Expectations for the Lakers

Author: Raul Martinez

Editor: Fran Attie

After losing to the Phoenix Suns in 6 games of the first round of the 2020-21 Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers are looking to reclaim their championship. During the offseason, Rob Pelinka acquired nine-time NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook and a few 3-point shooters. With a new season up ahead, the Lakers should be able to bring showtime back to LA.

One of the major factors in the Lakers' downfall last season was injuries. Anthony Davis suffered a few, including a strange calf issue that put him on the sidelines for nearly two months. And LeBron James missed about a month with a high ankle sprain, forcing him to appear less than 100 percent heading into the postseason. If the Lakers can stay relatively healthy, keeping two out of three stars they have, they should be around the top of the West. There's too much All-Star power and depth for them to fall in the standings.

As far as the schedule goes, the Lakers seem to have two major road trips. The first one being on November 17th, where the team will have to fly to play the Milwaukee Bucks, the reigning NBA champions. They will then have to face an all-time rival, the Boston Celtics. After that, they go against the Pistons and Knicks. They will finish the trip on November 24th against a scrappy Indiana Pacers team. The Lakers should be able to win at least three out of the five games. The second road trip is much more difficult, as they start against a young Orlando Magic team, on January 21st. After that game, they will battle the Heat, Nets, and 76ers. These three games will tell us how the Lakers are functioning as a team, and if they are true contenders. They then go on to face the Hornets and finish off with the Hawks on January 30th. If the Lakers can pull off 4 out of the 6 games, the league will all look towards them as the heavy favorites for the NBA title.

Overall, this season should be much more exciting than last. With the addition of Russell Westbrook, the Lakers should move at a much faster pace on both sides of the court. With three-point shooters on the wings, the Lakers can dominate inside the paint and out. All the team must do is build chemistry and stay healthy during the season. If they can accomplish these two goals, the Lakers will be nearly unstoppable.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE