After the acquisition of first ballot Hall of Fame point guard Russell Westbrook, there were a slew of NBA aficionados who picked the Los Angeles Lakers as the heavy favorites to win the Western Conference and even the NBA Finals this season. The talent is unquestioned with five future Hall of Fame inductees on their roster, but this campaign has been an unmitigated disaster so far for the Lakers organization.
The massive advantage for their mighty struggles is the continuous implementation of the NBA play-in tournament. It is likely for L.A. to finish in the ninth or 10th seed, but the vast experience and exceptional talent could still make them a force to be reckoned with on April. After the 1-3 comeback of the Cleveland Cavaliers led by LeBron James in the 2016 Finals, no one should doubt a team led by James. Anthony Davis is expected to return before the start of the playoffs, which even adds another reason for them to be a dangerous underdog.
The Lakers' shrinking rotation
A plethora of the losses of the Lakers were due to relinquishing double-digit leads in the second half. Their bench is not as deep compared to their 2020 and 2021 roster, but rotations shrink in the playoffs and usually coaches would rely on eight or nine guys only. The probability for coach Frank Vogel to utilize the Big 3 of James, Westbrook, and Davis for over 35 minutes a night will be highly likely for the Lakers squad.
The concern would be on the supplementary parts who could flourish defensively and space the floor for their main assets. The likes of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso who are on other teams already are the perfect role players to play alongside James, Westbrook, and Davis. However, Vogel cannot dwell on their previous guys, but he still has a few more games to unlock the likes of Malik Monk or Talen Horton-Tucker to be a threat on both ends of the floor.
But if (and it's a BIG if) the Lakers are able to hold up health-wise once the postseason rolls around, the talent-level is certainly going to be a tough out for anybody. LeBron James alone will be a handful for opposing teams. If AD and Russ get hot at the right time, look out.
Pace slows down in playoffs; advantage to Lakers
With James leading the charge, he knows how to maneuver in the playoffs and force opponents to play the pace he prefers. He will likely slow it down due to the age of the Lakers players in their lineup, and that will force their opponents to execute their offense through the half court with a set Lakers defense. Some would argue that the Lakers are just 23rd in offensive rating this year, but one must realize that playoff basketball is vastly different.
Even at a lower seed, a Memphis Grizzlies or Phoenix Suns tilt in a seven-game series will be a tough challenge for the Lakers, but they will have the best player in the series in James. Moreover, the series could swing if Davis stamps his class as one of the best bigs in the league like how he did it in the 2020 NBA Bubble. The two-way talent of Davis is sensational, and he will need to average at least 25 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers to pose a serious chance of toppling the Suns or Grizzlies.
Emerging through hardships
In recent memory, there have been numerous franchises that perform at a superb level in the regular season but fold in the playoffs. The probability for that to occur is with young teams that lack veterans and mentors who would step up when adversity strikes. The Lakers are the complete opposite because these men welcome the doubters and make the game do the talking.
Westbrook has arguably been the most criticized NBA athlete this season, but his immense talent could still be a huge x-factor in the playoffs. He is capable to record a 25-point triple double as he plays every possession with 100% effort and determination to succeed. Moreover, James has been called a stat-padder or possessing superb numbers in a losing team, but James is known to quiet the doubters down at the most important games. Even coach Vogel's hiring was a shock to NBA fans, but he did not mind the outside noise and led this team to a 2020 Bubble crown in a unique environment.
Even at any seed with little momentum, the Lakers are one organization that can never be doubted when fully healthy. As the seventh seed, they were healthy just in time for the playoffs last year and led the Suns 2-1, but Davis' groin injury forced them to go home in six games. Davis still has not returned, but he must do so soon for them to build rhythm and aid James offensively and defensively.
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