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Los Angeles Lakers: 5 reasons fans are excited about this season

By Ed Schrenzel

SAN DIEGO, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Fans wait for LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers before a preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Valley View Casino Center on September 30, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Fans wait for LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers before a preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Valley View Casino Center on September 30, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 2: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers exchanges a high five with teammate Josh Hart #3 against the Denver Nuggets during a pre-season game on October 2, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2. High-Scoring Team

Last season the Lakers were 11th in the NBA in scoring with 108.1 points per game, a 3.5 PPG increase over the previous year. There is every reason to believe they will score more points this season.

Of course, it all starts with James. Even if he doesn’t focus quite as much his own scoring, instead opting to set up teammates & allowing them to develop, he still figures to average at or near 25 PPG.

To illustrate that and how the rest of the team should look, here’s a reprint of a chart we used before to project scoring averages this season for 11 players, showing minutes and points last year along with guestimates for this year:

Player(s)               2017-18 MPG   ’17-18 PPG    2018-19 MPG   ’18-19 PPG
James                             37                       27.5                      32                      25
Ingram                           29                       16.1                      30                      20
Kuzma                           31                       16.1                      30                      18
KCP/Hart                   33/23               13.4/7.9                  48                       20
Ball/Rondo                34/26               10.2/8.3              30/18                   15
Beasley                         22                       13.2                      10                        7
Stephenson                 23                          9.2                     10                         4
McGee/Zubac            9/10                  4.8/3.7               16/16                     7

On the chart, a few players in the same position were combined to get total production rather than individual breakdown. No player’s predicted scoring average is particularly optimistic or out of line. It could even be argued that the estimate is conservative for some. And no points have been credited to the rookies Svi and Wagner.

When you add the 2018-19 projected numbers together, they total 116 points per game. Last season Golden State was the league’s highest scoring team at 113.5 per game. Whether or not the Lakers outscore the Warriors this season, it certainly seems that LA should easily be among the league leaders in points.

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