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PODCAST

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

Locked On Podcast Network, Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

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

sports basketball

All Episodes

00:24:03

DeAndre Ayton, Jaxson Hayes Outplaying Sengun, Giving...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/22

Without question, Rockets center Alperen Şengün has the better pedigree and resume than either Deandre Ayton or Jaxson Hayes. However, over the course of two games between the Lakers and Rockets, the Laker centers have demonstratively outplayed and out-impacted their two-time All-Star counterpart. How is this happening, and why is it so critical to the Lakers' 2-0 series lead?Hosts: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the

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00:35:59

LeBron, Smart, Kennard Lead Lakers to Huge Game 2...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/22

We figured Kevin Durant would be back on the floor for the Rockets in Game 2, and we were correct. We figured that would mean Houston would crack 100 points... and we were wrong. The Lakers defense frustrated Durant, sending waves of bodies after him throughout the game, and save a red hot first few minutes, was held in check. LA dared anyone else to beat them, and the Rockets simply couldn't do it. Over and over, they smoked easy shots, made dumb plays, and more. Meanwhile, the Lakers found ways

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00:20:31

How LeBron's LEADERSHIP GUIDES Lakers in PLAYOFFS...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/21

The Lakers may be up 1-0 in their series against the Houston Rockets, but the odds are still stacked against them. Houston is favored in Tuesday's Game 2 even while it's still not guaranteed that Kevin Durant is going to play. And if he does? Houston is an even bigger favorite. But the Lakers do have an early advantage, and part of that is due to the leadership provided by, and the history of, LeBron James. If you had to pick a guy to be the sort of "last star standing" to shepherd a team through

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00:32:55

Durant More Likely to Play Game 2, How do the Lakers...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/21

The Lakers got a big lift in Game 1 when Rockets star Kevin Durant was declared unavailable with a knee injury. Now the Rockets might feel like they're on the receiving end of some good news, as more signs point to his availability for Tuesday's Game 2 at Crypto.com. He'll be called a gametime decision, but there is speculation that he's likely to play, and reports were that Durant was moving much better on the floor Monday at Houston's practice. And down 1-0, if Durant can go, he will. So what

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00:20:07

No Lakers Among NBA Awards Finalists. Does Season...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/20

The NBA released its list of finalists for postseason awards - the top three vote-getters in each category - and there were no Lakers among any of them. No real surprise, there, and someone like Luka Dončić is widely expected to finish fourth in MVP (no dishonor there). It wouldn't surprise to see JJ Redick finish among the top 5-7 in Coach of the Year balloting, either. That, though, is a bit of an open question given how the team's season has been perceived. Even while they were winning early,

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00:39:39

Can the Rockets Make LeBron's Life Harder in Game 2?...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/20

Losing Kevin Durant for Game 1 had a profound impact on the Rockets not just because suddenly they had 25-30 points to replace. Durant's presence (or lack thereof) changes the dynamic of how the Lakers can attack the Rockets, how their length and size can bother them, and how the Rockets can in turn attack the Lakers. It makes it easier for LA to play Luke Kennard bigger minutes without as much punishment defensively. It makes it harder for them to attack LeBron defensively, which makes it easier

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00:28:59

Luke Kennard Scores 27, LeBron Dishes 13 Assists,...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/19

The Lakers caught a break heading into Saturday's Game 1 when a bruised knee suffered in practice knocked Kevin Durant out. Even with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves out, losing Durant ate up a lot of the advantage the Rockets have head-to-head against LA. But their good fortune would only matter if the Lakers came out and took care of business. That they did, playing active defense throughout and using 27 points from Luke Kennard, 19 each from Deandre Ayton (11 rebounds) and LeBron James (13

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00:21:54

Lakers vs. Rockets: Best Case, Worst Case and Series...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/17

It's about time to stop talking and start playing the games. Game 1 is Saturday at 5:30 local time, down at LA Live. The Lakers begin what remains a very, very uphill battle. The Rockets are playing well, and won't want to give the Lakers any space to think they can win the series. A good start is important. But no matter what, the Lakers will be on the wrong end of the talent allotment. So what's the best case scenario for how this could go? Where are the cracks the Lakers might exploit in order

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00:36:08

NBA Says Luka Dončic Is Eligible for Postseason...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/17

The Lakers got some good news Thursday as the NBA said it has approved the appeal from Luka Dončić and the Lakers for an exemption from the 65-game rule that governs postseason awards eligibility. The league agreed that the pair of games Luka missed to attend the birth of his daughter met the extraordinary circumstances threshold, and that he otherwise would have made it to 65. So he's good to go. Dončić won't win MVP -- the longshot candidacy went out the window with the result vs. OKC and the

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00:19:01

All Hands On Deck: The Lakers Need Contributions From...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/16

"All hands on deck." "Next man up." These are pretty stock sports cliches trotted out anytime someone important suffers an injury. But while there isn't really a next man to be up when the lost men are Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves -- they're too good to be replaced in that way -- the Lakers do need to adopt a mentality where everyone is ready to contribute, and truly all hands are, in fact, on deck. The only way for the Lakers to pull an upset over the Rockets is for the sum to be greater than

