On the one hand, the Lakers lost Thursday's home opener to the Clippers, 103-97, dropping to 0-2 on the season. On the other, they played a much, much stronger game than the one put forth on Tuesday against Golden State. Then again, the Lakers still didn't get nearly enough help for Anthony Davis and LeBron James from the supporting cast. Russell Westbrook, Kendrick Nunn and Patrick Beverley, for example, were a combined 1-25 from the floor, more than enough to offset an encouraging game from Lonnie Walker IV (26 points).

So do you feel better or worse heading into the weekend?

Darvin Ham said they're trending in the right direction, which is true, but the shortcomings are real and solutions might be slow to develop. Given the early season schedule, if there's anything the Lakers can do to ramp up the learning curve, they'll need to.

Meanwhile, reports note that Rob Pelinka is unlikely to do anything in the very near term to change up the team, but will give it 20 games or so to evaluate things. But while many fans see this as a weird bit of misguided faith in Westbrook, or at the least, Ham's ability to make Westbrook happen, it's more likely a hope that something better than the Indiana deal featuring Myles Turner and Buddy Hield comes along. Will it? Who knows? Just as importantly, even if it does, will the Lakers be close enough to the playoffs for it to matter?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers lose to the Clippers Thursday night. Some improvements, but a lot of the same, too.

SEGMENT 2: Westbrook goes 0-11, and evaluated his game in ways fans won't like.

SEGMENT 3: What's the deal with this whole 20 games thing?

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