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.
The Lakers barely escaped disaster against the Nets on Friday night, but it was pretty clear they’d need to play significantly better to have a chance to beat the Clippers.
Didn’t happen.
The Lakers were outplayed on both sides of the ball almost from the jump, and while they tried to make a push in the second half, the game was too far out of hand for rally caps to have an effect. Final score, 116-102. The team is so out of sorts at this point, it’s hard to pinpoint which area is most problematic. The Lakers allowed the Clippers to shoot 58% in the first half, while struggling to score themselves (49 points at the break). The team’s Big Three (Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Austin Reaves) combined for 55 points, not nearly enough to meaningfully compete. How about turnovers? The Lakers had plenty, particularly in the first half when they buried themselves in a hole. Dorian Finney-Smith, back in the lineup after missing a couple of games for the birth of his son? Zero points.
Over the course of a season, aspects of a team’s play can move in and out of rhythm. At times, all the parts seem to be working in concert, and the product reflects is. At other times, nothing seems to fit together. Even the simplest stuff becomes a challenge.
That’s where the Lakers are. The offensive approach is disintegrating. The defensive discipline has evaporated. The confidence and swagger exhibited at different points this year is nonexistent. This is not an overly talented team—the Lakers have to do the right stuff with consistency, and they’re not even close.
Fix it fast, or the (fast approaching) second half of the season is going to get ugly in a big hurry. The Lakers are only three games behind Denver for the 4th seed, but they’re just 3.5 games ahead of San Antonio, currently in 12th.
Which of those gaps feels more relevant right now?
—BK
Overheard On This Episode...
“I think not all of their turnovers, but some of their turnovers to me feel like the mark of impatience—like they throw a lot of hit-ahead passes that it’s like, guys, don’t. Like, just don’t. Yeah, don’t do that. Like, run your damn sets.”
“16 is not enough (from Anthony Davis). Five field goals is not enough, and you know, 6 free throw trips is not enough. And I’m not blaming it just on him because, as we mentioned, Austin Reaves was not able to provide it.”
“It’s not too early to sound the alarm. They are so bad and so out of sorts right now on offense. I don’t think they can play really good defense while the offense is this bad.”
Jan 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) directs the offense as he is defended by Brooklyn Nets forward Tosan Evbuomwan (12) and guard D’Angelo Russell (1) in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
We’re halfway through the NBA season and I’ve seen many of the same points on midseason reports lists. The Sixers being this bad, the Pistons being this good, Russell Westbrook finding such a great fit alongside Nikola Jokic and with the Nuggets — at some point, if we all have the same observations, then we’re not really paying attention.
Not to lean too hard on my own horn, but I thought all these things were going to happen before the season got underway (granted, it does feel excellent that being a perennial Westbrook supporter is paying off). Let’s look instead at some surprises past the surface level of competition this season, into developments and/or plot twists that look like they’ll have a ripple effect beyond the conclusion of this NBA calendar year. We’ll start with two today and get into some others tomorrow.
Leveraging the future for an immediate star
The Suns and Sixers are the obvious examples, but the Warriors, Lakers, Mavericks and Wolves have done this via inaction and slow erosion.
For the Mavs, this season feels like an existential hiccup. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving settling, seemingly well, into a working routine last season and Dallas was a contender in the West. Where the Mavs have slipped to — injuries aside — does seem to be, in part, in working Klay Thompson into the fold. Thompson has struggled at times to find his shot and his place on the floor, he plays at a pace a lot different than either Doncic or Irving do — his previous, forever point guard in Steph Curry was never as frenetic.
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
Trades Jimmy Butler returns to the Heat, says “whole truth will come out” about what’s transpired in Miami (CBS Sports)
Analysis Cooper Flagg, the heralded pick of this year’s NBA Draft, puts exclamation point on his status (The Athletic)
Biz OKC Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault named All-Star coach (ESPN)
Injury Austin Reaves is listed as day-to-day due to a knee injury, impacting his availability for the Lakers’ upcoming games against the Clippers and Wizards. His status remains uncertain. Knee injury details are crucial for team strategy. (Silver Screen and Roll)
Analysis The Lakers’ recent performance against the Clippers was analyzed, highlighting strong performances by Anthony Davis and LeBron James despite the loss. Player grades give an in-depth look at individual contributions. (Silver Screen and Roll)
Fans Lakers fans expressed disappointment following the team’s loss to the Clippers, despite LeBron James recording a double-double. The game results stirred significant reactions among the fanbase. Fan disappointment was palpable. (Bleacher Report)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Waiver Wire Wonders: Must-Add Players and Surprising Trends in Fantasy Basketball
Jan 7, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) over Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards (4) during the second half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images | Sam Sharpe/Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images
As we dive into the latest fantasy basketball waiver wire trends, some surprising names have emerged as the most added players across various platforms.
Stephon Castle is another intriguing name gaining traction. With Jeremy Sochan sidelined, Castle has seen increased opportunities and has capitalized on them. However, I’m skeptical about his long-term value once the Spurs return to full strength.
Wendell Carter Jr. is an interesting case, as his role could expand with Goga Bitadze out. There’s a good chance Carter retains the starting spot even when Bitadze returns, making him a solid speculative add in deeper leagues.
Nick Richards’ Phoenix Suns’ debut was impressive, so grab him if available, but we should also be on the lookout for an efficiency drop.
Hot Players to Watch
Drew Eubanks has emerged as a surprise contributor, ranking as the 61st best player over the past week. While his value is tied to injuries ahead of him, he’s worth monitoring in case his role expands.
Kel’el Ware is a name to keep an eye on, especially if the Heat continue to play him alongside Bam Adebayo. This lineup change could unlock significant fantasy value for the young big man.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the latest fantasy basketball trends, tune into the Locked On Fantasy Basketball podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Fantasy Basketball Podcast:
How Will the Lakers Survive Without Anthony Davis? The Lakers have a very distinct challenge in front of them over the next week or two. Let’s say for the sake of argument Anthony Davis misses all seven of the games the Lakers have left on the calendar before the All-Star break. How will they respond? In theory, three of those games—tonight against Washington, then games against Utah on February 10th and 12th—are winnable whether Davis plays or not. The other four? You do what you can.
Lakers Lose 118-104 to 76ers, Anthony Davis Suffers Abdominal Injury If Monday’s ugly win in Charlotte shined a light on deficiencies around the Lakers roster, then Tuesday’s ugly loss in Philadelphia—final score 118-104—had those shortcomings glowing in ways that could probably be seen from space. After a hot start, the Lakers cooled off, and then Anthony Davis left the game. For good, as it turned out. And once that happened, the Lakers completely collapsed. Defensively, they couldn’t find anything to slow down Tyrese Maxey. They couldn’t keep Philadelphia away from the rim, or off the glass. They couldn’t force any mistakes (zero turnovers for the Sixers in the second quarter). By any measure, the Lakers were completely overwhelmed by Philly’s aggression and athleticism.
Anthony Davis (42 Points, 23 Rebounds) Saves Lakers in 112-107 Win over Hornets The Anthony Davis Revival continues. At the same time he made waves by vocalizing his desire for Rob Pelinka and the front office to add another big to the Lakers roster, Davis has also elevated his play (which was, to say the least, already high level). Monday in Charlotte, Davis went for 21/11 in the first quarter, en route to 42 points and 23 boards. He was the reason—the reason—the Lakers got off to a tremendous start against the Hornets, outscoring them 39-19 in the first quarter and the reason—the reason—they hung on to win, 112-107.
