Are Lebron and the Lakers all Hype and no Results?
Lebron joined the Lakers this offseason making him the best player to ever play for the Lakers instantly. Magic claimed that with Bron and the young core that the “Showtime Lakers” would return. So far, the Lakers have been super entertaining to watch, but they’re 0-3. However, the season is still young, and I will make points as to why they’ll be fine as well as where they might have some issues.
They Have Lebron James
This is clearly a point as to why they will be fine. As most NBA fans are aware of, Lebron has been in each of the last 8 NBA Finals. For that reason, the Lakers should eventually be fine. James has been known to take a few losses as a lesson to the young guys on the team to learn from. The 0-3 start is not as alarming as it sounds. I figure they will be able to scrape their way to the playoffs as a 5-7 seed. Once that happens, they just gotta let the potential GOAT Lebron James go off. Be disappointed with the 0-3 start, but don’t stress yourself yet if you’re a Lakers fan.
Young Core Offers Hope
The Lakers signed a bunch of wily vets this offseason to team up with all their young guys. The Lakers young core consists primarily of Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball, and Josh Hart. Each of those guys have shown some real hope; mainly Kuzma and Ingram. Kuzma dropped a hot 37 points in their last game while starting next to Lebron James. Ingram looks like he can turn into a slightly less good version of Kevin Durant if everything works out. Josh Hart is a nice guard who can score well when the opportunity presents itself. Lonzo Ball seems to be a slight disappointment from his hype but playing behind Rajon Rondo should allow Ball to blossom into a successful point guard.
The Lakers are Immature
This is the first point towards them not being that okay down the line. Brandon Ingram and Rajon Rondo both got suspended and fined for their actions in the home opener against the Rockets. While as a fan watching these NBA brawls is entertaining, it isn’t what you want to see as a player or coach of the team. Playoffs are the time when things get most heated, and if the Lakers are gonna be starting fights and getting suspended, they can expect to make it nowhere. Lebron can only do so much on his own.
No Chemistry
Watching these first few games made me realize that the Lakers are just hoping Lebron can do it all. Every player in their own respect wants to look good for Lebron, so we’ll see them be selfish and make highlight plays. The ball movement looks great for plays designed for Lebron, outside of those not so much. This part will get better throughout the season, but it starts with the young guys stepping up and going all in on a ball movement centric offense. Isolation ball can not work in a league that has the Celtics and Warriors in it.
Where will the Lakers end up?
This Lakers team is no doubt making the playoffs. Lebron James would not allow any team he’s on to struggle so much that they are worse than the 8th best team in either conference. Like I had previously mentioned, I believe that the Lakers will be in the playoffs anywhere from the 5th seed to the 7th seed. In the Eastern Conference, they would more than likely be the 3 or 4 seed after Boston, Toronto, and maybe Philly. In their first round of the playoffs, they will likely see either Utah, Oklahoma City, or Houston. Lebron and LA would definitively beat Utah or Oklahoma City, but would struggle with Houston. The playoffs are all about matchups, but Lebron and the Lakers have some things they need to figure out before they can start thinking about how to win in the playoffs.
-Brandon Black (Follow @bhblack02)
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