Los Angeles Lakers: 3 Reasons why they can reach 65 wins this season

1. The Lakers have a relatively easy schedule to close out the season

The Purple and Gold have had a couple rough stretches this season, partly due to some tough parts of their schedule. They had a four-game losing streak in late December, losing to the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets and L.A. Clippers, all very good or great teams.

They also dropped four of seven games in January, which coincided with their five-game Grammy road trip, during which they went a disappointing 3-2.

But down the stretch, the Lakers’ schedule looks manageable. They do have a tough stretch during the first half of March, during which they will play Milwaukee, the Clippers, the Philadephia 76ers, the Nuggets and the Utah Jazz twice.

But after that, 11 of their final 15 games will be against sub-.500 teams. The Lakers have feasted on such opponents this season, having lost only twice to the Orlando Magic and Portland Trail Blazers.

In addition, 15 of their remaining 27 games will be at Staples Center (that includes their Mar. 8 contest against the Clippers, which is designated as a Clippers “home” game). Even during that aforementioned rough stretch in March, seven of those eight games will be in L.A.

After Mar. 18, the only elite teams they will face the rest of the season are the Clippers and Toronto Raptors.

When presented with an advantage like this, championship-caliber teams exploit it. If the Lakers do just that, they will become just the fourth team in franchise history to post at least 65 wins.

Of course, it won’t mean jack squat unless the playoffs end with them hoisting the NBA world championship trophy.