Lakers Face Must-Win Game Against Golden State Warriors... Plus, the Future of D'Angelo Russell

Things are getting really tight in the Western Conference, and number of combinations and permutations when it comes to potential end-of-the-year standings could make your eyes bleed.
The Lakers could still finish anywhere from 6th (with a lot of help) to 10th (if they don't help themselves). And suffice to say, if they have any prayer of rising higher than their current lot (9th) they need to win out, starting tonight at home against the Warriors. It's the last home game of the regular season, and the Lakers can either solidify the opportunity to host at least one of their (potentially) two play-in games, or leave themselves vulnerable to having to win two games on the road just to make the main draw.
Win, on the other hand, and everything from eight to six is still live, at least for another day.
It won't be easy. The Warriors are playing very good basketball after a season of wild swings. In that sense, they're a lot like the Lakers. That's true both looking at their paths this season, and the overarching questions about each team's future. But for now, it's about winning whatever advantages are left on the table to take. LeBron James should be back from the illness that kept him out of Sunday's loss to Minnesota, but there's still no word on the availability of Anthony Davis (eye.)
Meanwhile, there was interesting talk on this week's edition of The Hoop Collective on ESPN, with Brian Windhorst. The conversation turned to D'Angelo Russell, and his player option for next year. Windhorst believes Russell will opt out of that year, having a) outplayed it over the course of this year, and b) not wanting to enter next season as an expiring contract leaving him once again on the trade block basically from moment one. So if he does opt out, would that mean an end to his Lakers career? Would the team be interested in giving him a new deal?
If they aren't... what's next?
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: Lakers vs. Warriors. Do any of the other games in the season series provide clues about tonight's result?
SEGMENT 2: LA and Golden State have more in common than they'd probably like.
SEGMENT 3: What does the future hold for D'Lo in LA?
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[@reynaldopaz4008]

Biggest game for the Lakers this regular season. Go Lakers!

[@armandomorata]

This team loves/feels (inconsistent in reality) to be under dog, will see if they can survive tomorrow🎉🎉🎉

[@craigosterberg5045]

Go Lakers

[@FATHERSOFBASS]

Kammmm brothers 💙🔥🍻💣💪🫡🏀good morning Andy! Go lakers!

[@garrettfitchew4906]

Every team in the west has 4 games left while we have three…. Maybe to help us since we had the worst schedule this season…. Vando coming back will help Reaves and Dlo so much more…. Dlo is/was the best 3 pt shooter by volume this season… huge part of the reason the lakers have been able to shoot so well recently… Rui is always efficient as well as Reaves Vando is the key to the lakers being successful because Rui can give Lebron a break and Vincent and Dinwiddie can give the guards a break… Hopefully AD puts on the goggles and plays like Kareem because I want to see the win… hope Ham and Lebron can stay out of their way and use our defense to stifle and the creativity of flow to make baskets… no lbj just dribbling out the clock!!! CHAMPIONSHIP 18

[@s2h1975]

40ish wins is more "decent" than "good". 50+ wins is good. 60+ is great. Though I love these Lakers podcasters, they all discuss who they DON'T want to face in the playoffs, when in order to be the best you have to beat the best(Flair✊🏾). 17-time Champions face who's in front of them, whenever, wherever. You play your asses off, win or lose. Let's just take care of ours; what we can control. Focus on that. #LAKERNATION💜💛✊🏾

[@tjboxingsports3584]

Exactly. Our era of Lakers didn't duck smoke, Kobe and Shaq ran through the smoke!!

[@LockedOnLakers]

