just, I like the idea. I was like, you know, whatever, go ahead, make the big swing. But if you're going to give up all that stuff, it needs to be, if you know, if you're going to give up starting caliber stuff, it needs to be for players who can play starting caliber minutes. Yes. And I don't know who's out there for that. That's the part that I find challenging for the Lakers.

Starting point is 00:26:24 I'm not trying to defend Rob Polenka. He put them in the box that they're in. Where are you on ball handling playmaking guard, somebody who can essentially replace a little bit of what DeAngelo Russell did for them and has been missing, particularly in some of these other games where they could really use some help with Reeves or LeBron to keep things moving and stuff like that and provide a little bit of pop off the bench. So to answer that question, I definitely think it's a need.

Starting point is 00:27:02 I think it would be something that would be nice to address. Again, going back to the, how would I rank the priorities? I still think center rebounding shot blocking is probably the number one thing. but this is kind of the difficult part about trying to assemble a contender with the Lakers. If they've legitimately got multiple needs. And I don't think there's one, arguably not even two players that can fit all of those things. So it feels almost a little like pick and choosy of what's actually out there and then what can I get them for. And so as far as getting someone that can handle the ball and playmate for others, I definitely think post-Dilo,

Starting point is 00:27:36 you've kind of seen some lulls in the offense where it's like, if it's not Austin, and we're kind of just, we're not really sure what we're doing out there. And sometimes that's why like the LeBron, like the non-Lebron Austin Minute sometimes will bug me because they've got really no other shot maker or shock creator out there. Well, I hate them. Yeah, like, why are we not stagger? It feels like malpractice to have even 30 seconds without those guys on the floor together.

Starting point is 00:27:58 But I do understand sometimes like if you want them to be together for a certain amount of minutes and maximize what you have. You almost have to try to steal this is what happens when you, you know, Gabe Vincent isn't that. kind of point guard. Exactly. So this is this is kind of what happens when you're, where are you on the pod? I have grown significantly more comfortable with deals that, for example, where you would

Starting point is 00:28:25 have to include Rui and a couple other things just because my previous concern was you can't blow a hole in your rotation by trading three guys out for like one guy coming back in or something like that's exactly right yep but i almost feel like they're starting to play in ways that kind of marginalized hachemura anyway yeah um and especially if you're bringing back another forward in a deal i you know you're kind of knocking on wood maybe a little bit the vanderbilt can stay healthy yeah but i i am i'm more comfortable with that even if it's for a guard that comes back instead of a forward that's interesting because i normally don't trade bigger for small but I see your point.

Starting point is 00:29:07 And I think the Rui thing is important just because I'm also of the mindset that if you're going to trade Rui, it needs to be for another forward or big because. Yeah, I think the right place to start. Yeah. And like, I catch a lot of grief on the Lakers Nation podcast and live streams because people always seem to assume that we're scapegoating Rui, but it's really just a matter of contracts and salary ballast. And a lot of these names that were brought up, Vouch is a very good one in terms of like,

Starting point is 00:29:34 how do you get a deal done? it almost has to include Rui now that you don't have D'Angelo's expiring. So this isn't a please ship out Rui for whatever you can get. It's just if you want Player X who makes, you know, this amount of money, Rui is probably the logical guy that needs to go in a deal. So I'm with you there, though. I think that if they trade Rui, it needs to be for a guy that you know will be able to play a rotation level minutes in the playoffs.

Starting point is 00:30:01 And I think that needs to be a front court player. you could talk me into a guard depending on which guard you're talking about i feel like if you're going to if you're going to get rid of one of your credible forwards on your roster that's healthy then it should be for something like a djante-marie-ish player i don't know if he's available i think the pelicans got to blow it up at some point that's maybe a separate conversation um but that's what that's where i would be looking if if the lakers were so inclined to say you know what we need more guard help this is the kind of player i think we should be going for i um i i don't i am i I hate this because I'm like I'm I do not want to be like Rob Polinka can be ultimately

Starting point is 00:30:45 have sort of mismanaged stuff to in into a place where the kind of big swing that I think a lot of fans want them to take just because it's like let's let's try something. May not be a good idea. not because it's like, oh, it's, it's, you know, makes the rebuild harder, this, whatever, just because you can't, may not be able to get the return that you need to make that sacrifice worth it. Because it almost sounds like, well, he's doing the right thing by not doing something stupid. Sure. But at the same time, it's like, well, how do we get here?

