Are the Lakers walking into a trap game in Salt Lake City… or are they about to make a statement?

On this episode of Benched, Allen Maldonado and Coach Dave Miller break down the Lakers vs Jazz matchup, including why Utah is tougher at home, how dangerous Lauri Markkanen is in Salt Lake City, and why Keyonte George could be a problem in transition.

The guys dive into:
• Turnovers and late-game execution
• The Lakers’ bench energy and defense
• Whether Vando deserves more minutes
• LeBron’s impact down the stretch
• A $200 bet on a DOUBLE-DIGIT Lakers win 👀

Is this another anxiety-filled finish… or do the Lakers finally cruise?
Hit subscribe, turn on notifications, and let’s talk hoops 🏀

00:00 – Welcome to Benched
00:28 – Is Lakers vs Jazz a Trap Game?
01:20 – Why Lauri Markkanen Is a PROBLEM at Home
02:00 – Lakers’ Keys to Winning on the Road
03:36 – Preventing 4th Quarter Collapses
05:00 – Defense, Bench Energy & Vando’s Impact
06:00 – Over/Under: Turnovers & LeBron Points
07:05 – “No Babies Allowed” – Earning NBA Minutes
08:00 – Game Prediction & $200 Bet 👀
09:00 – Final Thoughts & Subscribe

#Lakers
#LakeShow
#LakersNation
#NBA
#NBAPreview
#LakersVsJazz
#UtahJazz
#LeBronJames
#Benched
#NBATalk

The Los Angeles Lakers escape Phoenix with a wild road win — but it wasn’t pretty.

On this episode of Benched, Allen Maldonado and Coach Dave Miller break down the good, the bad, and the ugly from the Lakers’ victory over the Phoenix Suns.

🏀 Topics include:
• LeBron James getting TURNED UP
• The Lakers’ bench saving the game
• Turnovers, momentum swings & late-game chaos
• Why Marcus Smart ended up BENCHED
• Old-school NBA intensity (LeBron vs Dillon Brooks)
• Vando’s impact & rotation questions moving forward

If you love real basketball talk, unfiltered opinions, and classic NBA energy — this one’s for you.

👉 Like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Benched.

⏱️ CHAPTERS (YouTube Timestamp Ready)

00:00 – Welcome to Benched
00:27 – Lakers vs Suns: Naughty & Nice Breakdown
00:50 – The Good: Road Win & Bench Energy
01:30 – The Bad & Ugly: Turnovers & Collapse
02:10 – Playing Not to Lose vs Playing to Win
03:28 – Did the Lakers Win… or Did the Suns Lose?
04:52 – Momentum Killer: Marcus Smart’s Pass
05:31 – LeBron & the Technical Free Throw Confusion
07:01 – “Bad Game” = 29 Points?!
07:45 – The Bench SAVED the Lakers
09:56 – Vando’s DNPs to Game Changer
12:38 – What Do the Lakers Do With the Rotation Now?
14:47 – LeBron vs Dillon Brooks: Old-School Energy
17:13 – LeBron’s Most Intense Game in a While
20:28 – NBA Rivalries: Magic vs Bird & More
25:36 – Who’s BENCHED This Week? (Target & Marcus Smart)
27:30 – Final Thoughts & Outro

#Lakers
#LakersVsSuns
#LeBronJames
#NBAPodcast
#NBAAnalysis
#Benched
#BasketballTalk
#LakeShow
#NBADebate
#SportsPodcast

The Lakers are winning games — but are they actually good enough to contend?

On this episode of BENCHED, actor Alan Maldonado and Emmy-winning coach Dave Miller break down why the Lakers’ defense is being exposed, especially in transition, against athletic teams.

Coach Dave explains why foot speed, defensive discipline, and toughness can’t be fixed overnight, how opposing teams attack the Lakers, and why transition defense is killing them in losses. They also debate potential trade targets, the myth of “playing harder,” and what the Lakers must change to survive the season.

