The Lakers have, for the most part, been in a tremendous rhythm over the last few weeks. So on Wednesday in Utah, when they were decidedly not, it was actually pretty jarring. LA was out of sorts for most of the night, playing shorthanded (no Dorian Finney-Smith, no Gabe Vincent and Jaxson Hayes left early after being hit in the face), and lost all attributes of the defensive cohesion that has fueled this big run of wins. Final score, Jazz 131, Lakers 119. Nobody looked great. Luka Dončić finished with 16 points, four rebounds and four assists, but struggled with foul trouble and turned the ball over five times in only 23 minutes of run. LeBron was reasonably quiet. Austin Reaves was a putrid 1-10 from 3-point range. The whole team, in fact, seemed flummoxed by the long stretches of zone defense thrown at them by Utah. They had trouble generating shots with balance offensively—Jazz center Walker Kessler was a problem in the paint—which led to bad balance defensively. They couldn't make a free throw (17-30)!And man, did the defense fail them. In the second and third quarters especially, the Jazz seemed able to get whatever good shots they wanted. So the first half (pre-All-Star break, really) portion of the schedule wraps up in disappointing fashion, but overall there are strong reasons to feel optimistic. At 32-20, the Lakers are firmly in the top six in the Western Conference, with at least a puncher's chance to move up. They've got some serious energy thanks to the Luka deal. Finney-Smith is a good fit, Vincent is playing well, Rui Hachimura has raised his level. Everyone will get a chance to re-charge over the break. (JJ Redick noted he hopes to use the break to finish insurance claims and find an apartment after losing his house in the Palisades fire, a reminder that while the Lakers have been playing games, players and staff continue dealing with significant life issues.) But Wednesday also showed there's some work to do. There's reason to believe the Luka/LeBron partnership will come together reasonably quick, but that doesn't mean every night is going to be smooth sailing. Rim protection is going to be an issue, particularly when Hayes—the closest thing they have to a paint presence—isn't on the floor. So it's not perfect, but if you asked Lakers fans in October if they'd take 32-20 heading into the break, virtually all would have jumped at it. The Lakers are set to play meaningful basketball as winter turns to spring, which is a nice place to be. HOSTS: Andy and Brian KamenetzkySEGMENT 1: The D collapses in Utah. SEGMENT 2: An off night for Luka. SEGMENT 3: 32-20. Lots to like, despite challenges coming. Your favorite podcast now has a newsletter! In One-stop for ultimate team and league coverage delivered right to your in box. Sign up for free now, at lockedondaily.com.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!WayFairAfter the holiday hustle, there’s nothing like giving your home a little TLC. Give your home the refresh it needs with Wayfair. Head to Wayfair.com right now. Wayfair. Every style. Every home.SKIMSShop SKIMS Mens at SKIMS.com/lockedonnba. Let them know we sent you! After you place your order, select "podcast" in the survey and select our show in the dropdown menu that follows.OpenPhoneThe #1 business phone system designed to help you keep your work and personal life separate.Right now, OpenPhone is offering 20% off your first 6 months when you go to OpenPhone.com/LOCKEDONNBA.and if you have existing numbers with another service, OpenPhone will port them over at no extra charge!Door DashThey Swoosh, You Save: when any player scores 50 or more points in a game during the 24/25 NBA regular season, DashPass members save 50% on an order, up to $10 off with promo code NBA50. 50% Off 1 Order (Up to $10 Off) Offer valid from 9:00 AM PT through 11:59 PM PT after a 50 point performance in any game during the NBA season on orders placed at participating merchant locations. Valid only in the United States. Maximum value of discount is $10.00. Discount applies to subtotal only; does not apply to fees, taxes, and gratuity. Not valid for pickup. Limit one per person. Not valid for the purchase of alcohol. Fees, taxes, and gratuity still apply. Must have an active DashPass account. Use promo code NBA50 to redeem. See further terms and conditions at https://drd.sh/8ONpZP/.FanDuelRight now, new FanDuel customers can get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins!Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. 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)...
