Locked On Lakers podcast is your daily ticket to stay ahead of the game and the first to know the latest news, analysis, and insider info for the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA. Hosts Andy and Brian Kamenetzky, who have covered the Purple and Gold since 2005 for media outlets including the LA Times, ESPN and The Athletic, offer traditional journalism, informal commentary, and offbeat humor to provide expert, local analysis. Locked On Lakers takes you beyond the scoreboard for the inside scoops on the biggest stories from within the Lakers locker room and all over the NBA. The Locked On Lakers podcast is part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.
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Lakers Lose Preseason Opener by 30, but Big Three Meshed! Plus, New Westbrook/Pacers Details!
On Monday's show, it was noted that context is a big thing when evaluating preseason scores. That's definitely the case for Monday's 105-75 loss to Sacramento in the Lakers' preseason opener. 30 points is a blowout, but for the parts of the game where LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook played, the Lakers looked significantly better than that score. Davis, for example, went for 11 points and 11 rebounds in his 16 minutes, even hitting a pair of 3's! Westbrook had a couple good shots at the rim, and played with aggression. The team looked bouncier, and showed considerably more investment in the preseason compared to last year. (Low bar to clear.)
Defensively, the Important Lakers were engaged and efforting, holding Sacramento well under 40% shooting in the first half. Some of that was bad offense from the Kings, but not all of it.
No question, the Lakers looked rusty at times. They didn't always move the ball well. The second half was downright ugly. Rebounding and outside shooting were... not good. But broadly, there were reasons to be encouraged, and certainly anyone looking at last year's disaster and an 0-6 preseason shouldn't be deceived by the final score.
Plenty to look forward to as the Lakers continue the preseason march on Wednesday and Thursday.
Meanwhile, The Athletic reports that the Lakers were still considering the potential trade with Indiana right up to the point of Media Day. It's why they pushed back the original time Darvin Ham and Rob Pelinka were scheduled to meet with the media, and pretty much everyone in the organization got to weigh in. Ultimately (and obviously) they chose to wait.
Smart decision? Only time will tell. But one thing is clear - there is no trade available that undoes the damage of the Westbrook deal, and no matter the eventual outcome, the Lakers will have paid a tremendous price for their mistake.
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: The good stuff from Monday's loss, starting with Anthony Davis.
SEGMENT 2: The not-so-good stuff, starting with shooting and rebounding.
SEGMENT 3: Just how close were the Lakers to pulling the trigger on the Indy deal?
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