After such a tumultuous season, it may be hard to remember the Los Angeles Lakers started with an impressive 10-10 record, defying the odds and beating expectations.
Of course, they came back down to earth; a string of injuries helped ground them. Whether it was D’Angelo Russell, Nick Young, Larry Nance Jr. or even Brandon Ingram, the injury bug played a major role in the Lakers’ chemistry and consistency issues early on in the season.
Once the team was fully healthy again, it was hard to recreate the magic that was evident at the start of the year. L.A., once again, was in the midst of an NBA-worst type of season with no hope in sight. No hope except the possibility of keeping their top-three protected pick in this year’s lottery, where the team is headed for the fourth-consecutive offseason.
But to some fans’ dismay and others’ delight, say the fans that actually attended games, the Lakers decided to play hard no matter what and refused to tank at the end of the season. That attitude resulted in a five-game win streak for the purple and gold for the first time since the Kobe Bryant era pre-Achilles injury. In all, the Lakeshow won five of their last six games and showed signs of being a capable team like they once had at the start of the season. If you only look at the first 20 games of the year and the final 12, L.A. is 16-16, a .500 team and good enough to make the playoffs.
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Those 32 games are a small sample size and one just can’t forget about the dreadful 50 games in between, but those 32 games represent promise, capability and definitely talent. They prove without a doubt the Lakers are a team on the rise. L.A.’s win streak ultimately lessens their chances at keeping their top-three pick, yes. But by the looks of it, they are headed in the right direction regardless.
After the All-Star break, the Lakers’ young core began trending upward. Especially, Russell and
Ingram who look like future superstars. Because the youngsters began and ended the season on such high notes, to go along with the new front office regime of Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka, L.A. should have a fruitful offseason in free agency. Both Johnson and Pelinka have a good rapport with players around the league and they already have sprouting talent to build around. So, it’s more likely that the Lakers attract quality free agents this offseason than in years’ past. The team’s start and season-ending burst should impress veteran stars because it shows they have not only the skill but the will to win. All L.A. needs is a couple of proven players to guide the ship and this year they should get them.
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Will the Lakers’ season-ending win streak hurt them in the long run or will it attract better free agents this offseason? Do you think the Lakers will improve even if they lose the top-three pick in the draft? Let us know below!