Look Out NBA, Here Come the Lakers

Lakers Are Peaking At Right Time

James stressed that “when the postseason gets here, we will attack that as its own individual season.” Yet, James called the Lakers a “good, tight-knit group” and described their chemistry as “high” both because of their consistent play and recent golf excursions.  

James at least has more optimism about the Lakers’ championship chances than a month ago. Then, he conceded uncertainty about the team’s potential even with a full roster. Based on various recent trends, it appears James has as sharp a vision about the Lakers’ ceiling as he does when he makes a timely pass. The Lakers have shown they’re more of a championship contender than pretender of late.

The Lakers have won 12 of their last 13 games. They have prevailed against playoff teams such as Minnesota, New York, Denver, Houston (twice) and Orlando. They have avoided major lapses against tanking teams in Indiana, Brooklyn and Washington. The Lakers entered Monday’s game against the Wizards ranking sixth in total offense (120.3 points per game), field-goal percentage (50.7%) and 11th in 3-point shooting over the past month. During that same stretch, the Lakers have fared 11th in points allowed (112.0), 11th in defensive field-goal percentage (47.4%) and first in perimeter defense (31.7%). Through it all, the Lakers have thrived in clutch situations (Denver, Orlando) and in blowouts (New York, Minnesota, Houston).

“We're a very resilient team,” James said. “We understand how to execute late in the game. And we understand what the moment feels like. We don't shy away from it.”

James, Dončić, Austin Reaves Actually Fit Well Together

It helps the Lakers are healthier than at the beginning of the season. That mostly applies to James, Dončić and Austin Reaves. They played only a combined 10 games together before the All-Star break amid overlapping injuries. Beyond just having more on-court reps together, James, Dončić and Reaves coexist just fine.

Dončić has entered the NBA regular-season MVP group chat with a 60-point masterpiece, a 50-point game and three 40-point performances this month.  Dončić has become more purposeful with his playmaking (7.1 assists). Dončić hasn't defended well enough to make an All-Defensive team, but he has averaged 2.3 steals per game with better effort. Overall, Dončić has mastered his strengths and refined his weaknesses. 

“If we continue to finish the season the way we're playing right now, and he continues to play that way — to me, he is the MVP,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “But sometimes there's recency bias, and sometimes there's the bias of a certain stretch of the season.”

Dončić may not have enough to eclipse Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama for the MVP award. It's a different story as for winning an NBA title, though. Dončić's individual brilliance has coincided with Reaves and James' also showcasing the best version of themselves. 

Reaves has finally played to his All-Star potential after missing a combined 22 games with a strained left calf, although he hasn’t exactly mirrored his pre-injury production in scoring and efficiency. He also has struggled to shoot consistently between the first and second halves. But Reaves has at least proven effective with his ball handling and his driving to the basket. Just like at the beginning of the season, Reaves and Dončić remain comfortable with sharing scoring and ball-handling duties.

Unlike when he missed the first 14 games to manage sciatica in his right hip, James does not seem physically limited. He has thrown down dunks in every game. He dove for a loose ball during a crucial moment in an eventual win over the Knicks. James has even embraced playing off the ball as the team’s third option.

“It’s pretty cool to know that at this point in my career that I’m still able to do those things,” James said. “It’s super dope. It’s super humbling. I just try to put the work in and continue to put the work in. That’s the result of it.”

Lakers Are More Consistent With Role Players, Defense

The Lakers would not have climbed up the standings simply with their star players becoming more consistently available. Even when James, Dončić and Reaves played well earlier this season, the Lakers still struggled because of an otherwise flawed roster.

Lakers center Deandre Ayton struggled to accept his defensive-oriented role despite pledging to revitalize his career. The Lakers struggled to thrive defensively aside from Marcus Smart’s toughness. The Lakers labored to hit 3s consistently.

Unexpectedly, the Lakers have addressed all of these areas.

Ayton has played more aggressively, regardless of his fluctuating shot attempts and touches. The Lakers immediately bolstered their outside shooting by acquiring the NBA’s most efficient shooter, Luke Kennard, from Atlanta for Gabe Vincent and a second-round pick before the trade deadline. Smart, Rui Hachimura and Jake LaRavia have also become more dependable from deep. The Lakers have offered enough rim protection (Ayton, Jaxson Hayes), perimeter defense (Smart, LaRavia) and effort (Doncic, Reaves, James) that they’re at least no longer a defensive liability.

“The playoffs are all about your matchup,” Redick said. “Certainly the physicality ramps up, and it's the one thing that we've gotten consistent and better at throughout the season. We all know what playoff basketball means in terms of the intensity of every possession, and that's what we from day one of training camp wanted to build toward. I feel like we're building toward that.”

Lakers Still Enter Postseason With Question Marks

Nonetheless, Redick conceded that “what we're doing we may not do in the playoffs” considering defensive success depends more on matchups than schemes. But can the Lakers threaten the NBA’s defending champions (Thunder), an emerging young team (Spurs) and a familiar playoff foe (Denver Nuggets)?

The Thunder (60-16) have the Western Conference’s best record because of a leading MVP candidate (Gilgeous-Alexander), defensive depth and an ability to absorb overlapping injuries among their rotation players. The Spurs (57-18) aren’t too far behind with the NBA’s best two-way player (Wembanyama) along with a mix of proven veterans (De’Aaron Fox, Harrison Barnes) and young players (Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper). The Nuggets have the NBA’s most offensively versatile center (Nikola Jokić) and a healthy point guard (Jamal Murray).

No wonder the Lakers struggled this season against both OKC (1-2) and San Antonio (1-2). The Thunder have better defensive wings. The Spurs have more size. Though the Lakers have won their regular-season series against Denver (2-1), the Nuggets have eliminated them in two of the past three postseasons (2023, '24) because Jokić, Murray and various role players have elevated their performances.

Meanwhile, the Lakers nurse question marks. Can a 41-year-old James stay durable? Can Reaves overcome previous postseason struggles? Can the Lakers defend just as well in the postseason?

Amid those questions, the Lakers haven’t become NBA title favorites. Unlike a month ago, they have at least entered the conversation.

 “We haven’t achieved anything yet,” Redick said. “You have to look at the process of how we’re playing. Are the guys playing for each other? Are we playing hard? Are we executing? All of those things. That’s how you win in the NBA now. You don’t win on talent. You can’t win on talent anymore. You have to do all the things necessary to win. I was confident our group could get there. I don't feel any vindication. That’s my job to keep pushing.”

The Lakers will soon find out if they can.