Los Angeles Lakers: 5 bold predictions post All-Star Break

3. Lakers win 65 games

The Lakers have not won 60 games in a season since they met the Boston Celtics in the 2009 NBA Finals. In that season, the LAL finished with a 65-17 record and lost to Boston in an epic seven-game series.

This year, the Lakers will once again win 65 games. Los Angeles, presently, sits with a record of 41-12. To accomplish this goal, they would need to finish the season on a 24-5 pace.

According to Tankathon, as the schedule is currently constructed, the Lakers have the 22nd strongest strength of schedule remaining. If you dig into that a bit more, you’ll find that the team only plays three games away from Staples Center against teams currently in the playoffs. And one of those is in Memphis.

The Lakers’ defense has loosened up a bit, especially considering the Anthony Davis injury. Other than that, though, the Lakers have seemingly been able to improve throughout the year and that should continue here. Team cohesion, focus, and effort should sustain its’ upward trajectory as the regular season winds down.

If LAL can take care of business where they should, a 65-win season is very much in reach.