Are the Lakers Contenders or Pretenders?

The first half of the season has been nowhere near a success for the Lakers, especially with the expectations they had heading into the season. With an underwhelming 30-26 start, Darvin Ham’s squad will need to flip the switch ahead of the playoffs.

There is a silver lining to the first half of the season with the Lakers having a 6-1 record in February. They were also top in the league in assists during that span.

With spreading the ball being the recipe to success, the Lakers may use that as a formula to get them above a play-in spot. The purple and gold are currently sitting at 9th in the standings so there is much room for improvement.

The question seems to be if the Lakers can flip that switch to make a deep run in the playoffs. Keeping in mind that Jarred Vanderbilt and Cam Reddish need to return from injury. Both of whom, were injured during the Lakers dominant 6-1 stretch.

They can be vital additions given that they are two lock-down defenders and defense is immense if they want to beat the Nuggets, Clippers, Mavericks and a loaded Suns lineup. 

If the Lakers keep up their groove offensively and tighten things up on defense then they could very well beat any of the West’s juggernauts.

Last season the Lakers made a run all the way to the Western Conference playoffs behind a 2-10 start to the year. The Lakers know they are more than capable of making a similar run this year as long as they have LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the pack.

Why the Lakers are contenders

The Lakers have to been seen as contenders in terms of the two All-Stars they have at the helm, as well as the supporting cast they have around them.

The depth the Lakers possess is a reason they have a shot at winning their coveted 19th NBA title. Starting with plenty of support coming from the guard position.

D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reeves, and Spencer Dinwiddie can handle the ball, make precision passes, and score if their number is called upon. That is essential when battling teams with the likes of James Harden, Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, and Jamaal Murray.

They can even answer the call at the forward position. Other than LeBron James, the Lakers have plenty of wing defenders that can guard the 1-5 positions. Rui Hachimura, Cam Reddish, and Jarred Vanderbilt are all above 6’7 and size becomes pivotal when the game slows down in the playoffs.

What might be the biggest question the Lakers need to answer will be the help Anthony Davis has at center. Jaxon Hayes, the energy plug for the purple and gold will need to be ready for when his number is called upon. Being active on both ends of the floor has worked for Hayes, so if he keeps that up coming off the bench then the Lakers are very well primed at all 5 positions.

Depth is arguably the biggest strength a team can have heading into the post-season and the Lakers have that. With depth alongside size and scoring, the Lake Show will be a scary sight for anyone in the west and potentially whoever comes out of the East.

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