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00:34:57

The Lakers are Emphasizing Rebounding... and the Need...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/16

The Lakers are facing a serious talent deficit heading into the first round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets. Their best available player is 41 years old. They don't have anyone else on the roster who has been a real number one, or even a number two. The closest thing would be Deandre Ayton, who at his best was a featured player in Phoenix who put up close to 20 a night. Everyone knows about Ayton's inconsistencies, but the talent as a scorer is there. And over the course of this Lakers

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00:36:29

Lakers-Rockets Preview Part 2: How Will LA Organize...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/15

Earlier, we previewed the Lakers-Rockets first round series by grilling Locked On Rockets host Jackson Gatlin about the team he covers every day. What changed for a team that has turned things around on the court and with the vibe? What kind of leader has Durant turned out to be? Why is the offense cooking? Where might they be vulnerable? Today, it's the opposite. We answer questions about the Lakers. How are they planning to deploy LeBron? Who is most suited to support him, and what exactly does

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00:36:01

Can the Lakers Slow Durant? Are the Rockets...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/15

The Lakers have a tall task in front of them, playing a Rockets squad that not only has more talent but is also playing arguably its best ball of the season. After a rough stretch, which included the consecutive games the Lakers took off them in Houston during The Happier Times, Houston has since got its stuff together and finished the season winning nine of 10. The vibes have improved considerably, as has the offense with Reed Sheppard inserted into the starting lineup. Offensive rebounding

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00:20:51

How the Lakers Can Help LeBron James Help Them Beat...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/14

Once again, it's falling on LeBron James to lead a team into the playoffs. This time, though, James is 41 years old, and will enter the series as part of a roster meant to be led by Luka Dončić first and foremost, and then by James and Austin Reaves. With Luka and Reaves unavailable, the lineups around James will be at a constant talent deficit. So can LeBron muster up one more run of greatness, and help the Lakers pull an upset over the Houston Rockets? If we're being honest, even if LeBron plays

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00:33:52

How Realistic Is a Luka Dončić Return for the Lakers?...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/14

The news from Monday was, whether intentionally or not, going to get Lakers fans excited. Luka Dončić is on his way back to the US having completed his treatment in Spain. Whether that means he'll actually return to play in time from his injured hamstring to actually help the Lakers remains to be seen—no news yet about any return to play—but for a fanbase that is open to some hopium, this certainly qualifies. But at what potential cost? How should Luka and the Lakers think about his recovery? What

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00:20:02

Luka Dončić Expected to Rejoin Lakers This Week,...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/13

Shams Charania of ESPN reports that Luka Dončić is on his way back from his treatment in Spain on his injured hamstring, and is expected to rejoin the team later this week. Presumably someone will poke around and see how that hammy is doing, but it would certainly be a surprise to see Luka play in the first round, and DEFINITELY would be a shock were it to come by the weekend and Game 1. More info will be forthcoming over the course of the week, surely, but for now it's at least a decent sign that

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00:36:16

Lakers Beat Jazz, Face Rockets in the First Round of...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/13

he Lakers went ahead and played everyone in the rotation (save Jaxson Hayes, still nursing a foot injury) Sunday against Utah, despite having no worse than a four-seed locked up in the West. The results were pretty solid. It seems everyone came through it well enough, and in the meantime the Lakers got a few more reps in another confidence boost heading into the postseason. Final score, 131-107. Big picture, another cruise control win can help the Lakers feel good about themselves, but smaller

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00:23:51

Lakers Beat Suns 101-73, Clinch Home Court in 1st...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/11

The Lakers had another excellent night on the floor Friday, beating the Phoenix Suns 101-73 behind 28/6/12 from LeBron James, who also added four steals. Luke Kennard added 19, but the Lakers didn't need much offensively to get past a skeleton version of their Pacific Division rivals. The big benefit here isn't just more confidence, but a guarantee to open the first round on their home floor. The Lakers won't be any worse than a four-seed since Houston lost at home to Minnesota. They could finish

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00:21:30

LeBron James Ready to Lead Lakers Into Playoffs. Can...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/10

After Thursday's win in Golden State, LeBron James was asked by Amazon/Spectrum's Allie Clifton about what's needed from him as the Lakers head into the playoffs: "Everything. Nothing changes for me, it's just back to the old ways. I gotta give them my leadership both on the floor and off the floor. I gotta lead in all facets on the court, both ends. That's what the job requires, so I look forward to it and let's see what we can get done." That basically sums it up. But in that quote is a lot of

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00:36:25

LeBron James (26 Points, 11 Assists) Leads Lakers to...

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles... ·

2026/04/10

The Lakers needed a win. For the standings, for their confidence. And they got it, led by LeBron James and five more Lakers finishing in double figures. They beat the Warriors in San Francisco, 119-103. It allows them to keep pace with the Rockets in the race for the 4 seed and home court advantage in the first round. LeBron James led the way, scoring 26 points on a very efficient 11-17 from the floor, adding eight rebounds and 11 assist. Five other Lakers finished in double figures, including

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