It wasn't at all pretty, but it ultimately got the job done.

Playing on the second night of a back to back, the Lakers spent the first half running in mud against an extremely shorthanded but very hard working New Orleans Pelicans squad, and found themselves down by 10 at the break. They were being out worked, first and foremost -- as JJ Redick reportedly said at halftime, the adjustment was to "get the ****ing ball," meaning loose balls, rebounds and the like. In the second half, the Lakers didn't exactly run away with it, but they did execute at a far higher level, and just as importantly started hitting shots.

The deficit was eaten up pretty quickly, and the Lakers even took a 10 point lead (that would disappear). In the end, they were simply too talented for the Pellies down the stretch.

They're now 9-4, with a chance to get to 10 against Utah at home this week. All in all, a great start.

The win was fueled by Anthony Davis (31 points) and Dalton Knecht (27 points), who hit five 3-pointers to help push LA to a win. On a night where Rui Hachimura and Cam Reddish were unavailable, Knecht showed again what he could do in the starting lineup.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

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Last season, the Lakers became the first team to win the NBA's in-season tournament.

That means this year, they're the first team to try and defend that title. Of course, while the in-season tournament (now the NBA Cup) was a much bigger success than most anticipated, fans certainly remember how much the Lakers struggled following the tournament. It was miserable, in part because LA clearly used a lot of energy to try and win the thing and it took a while to recover. So with their portion of the NBA Cup opening tonight in San Antonio against a quickly improving Spurs team featuring a red hot Victor Wembenyama.

But while Friday's game will get the most attention, a very solid argument can be made that Saturday's game in New Orleans is more critical. The Lakers, currently sitting at 7-4 in an extraordinarily crowded Western Conference, can't afford to give any games away. The best teams in the conference will almost certainly dominate against sub-.500 teams. Teams that fall to the bottom of the playoff ladder wil almost certainly have given away some games they shouldn't have.

A 2-0 weekend, where the Lakers play better, establish themselves as a competent road team, and add tons of optimism would be idea.

1-1, though, is the minimum.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: It's Cup time!


SEGMENT 2: The Lakers need a strong weekend.

SEGMENT 3: Let's say the Lakers were ready and willing to make a deal, likely for a big. Is there anything out there?

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To this point, the Lakers have been a very good team at home (6-0) and a very, very meh group on the road.

That made Friday's game against a solid-at-home, up-and-coming San Antonio team a big one (whether you're thinking regular season stuff, or the first game in NBA Cup pool play). LA took a punch in the mouth to start the game, but quickly got back on track defensively, finished the first quarter ahead, and stayed out front for (almost) the rest of the game.

Final score, 120-115. The Lakers run their record to 8-4, with a game against an injury-riddled New Orleans squad coming tomorrow.

This was a great game on a lot of levels. It starts with the stars. Anthony Davis finished with 40 points and 12 rebounds. LeBron James, pushing 40, had his FOURTH STRAIGHT triple-double (15/16/12). Austin Reaves, D'Angelo Russell and Dalton Knecht all finished in double figures, as did Max Christie, pressed into service with Rui Hachimura sidelined thanks to a bum ankle.

Low bar to clear, but this was easily Christie's best game of the season. 11 points, three rebounds, two steals and a block, and a level of aggression that has not been present to this point in the season. Between him and Russell, the Lakers got real, live bench production. It can't be overstated how important that is for them.

Will Christie have a chance to build on this? With Hachimura potentially out Saturday, he could have a chance.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

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Definitionally, everything LeBron James does at this point in his career is historic, because nobody in NBA history has ever, at age 39, done what James is doing. But that doesn't mean all the history is created equal. James came through on Wednesday with another triple-double (his third straight) on a night the Lakers really needed him.

Following a hot shooting start to the game (where they built up a 15 point lead) the Lakers went cold in the second and third quarters, losing defensive cohesion and then the lead. They had to dig deep to find a way to win, and they did.