@@tjboxingsports3584 Okay, let's get something clear from the beginning. The Kobe/Shaq era is also *my* era of the Lakers. I watched at least 80 percent of those games, and know the teams and history of that period extremely well. My professional life wasn't connected to the Lakers until 2005 but I saw that entire era in real time while paying passionate attention. With that established, you are actually incorrect that Kobe and Shaq ran through the smoke, because once those teams started winning titles... they *were* the smoke. By definition, when you consistently have one of, if not *the best* records each year, as well as two of the top five players in the league, both in or still awaiting their primes, that makes you the smoke. Seriously, what smoke could those teams possibly have been ducking? (To be clear, I don't think LeBron and AD are ducking any smoke to begin with. I'm just saying, your comparison doesn't really work even if they were.) As far as what defines a good season, I don't wanna get into a semantics debate about what's "good" vs. "great" vs. "excellent." To some degree, this is splitting hairs over vocabulary. But if you go through the previous 10 seasons of the NBA, 48 wins is on average between a 5-6 seed, and in a couple of seasons, as high as #3. That is by any reasonable definition a good season. Not outstanding necessarily, but certainly good. Maybe not by the standards of the Lakers' overall history, but that's also not a reasonable, realistic standard. In the actual real world of the NBA, 48 wins is legitimately good. Appreciate you watching. AK

[@s2h1975]

Is that Andy K responding?? I'll be doggone. You guys are my ESPN/FOX. I appreciate the input. The 80s Lakers were actually the team that "Locked" me. As great as that team was, the West back then did not make it easy. Three seven-game series in '88. My deal wasn't necessarily how to define "great" or "good", etc. in the standings. Avoiding Denver as long as possible was. Just like the players say. Just concern yourself with the ones in front of you. I think that's what they meant when AD/LBJ said they don't really do the math in the standings. Just control what we can control. Denver's my hometown, but F the Nuggets! With that said, if it's Denver and we lose, reality is, we weren't the best team this year. Just play your asses off, make us proud and Rob, get to work. Besides, who knows how healthy we will/won't be by round 2+. I feel really good about where we are(less Vanderbilt and a true big man in the middle). This is D'Lo's moment of career truth. Time for him to graduate from an NBA star to NBA superstar. I believe he would've been the difference last year and I feel he very much could be the difference this year. But let the chips fall and hit whomever's mouth is in front of you. You and Brian are great! I never miss a show. Y'all keep doin ya thing!💜💛✊🏾✌🏽

[@LockedOnLakers]

@@s2h1975 Good stuff, man! Love this, and appreciate the nice words. Thanks for watching. AK

[@lionking266]

Andy and Brian, Just as a note, I am almost certain Giannis will ask for a trade out of Milwaukee end of this season. Have you guys looked into yet?

[@irabonta1874]

Am nervous ooooo

[@aliciagreene190]

Hopefully Gabe and Dinwiddie can play some good defense but how will Lebron energy be coming off an illness and will D-Lo and Reaves bounce back from last game. So much uncertainty

[@erniebhernandez6452]

The Warriors are still trying to make the 8th spot.

[@MrExBearPoker]

They'd probably be behind the Celtics if they were in the east. Because they'd play West coast teams only twice a season, playing east coast teams 4 times a season.

[@mrflawer2661]

Bah they always miss important games if is not bron is AD so there’s no point making excuses

[@jeffreypajarillo1111]

It will be the first time in history that the Lakers will become the 9th seed to become 2024 NBA Champions! 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

[@tonyp4914]

I love this Jeff...but let's calm down and see how we end the season. This team has PROVED...Health is our crutch AND were CONSISTENTLY...INCONSISTENT bro #staytuned

[@jamesmurray8195]

Jamesmurray, Wake--UP @jeffreypajarillo1111, you,re Dreaming, Keep Dreaming because the only way the Lakers will be N.B.A CHAMPIONS IS IN YOUR DREAMS.

[@mrflawer2661]

@@tonyp4914. Very inconsistent and AD needs to step up and 🛑 playing dumb and start getting aggressive go in and dunk it stop throwing stupid jump shots

[@diegobromfield]

I feel like the Lakers have a fairly good chance to get the 8th seed before the play-in begins. I don't like the 9th seed end to the season because all it takes is Steph to crazy for 1 game and we're done. As for winning the championship? I don't see how without Vando.

[@robertshirley3422]

😂😂😂

[@IMTELLY]

Brian could you stop cutting off Andy when he’s speaking

[@robertwilliams-np6wb]

Unless Russell hits the game winning shot in game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Celtics he is gone. Dinwiddie is gone also. Gabe, Max, AR and the next superstar guard available will be the guards next year.