Starting point is 00:31:22 But I, games like this make it so hard because this is, you try to project like not what they're going to look like in, February and March, but like what it could be in April. And, you know, not to be a prison or the moment, but like, this one was fun. And then you can see like, all right, they are, you know, I owe you an apology. I was not familiar with your game. Like that kind of thing. You know, I'm sure I'll feel differently if they bleep the bed against, you know, Golden State on Saturday. But, you know, for one night at least, we're allowed to dream, aren't we? I know like I think I don't know like just the internet and social media when it comes to the Lakers in general is already a cesspool but I just feel like when the team struggles yeah I feel like when the team struggles it's it's really hard to see like reason but um I just think like winning is fun like don't you don't people want to do this more like I understand like wanting to stand pat and protect the future and set yourself up for rebuild down the line. But like, you are married to LeBron James at this point. There is no turning back. If you

Starting point is 00:32:36 are publicly signaling that you want to win a title with this with these two superstars still, then just try and do it, you know, like, or at least get into the, at least get into a reasonable part of the conversation. And it's like, it's easy to look at somebody like Anthony Davis or LeBron saying like, I feel like we're pretty close and just see that as posturing or whatever, because 1.4. Look at that. The point differential down to 1.4. Wow. Looking like true contenders now. Take that, Atlanta. You are alone.

Starting point is 00:33:07 Now you're in 19th. The Lakers alone in 18th with a point differential among the play-in and 20 playoff teams. So congratulations. But like it's easy. On the one hand,

Starting point is 00:33:20 that is not a good number. That is not a number that says we're a contender. Nope. On the other hand, they are 24 and 18. They are in the five spot in the Western Conference. They are three games behind Denver and four.

Starting point is 00:33:39 They are also three games ahead of Golden State for 11. God, life in the Western Conference. And that's the thing I will say. It feels far more plausible, especially the way Denver is starting to play, that they, you know, that where Golden State and San Antonio are feels far more relevant to me, at least right now. sure then when where Denver is but like top six is not a pipe dream top six is a legitimate

Starting point is 00:34:07 possibility um especially you know luca's missing and yeah lord knows i don't think the clippers are are playing remarkably well but like they're there's that's the house of cards i mean you're walking on eggshells with with both of their stars yeah so like it's and then we talked about the playoff scenario before, but like, oh, Thursdays, you know, 20-something point blowout against the Celtics really gets you dreaming about what you could bring in with a couple of those first round picks. I mean, that's kind of the conversation that the front office and everyone and all the other stakeholders need to have is like, look, you've got a team that's like obviously way better than like your normal lottery bound teams, but they're also not quite at the championship

Starting point is 00:34:56 or high-level contender status yet. Like, you know, there's Oklahoma City, there is Denver, there's Memphis, there's Houston, you know, all these other teams that are above the Lakers right now, and there's obviously a tear break. But if you told me they added like one or two legitimate rotation guys, like, why could they not be in that conversation at least? It is, it's something to look for. And I think, you know, for the Lakers to try to prove their point, you go out and win three

Starting point is 00:35:23 or four of these next four games to start the road trip, Golden State, Charlotte, Philadelphia, and Washington, all very winnable despite the fact that Lakers been a lousy team on the road. You know, if you're eight or nine games over 500 when the decision, you know, needs to come from Rob Polenka, because that takes the, the Nick game is on February 1st. So this takes us right up to that. Anyway, Matt, it has been really fun to have you on the show. Thank you so much for stepping in. Really appreciate it.

Starting point is 00:35:53 Again, Lakers Nation is where you find his stuff, both the website, the YouTube channel, the vast, vast Lakers Nation empire that Trevor has built up. And, you know, we all just kind of exist inside of it. No, no, no, no, no. Thank you so much for inviting me. This was a blast. I love talking about the Lakers, especially after a win. Right.

Starting point is 00:36:17 Yeah. And I think, you know, it feels like nature's healing when the Lakers beat the Celtics. You know, like there's always a lot of dissension within fan bases. The Lakers won especially because it's so massive. But on nights like tonight and Thursday, it's good to know that everyone can come together and enjoy a win against a team that everyone hates. Exactly. In these fractured times in which we live.

Starting point is 00:36:38 Locked on Lakers on YouTube is ready to go hang out with over 27,000 subscribers to the channel. We will see everyone after the game on Saturday.

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - The Lakers Throttle Boston, 117-96. Best Win of the Year?

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