It's no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers have had a shockingly poor campaign. They have been riddled with injuries, which has led to chemistry and continuity problems.

The Big Three of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook have not panned out due to their injuries and inability to gain traction together. Davis is expected to be out for at least four to five more weeks with a foot injury.

The Lakers sit in ninth place in the Western Conference at 27-33, entering Tuesday's contest against the Dallas Mavericks. This puts them in the play-in tournament, which is far below expectations for a team with championship aspirations.

Missing the NBA Playoffs would be a catastrophe for the Lakers. While the veteran roster has struggled, the talent is still there to make a deep run. It will just come down to playing with more energy and intensity down the stretch.

*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*

Los Angeles Lakers: 3 bold predictions for rest of 2021-22 NBA season

3. LeBron James and Russell Westbrook will dominate the rest of the season 

LeBron and Westbrook will be called upon to carry the team with Davis out. The King has had a phenomenal campaign in his 19th year at age 37 but will need to hit another gear to get the Lakers on a roll.

LeBron is averaging 29 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game. He is shooting 51.9% from the field and 34.9% from deep. While these numbers haven't translated to wins, it shows he is having a great individual season. He has been sensational but will need to lead the Lakers to a strong rest of the season. Coming out and dominating from the tipoff will showcase him leading by example, which could translate to more effort from the rest of the group.

Westbrook, on the other hand, has been inconsistent and has had a hard time fitting in with the team. He is averaging 18.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists. He is shooting 43.5% from the field and 29.2% from behind the arc.

The 2017 MVP will need to pick up his game by getting to the rim more often and not settling for jump shots. He also needs to get his teammates open looks by driving to the paint and dishing out.

Click here for our Risk Free $1000 Bet!

*To claim, new users need to register, make a first deposit, and then simply place their first real-money wager on FanDuel Sportsbook up to $1000! If a user loses their first wager, we’ll refund their losses in the form of a free bet up to $1000!*

2. Lakers will play with energy down the stretch

The Lakers have lacked energy and intensity throughout the season, resulting in falling in a hole early in games. Even Westbrook admitted so himself, per the report of ESPN.

“Teams are coming in, playing harder, and I believe that's kind of their scouting report: Just play harder than them and see what happens. And it's working. Until we determine and have the determination that we're not going to allow it, especially on our home floor, it will continue to happen to us.”

The Lakers will need to play harder to counter teams outworking them. Despite their struggles, they have a talented team and should be a title contender. Diving for loose balls, fighting for every rebound, and not turning the ball over will be the key to the Lakers winning more games.

Dwight Howard sounded off on their struggles but still expressed optimism, per the report of Silver Screen and Roll.

“It's real easy to give up, throw in the towel and say negative things. I'm really lost for words. But we have to stay positive. We can't sulk in defeat, and we can't quit on each other. I know it's been a rough, very rough season, but nah, I think that would be bad.”

Let's see if the Lakers will act on their words.

1. Lakers will win a playoff series

Although the Lakers have not played well all season long, they have the talent to compete for a championship. Davis should be back for the tail end of the regular season, which will give the team a big boost.

He is averaging 23.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks. He is shooting 53.7% from the field and 18.2% from long range. He is one of the best big men in the league due to his elite skillset. He is a rim protector, can dominate in the paint, and hit the midrange shot.

If LeBron, Westbrook, and the role players get going, inserting AD will get them playing at a high level heading into the NBA Playoffs.

Malik Monk and Carmelo Anthony provide a scoring punch outside of the Big Three, which will be crucial during this stretch run. Howard, Austin Reaves, Stanley Johnson, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Trevor Ariza will be essential, as they play hard on both ends of the floor. The additions of DJ Augustin and Wenyen Gabriel will provide much-needed depth and fresh bodies off the bench.

The Lakers will likely have a difficult first round series since they will likely have to go through the play-in tournament first. This would match them up with either the first or the second seed in the Western Conference, which would likely be either the Phoenix Suns or Golden State Warriors.

While it won't be easy, the Lakers still have time to turn the season around and compete for championship banner no. 18.