[@erniebhernandez6452]

TJD and Looney are sharing the center position. Kuminga is back and Klay is playing well.

[@onellvanstory7648]

They are garbage

[@erniebhernandez6452]

Which team was garbage tonight?

[@gamerf2p843]

@@erniebhernandez6452 the warriors was a masterclass tonight, and schooled the lakers, also i dont know why other people not seeing this but lakers are being exposed by the weak bench

[@erniebhernandez6452]

Lets hope LeBron and AD play in the game. Also, I hope Steph and Wiggins play, too. Let the best team win.

[@LN-Lifer]

All teams have an answer for AD....Breathe on his eye

[@garrettfitchew4906]

Have you ever had a guy who was 6’10” swing down with forearm and hit you in the eye? While trying to dunk? Haha he just had surgery on that eye man which usually takes months to heal

[@LN-Lifer]

@@garrettfitchew4906 Um.... I watch guys a lot smaller than AD take worse EVERY SINGLE GAME

[@LN-Lifer]

@@garrettfitchew4906 and by the way, yes I have and much worse AD never misses an opportunity not to be "the guy" He is a front runner Davis would rather lose and not try than try and possibly still lose. And I'm not a hater either. He was my favorite non Laker since the moment he entered the league. But narratives exist for a reason and that mother f***** is soft

[@LN-Lifer]

@@garrettfitchew4906 And for the record he did not have eye surgery I don't know if you actually believe that or that's just some lie. You told because you thought it would help you make your case

[@LN-Lifer]

@@garrettfitchew4906 Davis would retire and take up knitting class If he got hit in the face as often as Austin did last year. That said, I do believe the opponents are aiming for his face now and that's a bunch of BS Which is exactly why he needs to put on goggles But he's not going to do that because he doesn't get to leave the game if it's the other guy that gets hurt

[@MrExBearPoker]

Not winning by much. And they were struggling to keep the lead when I turned the channel. That was before AD was hurt and why turned the channel.

[@robs4491]

We won't win with Ham as coach. No strategy, no adjustments and no ability to outsmart other good team's coaches.

[@NostalgikOne]

Because LeBron can only play his style of basketball…he can’t fit into any system. Blaming the wrong guy!

[@RetroCody]

6:42 It’s not hard to compare those loses. A five game road trip isn’t the same as a key player being out. Take Curry out of the lineup and you see what kind of warriors you get. Same for AD and Lebron.

[@LockedOnLakers]

That's not what I'm getting at, though. You're offering ways to explain/quantify the Lakers' losses or the inverse comparison with Steph, and I already said LeBron and AD's absences were a big factor in the losses. That's obvious. What I'm talking about is evidence of how the teams at present really match up, and the previous three games don't offer much in the way of that. As opposed to, say, the series against OKC or Sacto, which provide enough consistency, positive or negative, to make a conclusion. Appreciate you watching. AK

[@RetroCody]

Makes sense now. Thanks for clarifying.

[@MrExBearPoker]

Yes really really good against bad teams. And you just said they lost teams they were trying to catch. That means they were losing against good teams. And that's the problem. You need to not just win against bad teams but good teams also. I have zero faith in this team.

[@MrExBearPoker]

We've watched this team for 79 games and all I've heard is excuses. This team is who they are. They are not a good team and have a horrible coach. And we get excited because they beat crappy teams. We get excited because they beat a team like the Timberwolves when they didn't even have a center. I already know y'all are going to be pissed when they get put out. My advice to fans is don't get excited. Enjoy the season the best you can but don't go getting excited because they will drop your excitement like a broken glass.

[@Oberonz1]

I’m so frustrated, Lakers pretty much punted the Wolves game and refuse to put AD in protective gear. So casual and reckless from players to organization at the most critical time of the season. Btw you think draymond wont test AD’s chin in an elimination game???? For gosh sake get the goggles on his face!!!! Pronto!!!

[@aliciagreene190]

They may have recommended them to him but he has to be willing to do it

[@tjboxingsports3584]

AGREED!! THE BOY SHOULD HAVE BEEN START WEARING GOGGLES!!

