Los Angeles Lakers: 3 bold predictions for the 2020-21 season
By Kent Coleman
With the 2020-2021 NBA season less than a month away, we make 3 bold predictions for select players on the Los Angeles Lakers.
In this article, we make 3 bold predictions for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2020-2021 season. While each page will offer a bold prediction, we also offer a more realistic expectation. The idea behind this is that we Laker Nation folk love to fantasize about the best possible outcomes, however, they don’t always necessarily turn out that way. Still, we can dream.
With that said, here is the first of our 3 bold predictions.
Los Angeles Lakers bold predictions: LeBron wins MVP, Anthony Davis wins DPOY
After a dominant season that ended in a championship, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are set to run it back with a new-look group. While Rob Pelinka did a phenomenal job this offseason of adding some stellar pieces to the roster, these two are still very clearly the top dogs on the team.
Following the shortest offseason in American sports history, LeBron and AD will likely rest their fair share of games, particularly in the beginning. But with 72 regular-season games on the schedule, there is plenty of time for them to get back to business as usual, crushing opponents on both ends of the floor night in and night out.
Last year, these two held second place honors in separate awards categories; Bron in the MVP race and AD in the Defensive Player of the Year race, respectively. While the sweet taste of a championship victory probably eased their pain, there is absolutely no shot that LeBron and AD have forgotten that they barely missed out on adding to their individual accolades.
Knowing this, they will surely use it as fuel to fire themselves up this season. After shaking off the rust in the initial weeks, they will both enter full-on beast mode. LeBron will put up 25 points and 10 assists per game yet again, while AD pours in 25+ and 10 rebounds, while also swatting 2-3 shots per game.
More importantly, it will result in wins. We’ve seen players put up big numbers on crummy teams before; rarely does it do much to garner them MVP consideration. Not the case here, as the Lakers will undoubtedly be one of, if not the best team in the league. Watch as they embrace the fact that they have an opportunity to win more than just another championship.
LeBron will secure his 5th League MVP award, while Davis wins his first (of many) Defensive Player of the Year trophy.
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Realistic Prediction:
While it’s a distinct possibility that LeBron takes it easy for at least the first half of the regular season (which, to be fair, LeBron James “taking it easy” is better than 80-90% of the league), he may surprise us, as he has before, and continue to dominate the best league in the world from the jump.
If I had to put money on it, however, I’d say he starts slow enough that the critics rain down hard on his play and dampen his chances of another MVP (though, I do believe it’s entirely possible the award goes to his running mate). However, because he is the best player on the planet, expect him to be in the finalist race once again.
Anthony Davis winning Defensive Player of the Year on the other hand is absolutely a realistic possibility. Because he’s been so good for so long, I think people often forget that AD is still only 27, and just beginning to enter his prime. He may be ready to go full speed every single game this season, and if he is, the DPOY award (and even MVP) is entirely within reach.