NBA Season 2024-25

[SparzWizard]

Knecht and the Lakers are pretty tough. Think they might've gotten a stud there and their future.

[Who]

Knecht and the Lakers are pretty tough. Think they might've gotten a stud there and their future.

Averaging almost 25ppg over the last 4 games.

[Phantom255x]

The Lakers look legit. Knecht was a home run draft pick and have to admit, Reddick has done pretty well for them to start.

I would probably still pick MIN/OKC/DEN (assuming health) in a series against them but LAL is definitely a Top-3 or 4 team in the West. Lebron still looks like a beast and of course, if AD can stay relatively healthy that's not an easy team to face

[Celtics2021]

The Lakers look legit. Knecht was a home run draft pick and have to admit, Reddick has done pretty well for them to start.

I would probably still pick MIN/OKC/DEN (assuming health) in a series against them but LAL is definitely a Top-3 or 4 team in the West. Lebron still looks like a beast and of course, if AD can stay relatively healthy that's not an easy team to face

The Lakers have a very pedestrian +1.3 point differential, and have played a bottom 5 schedule so far.  You win the games you win, but I would not expect the Lakers to win much more than half their remaining games.  45-46 wins seems about right.  Play-in team yet again.

[Vermont Green]

Each season that goes by, father time is gaining on LeBron and Davis, but so long as they are both reasonably healthy, the Lakers are a very good team, a playoff team in the hunt.  If the supporting cast can play even decent, they can be a title contending team.

That both of those things happen the whole season, LeBron/Davis healthy and the supporting cast plays well, is probably not likely.  But it will not surprise me if the Lakers have stretches where play very well.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

The Lakers look legit. Knecht was a home run draft pick and have to admit, Reddick has done pretty well for them to start.

I would probably still pick MIN/OKC/DEN (assuming health) in a series against them but LAL is definitely a Top-3 or 4 team in the West. Lebron still looks like a beast and of course, if AD can stay relatively healthy that's not an easy team to face

The Lakers have a very pedestrian +1.3 point differential, and have played a bottom 5 schedule so far.  You win the games you win, but I would not expect the Lakers to win much more than half their remaining games.  45-46 wins seems about right.  Play-in team yet again.

And that's not factoring in the virtually inevitable Davis injury, which would knock down their win total a good bit.

[SparzWizard]

The Lakers look legit. Knecht was a home run draft pick and have to admit, Reddick has done pretty well for them to start.

I would probably still pick MIN/OKC/DEN (assuming health) in a series against them but LAL is definitely a Top-3 or 4 team in the West. Lebron still looks like a beast and of course, if AD can stay relatively healthy that's not an easy team to face

The Lakers have a very pedestrian +1.3 point differential, and have played a bottom 5 schedule so far.  You win the games you win, but I would not expect the Lakers to win much more than half their remaining games.  45-46 wins seems about right.  Play-in team yet again.

And that's not factoring in the virtually inevitable Davis injury, which would knock down their win total a good bit.

Davis seemed relatively healthy the past two seasons. No season-ending injuries.

These two superstars were the same ones who had the 1 seed in the West in 2019-2020 season. They've beaten Minny, Phoenix, the Kings, and 76ers who have Embiid and Paul George. Father time has no effect to LeBron, guy is still putting up triple doubles.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

The Lakers look legit. Knecht was a home run draft pick and have to admit, Reddick has done pretty well for them to start.

I would probably still pick MIN/OKC/DEN (assuming health) in a series against them but LAL is definitely a Top-3 or 4 team in the West. Lebron still looks like a beast and of course, if AD can stay relatively healthy that's not an easy team to face

The Lakers have a very pedestrian +1.3 point differential, and have played a bottom 5 schedule so far.  You win the games you win, but I would not expect the Lakers to win much more than half their remaining games.  45-46 wins seems about right.  Play-in team yet again.

And that's not factoring in the virtually inevitable Davis injury, which would knock down their win total a good bit.

Davis seemed relatively healthy the past two seasons. No season-ending injuries.

These two superstars were the same ones who had the 1 seed in the West in 2019-2020 season. They've beaten Minny, Phoenix, the Kings, and 76ers who have Embiid and Paul George. Father time has no effect to LeBron, guy is still putting up triple doubles.

Last year he played a career-high 76, but only 56 the year before that, and he's 31 now, so his overall durability probably won't get any better at this point. But maybe he'll surprise me.

[BitterJim]

The Lakers look legit. Knecht was a home run draft pick and have to admit, Reddick has done pretty well for them to start.

I would probably still pick MIN/OKC/DEN (assuming health) in a series against them but LAL is definitely a Top-3 or 4 team in the West. Lebron still looks like a beast and of course, if AD can stay relatively healthy that's not an easy team to face

The Lakers have a very pedestrian +1.3 point differential, and have played a bottom 5 schedule so far.  You win the games you win, but I would not expect the Lakers to win much more than half their remaining games.  45-46 wins seems about right.  Play-in team yet again.

And that's not factoring in the virtually inevitable Davis injury, which would knock down their win total a good bit.

Davis seemed relatively healthy the past two seasons. No season-ending injuries.

These two superstars were the same ones who had the 1 seed in the West in 2019-2020 season. They've beaten Minny, Phoenix, the Kings, and 76ers who have Embiid and Paul George. Father time has no effect to LeBron, guy is still putting up triple doubles.

And in 2012-13 KG and Pierce were also just 5 years removed from being the 1st seed in the East and winning the championship. They finished 7th in the East and lost to the Knicks in the first round.

