Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers finished their five game road trip in fine form, beating up the Bucks in Milwaukee.

Now they return home to some good news, with LeBron James expected to return to practice Monday. Whether he plays Tuesday at home against the Jazz remains an open question, but if he doesn't, barring any sort of setback it's a pretty safe bet he'll play on Sunday in Utah. Not only does that long stretch between games give LeBron a chance to gain a little more strength and fitness, it also lets the Lakers get some practice time in, and shore up any slippage on both sides of the ball. This ahead of what is a very winnable stretch of games between now and the end of the month. 4-2 over their next six is achievable, for sure.

That would leave them at 14-6 heading out for a long December road trip, positioned well to establish themselves in the West's top four over the long haul.

One big reason the team has played so well despite multiple players in and out of the lineup is the performance of Deandre Ayton. Averaging over 16 points and 8 rebounds a game on nearly 70% shooting (with a block per night) Ayton has been exactly what the Lakers hoped. The effort and energy has been there on a nightly basis. So what has helped.

There's a good argument to be made for the importance of context. His role in LA, and the expectations around his arrival, are completely different than anything he's had over the course of his career. We explain.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
 

SEGMENT 1: LeBron to practice on Monday.
SEGMENT 2: Opportunity knocks through the end of the month.
SEGMENT 3: Why Ayton is thriving.

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