3. They Will Close Out Games Better
Considering the fact that the Lakers somehow manage to lose games that they should’ve won, this prediction is very bold. In fact, it’s almost as bold as saying they will win the championship this year.
It’s a prediction that should hopefully come true because the team needs to drastically work on winning games in the 4th quarter and not letting games get away from them so much.
For many years we’ve seen the Lakers have lackluster 1st and 2nd quarters, then they come out with a higher intensity in the 3rd and 4th quarters, only to lose. And they lose by either the other team suddenly making a run or shooting a last-second shot after making a run to tie the game.
Defense is key. Defense not only wins games and but it also wins championships. They need to learn how to stop shooters. They need to learn how to communicate with each other in crucial moments of every game and to learn how to make each other better.
Since the team is going to go through a learning process at the beginning of the season, it’s the best time to learn all of this so the rest of the season is successful. LeBron James will be the one with the bulk of pressure on him, especially when they need to close out a game.