Andy Kamenetzky here, the host of the daily Locked On Lakers podcast, with your daily Locked On Lakers newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Lakers and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Anthony Davis is Probable Vs. Philly, Is Dealing with Plantar Fasciitis. Can D’Angelo Russell Bounce Back?
Thought Starter.: D’Angelo Russell is in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons...
One guy who needs a major bounceback game tonight against the Sixers? D’Angelo Russell, who sat the last 17 minutes of Wednesday’s loss because in the words of JJ Redick, he didn’t have the needed level of “compete,” and “attention to detail.” Things the staff has apparently been harping on with him for a couple of weeks. So he sat. Redick said they’ve been talking about this stuff for a couple of weeks, which is interesting because it shows these issues aren’t isolated to a single game. (And it’s the first time he’s lit into a player in pretty pointed ways, period.) And to this point, Redick has been been nothing but complimentary towards Russell.
We’ll see what happens. Russell is part of a network of problems the team is dealing with right now, from injuries to a completely anemic bench. D’Lo is doing some things well, but the offense—and therefore the team—isn’t built to withstand 37.5% from the floor, and under 30% from beyond the arc. The Lakers need more from Russell. D’Lo’s career numbers say a rebound is coming. He’s simply too good a shooter to be this bad for too long. But he needs to be more attentive, too, and this perhaps is one way to help get him there.
Three Questions...
1. Can the Lakers get a decent performance from the bench, now that they’re back at home?
2. Anthony Davis reportedly has plantar fasciitis Is this going to be a season-long issue?
3. What did an early look into the team’s development program reveal?
The Nuggets did it (Nikola Jokic did it), the Warriors did it (the death lineup and defensive efficiency), the Celtics did it (switching one through five, pre-switching, neutralizing open lanes), and now the Thunder are doing it.
It’s been described as pestering, smothering, swarming, but I‘d like to put “car wash” into consideration. That’s the set up awaiting opponents. The car (the opposing team) gets locked into those self-driving tracks and the gauntlet begins. Lu Dort and Alex Caruso appear as those cylindrical spinning brushes, stripping the ball outright and early or else funnelling players into the next wave of guards. Pressure continues from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jaylen Williams but it becomes more targeted, thinking of the jet streams of water now being directed at the car from every angle — and those spinning whirlwinds of Caruso and Dort haven’t relented.
If, somehow, an opposing player finds a sliver of daylight in the so-small-its-micro-ball switching scheme the Thunder are playing, if they manage to get out from the many hands reaching in, pressuring, forcing turnovers, then they will meet Chet Holmgren at the rim. Holmgren is like those long, slapping shammy tentacles that come down on the hood, sides and roof of the car from every angle, though his reach and hands are much more expertly deployed. The Thunder have a defensive rating of 96.5 (for context the Warriors, at second best, seem light-years behind with a respectable 103.8) and lead the league in steals (13.4) and blocks (7.3). The cars are coming out spotless, utterly worked.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Watch Defense wins games? Here’s an insightful breakdown of OKC’s defensive schemes. (Thinking Basketball)
Must Read The Influence of Sedona Price: Take a fascinating look at the domino effect of NIL on college athletics, women’s sports, social media and athlete health. (The New Yorker)
Injury Anthony Davis and Rui Hachimura are dealing with foot injuries, impacting the Lakers’ lineup stability and depth. (Silver Screen & Roll)
Analysis The Lakers’ poor transition defense is a major hurdle in their performance, needing urgent tactical adjustments. (Daily News)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Basketball Impact of Miles Bridges’ Injury
Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) holds his knee after a collision at the basket against the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Spectrum Center.|Photo by Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
With only three games on Thursday, there was ample time to delve into the latest injury news and its implications for fantasy managers.
Injury Updates and Their Impact
Miles Bridges’ knee injury is a significant concern. After initially returning to play, he’s now sidelined for at least two weeks with a knee bone bruise. This situation opens up opportunities for other players. With Nick Richards and Mark Williams also out, Taj Gibson steps in as the starting centre. Grant Williams, who has been getting centre minutes, will likely shift to playing more at the four, alongside Tidjane Salaun. This reshuffling could push Williams into a more prominent role, making him a potential pick-up in 12-team leagues.
The absence of Bridges also means increased usage for Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball. Tre Mann is another player to watch; holding onto him could be beneficial as the team adjusts to these injuries.
Ja Morant’s hamstring injury is another blow, with expectations of a two-week absence. Memphis’ injury reporting is notoriously vague, so fantasy managers should prepare for an extended period without Morant. Tyrese Maxey’s situation is similar, with the Sixers indicating a reevaluation in a week, but realistically, it could be longer. Kyle Lowry is a suitable replacement in the meantime.
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Anthony Davis is Probable Vs. Philly, Is Dealing with Plantar Fasciitis. Can D’Angelo Russell Bounce Back? The Lakers are home from a disappointing road trip, and will have a golden opportunity to get a better taste in their mouths tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers, who have only won a single game this season, and will be playing without Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. They need to win this game.
Shorthanded Lakers (No Davis, No Hachimura) Lose in Memphis, Finish Road Trip 1-4 The Lakers arrived in Memphis struggling to find some kind of rhythm, having lost three of the first four games on this five game road trip. Then they lost Rui Hachimura (illness) and Anthony Davis (foot), for one night, at least. Then they lost again, this time to the Grizzlies.
Anthony Davis Has a Foot Injury, Questionable Vs. Memphis. Problems Ahead? The Lakers, after a very encouraging start, have hit a very discouraging stretch. They’ve lost three of the first four games of the first big road trip of the year, including a decisive loss to Detroit. Now, LA need to find a way to beat Memphis on Wednesday, or they’ll come back to town with a sub-.500 record on the year.
Not great!
Lakers’ Vulnerabilities Exposed In 115-103 Loss to Pistons. Anthony Davis Hurting. When they visited the Cavaliers in Cleveland last week, the Lakers were thoroughly outclassed. The Cavs were faster to the ball, played with more “want,” and generally speaking made the Lakers look bad. But, to be fair, the Cavs are undefeated this season. They’ve made a lot of teams look bad.
