What do you think about the Laker team now?

You follow the box scores of the games every day?

Just the Lakers.

You're kidding.

That is really a compliment.

I was pleased to see you smile at the top of our show because once the game starts,

you have a game face.

You don't smile much out there.

I don't think you have to do things for money anymore.

Correct.

What's up, Laker fans? Welcome to the Laker Filmroom podcast, brought you by the Blue Wire Podcast Network. I'm Pete, joined by Darius and Mike. And for, I think, the third straight weekend, we enter the biggest weekend of the season. Lakers have a huge game tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder, one of four teams,

including the Lakers, who have a 36 and 37 record right now in the Wild West. And then on

Sunday against the Bulls for the first time this season. In part of a home and home, we'll be playing

them in the first game of our road trip as well. And so before we get too deep into the OKC game, guys, we'll start with you, Darius,

like just kind of where are you at with this Lakers team right now?

It's been a pretty crazy year.

And even this stretch past the deadline has been, has had its twists and turns.

So going into this weekend, where are you at?

I think I oscillate between a certain amount of optimism and frustration, which are two things that I think are very much connected when I think about fandom in general.

Right. The less optimism or the less I think you can do, the less I get frustrated by the fact that you're not doing the thing.

The last game that the Lakers played where Austin Reeves started and this team took even more shape.

Whether it was a big step or not, they took another step forward, I think, in terms of

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