Plus:
🏀 Why the Lakers lose BIG when they lose
🏀 Why transition defense matters more than schemes
🏀 Coach Dave’s blunt take on 3-and-D players
🏀 Herb Jones, Dylan Brooks & realistic trade talk
🏀 The BENCH segment gets personal (SGA gets benched!)

This is real basketball talk, no analytics fluff — just hoops.

👇 Subscribe to BENCHED for weekly NBA breakdowns
📲 Follow us on Instagram: @benched_nba

00:00 – Welcome to BENCHED
01:00 – Why the Lakers’ Defense Is Being Exposed
03:40 – Foot Speed, Discipline & What You Can’t Fix
07:50 – Why the Lakers Lose Big When They Lose
11:15 – Turnovers, Athletic Guards & Common Denominators
14:30 – Can Defensive Schemes Hide Lack of Speed?
17:45 – Are the Lakers a 3-and-D Player Away?
19:00 – Herb Jones, Dylan Brooks & Trade Reality
23:00 – Who Really Helped the Lakers Over the Years
30:00 – Coach Dave’s Brownsville Story
35:30 – Lakers vs Suns Preview
37:45 – What Tough Defense Actually Looks Like
43:45 – BENCH Segment Begins
46:00 – Alan Benches SGA
47:15 – Final Thoughts & Subscribe

#Lakers #NBA #lakersvssuns #LakersNation #NBAPodcast #BenchedPodcast #NBAAnalysis #LakeShow #CoachDaveMiller #AlanMaldonado #NBADefense #LakersDefense #TransitionDefense #NBAYouTube #BasketballTalk

The Lakers got RUN OFF the floor — and Alan Maldonado & Coach Dave Miller were courtside to witness every brutal detail. In this episode of BENCHED, the guys break down why the Lakers' transition defense completely collapsed, how Marcus Smart saved the night with a huge shooting performance, and why Austin Reeves might be hitting the wall after carrying the team for weeks.

They also dive into:

Why JJ Redick went small

Why Aiten disappeared after a hot start

Whether Rui needs to move to the second unit

Why the Lakers can’t keep up with young, athletic teams

How the Spurs ran like Wile E. Coyote all night

What pieces the Lakers actually NEED before the trade deadline

Plus: Courtside stories, fan reactions, celebrity sightings, and the hilarious acting-vs-hoops banter only this show delivers.

If you love real hoops talk — unfiltered, funny, insightful — you’re in the right place.

👉 Subscribe for more Lakers talk, NBA breakdowns, and weekly BENCHED episodes.
👉 Comment: What’s the #1 issue with the Lakers right now?

00:00 – Intro & Subscribe
00:14 – Coach & Alan recount crazy courtside night
00:45 – Fans recognizing the show
01:30 – Celebrity encounters & Wemby not playing
03:00 – Breaking down the Lakers' blowout loss
03:50 – Lakers exposed: lack of athleticism
04:50 – Turnovers finally improve… but defense crumbles
05:40 – Marcus Smart’s huge shooting night
07:00 – Starters struggle: Rui, AR, and LeBron moments
08:00 – Austin Reeves hitting a wall?
09:40 – Defensive burden on AR guarding elite PGs
11:00 – JJ Redick’s decision to go small
12:20 – Spurs dominate: score doesn’t reflect reality
13:50 – Did Wemby’s absence trick LA into relaxing?
15:00 – Lakers’ brutal defensive stats
16:00 – Spurs shooting lights out vs LA
17:00 – Why Vando isn’t playing
18:30 – Lakers need new pieces ASAP
19:40 – Alan & Coach’s BENCHED picks
20:00 – Bench the Lakers offense? Rui needs more shots
22:30 – Alan benches transition defense after seeing it live
23:40 – Wile E. Coyote defense & acting jokes
24:40 – Closing thoughts & subscribe

#Lakers #LakeShow #NBA #LakersNation #LakersVsSpurs #AustinReeves #MarcusSmart #LeBronJames #NBAAnalysis #NBAPodcast #BenchedPodcast #AlanMaldonado #CoachDaveMiller #wembanyama #manhattanbeachstudios #marknicholas #mbs #mbstudio