Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

And how healthy will LeBron actually be if he's able to come back and play?

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...

He was the best player on the floor, by a lot, delivering a win get a win the Lakers had to have.

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...

The Lakers execution fails again late in the fourth, and the blow a lead on a buzzer beater.

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...

Many Lakers fans are still on the fence when it comes to the head coach.

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...

Why did Darvin Ham start Hachimura? Why didn't they have another center available?

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...