At the core of the comeback was James (35 points, 12 rebounds, 14 assists), playing in a way that was physically and mentally dominant without being reliant on high flying athleticism. You can see the craft of basketball in action when James puts on displays like this one. On a night where Anthony Davis struggled with foul trouble, which took him and his teammates out of their flow, the Lakers needed others to fill the void. Dalton Knecht stepped up with his most consequential game as pro, playing 31 minutes and hitting all five of his 3-pointers. Knecht, Redick said, provided not just production, but also real energy coming off the bench.

How Knecht might break through going forward, especially as Gabe Vincent continues to be a disaster, is going to be a topic going forward. The Lakers need that production in a big, bad way.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers build a big lead, then lose it, then get it again.

SEGMENT 2: AD in foul trouble? No worries. LeBron steps WAY up.

SEGMENT 3: Is it time to play Knecht more (and sit Vincent)?

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The Lakers have played 10 games. At 6-4, the overall record is solid enough. They're keeping up in a brutal Western Conference where 11 teams are .500 or better, and a 12th (San Antonio) is just one game under. (By comparison, the 3rd seed in the East is Indiana, at 5-5.)

So what do we know about the team at this point?

On the one hand, some of the preseason goals haven't quite panned out the way JJ Redick and Co. have hoped. The rebounding thing? They haven't made a ton of progress, there. Shooting more 3's? Well, they are, but not by much, and the percentages are lower this year than last. It's a top five offense overall, and a bottom five defense. Anthony Davis? Played great last year, playing even better this year. LeBron after a slow couple of games looks like LeBron, and Austin Reaves looks like he's elevating. But Max Christie? Oof. Rui Hachimura? Hit and miss. D'Angelo Russell? Coming off the bench... though not exactly in the same way and for the same reasons as last year.

Christian Wood? Jarred Vanderbilt? Still hurt.

So there's a lot of the same, but some things that do feel different.

So about 1/8th of the way in, have we learned anything that might forecast what's coming?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers are 6-4 after 10 games. Thoughts?

SEGMENT 2: What looks the same? What looks different?

SEGMENT 3: Where do the Lakers go from here?

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FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

The Lakers were coming off an encouraging Friday night win over the Philadelphia 76ers, responding with a lot of energy to JJ Redick's first big move as a coach, swapping D'Angelo Russell and Cam Reddish in the starting lineup.

So there was a lot to look forward to Sunday as the slumping Toronto Raptors visited the Crypt.

For a half, though, the Lakers looked as if they were playing in mud. No pop, no energy, no attempt to stop the Raptors as they hammered them on the glass. The Lakers stuck close because Toronto isn't very good, but it was hardly inspiring. And for a few minutes in the third, it seemed like the trend would continue. But thankfully, over the course of the quarter the Lakers found their footing, made some shots and cranked up the energy, building out a more significant lead that would rise into double digits throughout much of the fourth. Again, the Lakers got a boost from the reconfigured bench, with Russell leading the way and the group providing a little scoring punch. Austin Reaves finished with 27 points, on 10-17 shooting.

So the Lakers get the win... but it's not what people are talking about.

Instead, it's yet another facial injury for Anthony Davis, who was popped in the eye by Jakob Poeltl while executing a spectacular block. He was down the court for a while, and didn't return. Davis has had a run recently of injuries like this one, and we'll see if this forces him to miss any games (players need to be able to see what they're doing).

To his credit, with Davis out, LeBron James went HAM, piling up big numbers including 16 assists, en route to a second straight triple double. His determination clearly went up a notch once Davis had to leave the floor, and it never really relented.

So a good win, no question. But one that will raise the anxiety of fans until more information is known.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers beat Toronto, after a slow start.

SEGMENT 2: It's time for AD to wear goggles.

SEGMENT 3: Is the new lineup here to stay?

Mint Mobile
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FanDuel
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FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)