The Los Angeles Lakers, not the Los Angeles Clippers, are the NBA title favorites for a reason.
The Los Angeles Lakers are so fresh off of winning championship no. 17 that sources say you can still smell the champagne at Disney World. Just two months after besting the Miami Heat in six games, the Lakers are back on the court to start their official title defense.
Not much as changed in terms of the overall landscape of the league. There was a fair amount of player movement and certain teams (like the Phoenix Suns) will be better. But overall, the same contenders from last season are contenders this season. The only thing that can really change that is a potential James Harden trade.
As I did last year when I was writing for LA Sports Hub, I want to compare the Los Angeles Lakers to other NBA title contenders and bring you, the reader, the exact advantages that the purple and gold has against each of their foes.
It is a bit easier this year as we were not totally sure how last season would pan out and now the Lakers are defending champs and somehow got even better in the offseason.
We start with the Los Angeles Clippers, the second-best team in the Western Conference that hopes to not blow a 3-1 lead in the NBA Playoffs and actually make it past the second round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
Let’s start at the top.