5 years is a long time in the NBA

[SparzWizard]

The Lakers look legit. Knecht was a home run draft pick and have to admit, Reddick has done pretty well for them to start.

I would probably still pick MIN/OKC/DEN (assuming health) in a series against them but LAL is definitely a Top-3 or 4 team in the West. Lebron still looks like a beast and of course, if AD can stay relatively healthy that's not an easy team to face

The Lakers have a very pedestrian +1.3 point differential, and have played a bottom 5 schedule so far.  You win the games you win, but I would not expect the Lakers to win much more than half their remaining games.  45-46 wins seems about right.  Play-in team yet again.

And that's not factoring in the virtually inevitable Davis injury, which would knock down their win total a good bit.

Davis seemed relatively healthy the past two seasons. No season-ending injuries.

These two superstars were the same ones who had the 1 seed in the West in 2019-2020 season. They've beaten Minny, Phoenix, the Kings, and 76ers who have Embiid and Paul George. Father time has no effect to LeBron, guy is still putting up triple doubles.

And in 2012-13 KG and Pierce were also just 5 years removed from being the 1st seed in the East and winning the championship. They finished 7th in the East and lost to the Knicks in the first round.

5 years is a long time in the NBA

Only difference is LeBron and Davis are two generational talents. And Davis is still at his peak standing at age 31. Pierce and Garnett were around 36-37 years of age in 12-13 season. C's were also without Rondo and Leandro Barbosa due to ACL injuries.

[radiohead]

It?s nice to see Dalano Banton and Timelord playing well for the Blazers. Banton has really stepped his game up.

[BitterJim]

The Lakers look legit. Knecht was a home run draft pick and have to admit, Reddick has done pretty well for them to start.

I would probably still pick MIN/OKC/DEN (assuming health) in a series against them but LAL is definitely a Top-3 or 4 team in the West. Lebron still looks like a beast and of course, if AD can stay relatively healthy that's not an easy team to face

The Lakers have a very pedestrian +1.3 point differential, and have played a bottom 5 schedule so far.  You win the games you win, but I would not expect the Lakers to win much more than half their remaining games.  45-46 wins seems about right.  Play-in team yet again.

And that's not factoring in the virtually inevitable Davis injury, which would knock down their win total a good bit.

Davis seemed relatively healthy the past two seasons. No season-ending injuries.

These two superstars were the same ones who had the 1 seed in the West in 2019-2020 season. They've beaten Minny, Phoenix, the Kings, and 76ers who have Embiid and Paul George. Father time has no effect to LeBron, guy is still putting up triple doubles.

And in 2012-13 KG and Pierce were also just 5 years removed from being the 1st seed in the East and winning the championship. They finished 7th in the East and lost to the Knicks in the first round.

5 years is a long time in the NBA

Only difference is LeBron and Davis are two generational talents. And Davis is still at his peak standing at age 31. Pierce and Garnett were around 36-37 years of age in 12-13 season. C's were also without Rondo and Leandro Barbosa due to ACL injuries.

And the East was weaker than the current western conference. They aren't identical situations, but being great 5 years ago means nothing. The Lakers aren't contenders.

[celticsclay]

The Lakers look legit. Knecht was a home run draft pick and have to admit, Reddick has done pretty well for them to start.

I would probably still pick MIN/OKC/DEN (assuming health) in a series against them but LAL is definitely a Top-3 or 4 team in the West. Lebron still looks like a beast and of course, if AD can stay relatively healthy that's not an easy team to face

The Lakers have a very pedestrian +1.3 point differential, and have played a bottom 5 schedule so far.  You win the games you win, but I would not expect the Lakers to win much more than half their remaining games.  45-46 wins seems about right.  Play-in team yet again.

And that's not factoring in the virtually inevitable Davis injury, which would knock down their win total a good bit.

Davis seemed relatively healthy the past two seasons. No season-ending injuries.

These two superstars were the same ones who had the 1 seed in the West in 2019-2020 season. They've beaten Minny, Phoenix, the Kings, and 76ers who have Embiid and Paul George. Father time has no effect to LeBron, guy is still putting up triple doubles.

And in 2012-13 KG and Pierce were also just 5 years removed from being the 1st seed in the East and winning the championship. They finished 7th in the East and lost to the Knicks in the first round.

5 years is a long time in the NBA

Only difference is LeBron and Davis are two generational talents. And Davis is still at his peak standing at age 31. Pierce and Garnett were around 36-37 years of age in 12-13 season. C's were also without Rondo and Leandro Barbosa due to ACL injuries.

You literally hype the lakers every year like this lol

[Who]

The Lakers problem isn't AD or LeBron. Their problem is their supporting cast isn't good enough. They need to make some moves to upgrade it in order to be a title contender. They do not necessarily need star talent but they do need stronger role players.

Bigs: Jaxson Hayes, C Koloko
Forwards: R Hachimura, Knecht, C Wood, C Reddish
Guards: A Reaves, D Russell, Max Christie, Bronny

There just isn't enough talent there.

(1) Their three best perimeter players are Reaves, Knecht and D Russell. None of them are good defenders. Their only good defensive guards are M Christie and maybe Bronny who are undependable offensive threats.

(2) AD is their only good defensive big man. Neither J Hayes or C Koloko are rotation caliber players for a title contender.

(3) Rui Hachimura is their best two-way role player. Cam Reddish is mediocre. A so-so defender with bad offense. C Wood has not fit in at all.

They need to use their far off draft picks and maybe Reaves / Knecht to better configure their supporting cast. If they do that, they could become a title contender again. Not before then.

[Phantom255x]

Bruh... PG13 just hyperextended the same knee he injured a month ago...