The Lakers still have designs on moving up in the Western Conference, and the narrowest of windows in which to get it done. There are opportunities. The Suns, for example, have an insanely brutal schedule over their last 10 games, and the Lakers do own the tiebreaker against Phoenix. Sacramento is still in reach, and has a harder schedule than LA. But if the Lakers want to make any of this happen - and want to avoid the possibility of dropping to 10th, or even worse, open the door for a red hot Houston Rockets team, tonight's game at home against a moribund Philadelphia 76ers is simply one they should win, and must win. Must, must, must. Must. And it's those "should win" games where the Lakers have tended to struggle, playing down to the level of competition. Can't happen tonight. Meanwhile, the Lakers announced that Jalen Hood-Schifino will undergo a procedure to repair a disc issue in his back, and while no timetable was announced, it would certainly figure that he'll miss a good chunk of time, possibly the rest of the year. No impact on the big club... which really is the jumping off point for the conversation. That losing Hood-Schifino makes no difference for their fortunes shines a light on the decision to draft him in the first place over players more capable of playing an NBA role as rookies. But that question - did they draft the right guy for THIS year, is a different one than whether Hood-Schifino is a bust. It's waaaaay too early for that. And meanwhile, his stats with South Bay are actually quite good. It's just a shame his season has been so short, both because he's been injured a lot and because the Lakers couldn't send him to the G-League nearly as much as they wanted because of the injury to Gabe Vincent. Finally, a great question from a viewer on the YT page: With Cam Reddish back, would it make sense to put him in the starting lineup in order to boost the defense, and bring some scoring to the second unit? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The Lakers must win on Friday. There's just no way around it. SEGMENT 2: Hood-Schifino needs back surgery, which opens up the debate about drafting him in the first place. SEGMENT 3: Would a change in the lineup make sense? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Stitch FixStyle that makes you feel as good as you look—get started today at StitchFix.com/LOCKEDON Nissan Our friends at Nissan have a lineup of SUV’s with the capabilities to take your adventure to the next level. Take the Nissan Rogue, Nissan Pathfinder, or Nissan Armada and go find your next big adventure. Shop NissanUSA.com. LinkedIn LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNBA. Terms and conditions apply. eBay Motors For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. BetterHelp This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA today to get 10% off your first month. PrizePicks Go to PrizePicks.com/lockedonnba and use code lockedonnba for a first deposit match up to $100! Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. FanDuel New customers, join today and you’ll get TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS if your first bet of FIVE DOLLARSor more wins. Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started. 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)