[@LN-Lifer]

Yeah but I doubt AD would wear them...then he wouldn't have any excuse to not be the man

[@richborn6700]

If Green decides to chin check him and AD has nothing left to lose I'd love to see that Chicago upbringing come out and have him just clobber Draymond on court

[@Oberonz1]

@@richborn6700 point is not a fight, but a method to either get AD out of the game or too focused on protecting his eye to be as effective. Btw Draymond and AD are good friends.

[@robertshirley3422]

Reaves is an overall below-average NBA guard. He is an above-average outside shooter, below-average defense and Athleticism. Lakers jumped the reality on him last year, due to his outstanding rookie year. Other teams hadn't watched film on him and his herky-jerky move when driving to the hole. I predict, he will be gone within 1-2 seasons. They need to upgrade starting guards. The other Elephant in the room is LeStat. Jennie and other front-office nepotism are afraid to move in on from LeStat. As long as he is here, we will never become consistent contenders. Jeannie is too focused on cash flow, revenue stream and putting bodies in seats with a big-name superstar. While Lebron is still here, we will have short and temporary moments of brilliance, but no long-term consistency. Just look up Jeannie's record since the 2013-14 season, the year she took over for Dr. Buss. Compare her record to Danny Ainge and the Celtics. I predict the Celtics get ring #18 before the Lakers do.

[@GloBlaze]

Scary u scary let’s play them in play in AN SEN THEM HOME 2 times in back 2back years FUFILLING

[@NostalgikOne]

Lakers are mediocre at best w/o AD…he’s clearly their most valuable player and it’s quite evident. Lakers defense is embarrassing, especially with AD out of the lineup

[@paulparrinello2526]

I really think Steph Curry will go off on them and blow them away!

[@PatchesNeddy]

The Lakers won't make it out of the play-in. All this hype for a huge letdown.

[@onellvanstory7648]

You mean LeBron will go off these over rated bums..Worriers are pure garbage

[@jaritagdulang349]

Im tired with all these s#it. We are just not good enough

[@ThaRealERAQ]

this is an easy win for the lakers. gsw has no defenders for AD.

[@birdz9252]

Idk but im not feeling too much about the game. Maybe about 3 days ago yes but the feeling of us winning doesn't seem too likely. If we lose, we lose the 9th Seed, end up in the back end of the Play In. We lose or play the 1 Seed....

[@robertshirley3422]

You guys also seem paranoid to part with Lebron. I, for one, never warmed up to him, and believe the Lakers should build around AD. LEStat creates too much standing around. They play much better without Lebron. Nobody wants to believe that. Yet I'm so tired of struggling every year just to squeeze into the playin or playoffs. Open up your mind; it could be liberating!! 😂😂🎉🎉

[@LockedOnLakers]

It's not a question of being paranoid or afraid to part with LeBron. I've noted on many shows over past seasons, much less this season, the inherent complications of being this built around LeBron at nearly 40 years old, at this price point. Yes, LeBron is still capable of playing at a very high level, albeit in a way that requires pacing himself over 82 games and everyone else covering for him, but in a vacuum, life without LeBron doesn't scare me. The problem is the immediate options for retooling after his exit are very limited. Even if he walks, you're not getting nearly enough cap space to replace him with close to an equivalent player, unless a superstar decides to take a big pay cut. Trading him will be incredibly complicated. And given that AD is 30 with an injury history, you can't just punt away a season resetting. The process has to be seamless, or it's not worth the headache. Otherwise, you might as well trade AD, blow the whole thing up, and start from the ground up. (Which, it should be noted, is a process the Lakers never do.) Putting aside how LeBron's box office and the franchise's ethos of catering to superstars likely means Jeanie wouldn't ever proactively move on from LeBron, the Lakers are by now likely pot committed to LeBron from a basketball sense, too. It is what it is. Maybe something unexpected happens allowing a split that works out well for both sides, but the odds strike me as small. Appreciate you watching. AK

[@prosportsdebates]

I can’t wait until lebron retires, he’s shown a tendency to duck big games

[@ricardobernard9159]

Anything that can go wrong will go wrong for the Lakers. Lebron gets a mysterious flu symptom from a back to back and AD always getting hurt at the wrong time. Lakers are done!