The Los Angeles Lakers currently remain the 8th-seeded team in the Western Conference table with a win-loss record of 38-38.
The Lakers remain one of the most successful and celebrated franchises in NBA history, with a record of 17 championships. However, their performance over the last few seasons has been somewhat underwhelming, with the team failing to reach the playoffs in the last season. Despite this, there are several reasons to believe that the Lakers will shock the world and clinch their 18th title in the 2023 NBA Finals. In this article, we will explore all three of these reasons in depth.
LeBron James’ Resurgence With The Newly Built Lakers’ Squad
LeBron James is unarguably one of the greatest basketball players of all time, with a career spanning nearly two decades. However, in recent years, his age has been taking a toll on him as he faces consistent injury concerns. This season, he missed a sizeable part of the tournament due to foot and ankle issues. Regardless, LeBron is a player with experience of playing 10 NBA finals.
Hence, if someone in the Lakers lineup knows how to turn things around from a dead stage, it is King James. Moreover, this season the 38-year-old is averaging 29.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists. He possesses the ability to tackle any opposition on any given day. As a result, with LeBron James by their side, the Lakers are poised for yet another NBA final appearance.
Lakers’ New Look Roster
Undoubtedly, the LA Lakers’ fortune has changed for the greater good since their bold decision to overhaul the entire starting lineup during the trade window. The new lineup consists of attacking players like D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, and Austin Reaves. All of the new players’ average stands above 10 points per game. Additionally, the three-pointer shooting percentage of the unit as a whole has improved significantly since the All-Star break.
Therefore, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the front, the deep-end support from Austin, Russell, Beasley, and Schroder will help the Lakers score better. Their chemistry and aggressive run of play have produced fruitful results so far. Moreover, with this form, the team is capable of tackling any team in the West and might as well go on to win the prestigious title.
Lack Of Quality Opponents
The Western Conference table is getting weaker day by day. The Lakers, who stood 13th before the All-Star break, broke into the top 8 within a matter of a few games. Hence, the only two teams who could hit a roadblock in the Lakers playoff run are Boston Celtics and Phoneix Suns. All the Lakers have to do from here is have a separate plan of action for Jayson Tatum and Kevin Durant, who are pillars of the Celtics and the Suns, respectively. While Tatum looks unstoppable for the moment, Durant is reeling under injury concerns. Hence, with the right plan and accurate execution, purple and gold could get past them as well.
In conclusion, if the Lakers can get past these challenges and use the positives to their advantage, they indeed stand a chance of winning the NBA championship this season, irrespective of popular belief.