Why the Los Angeles Lakers would handle the Brooklyn Nets with ease

HOUSTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 10: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers controls the ball ahead of James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets during the second quarter of a game at Toyota Center on January 10, 2021 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 10: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers controls the ball ahead of James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets during the second quarter of a game at Toyota Center on January 10, 2021 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
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(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers

2. The Los Angeles Lakers’ depth is miles better

While having superstars is great, you still have to have good depth in order to make a run and win the NBA Championship. Quite frankly, the Lakers have significantly better depth than the Nets and that would show in a seven-game series.

To be fair to the Nets, the rotations shrink in the playoffs and they really only need 7-8 players to be in the rotation in the playoffs. But still, the depth in Brooklyn is not good and is far worse than the Lakers.

Brooklyn traded LeVert and Spencer Dinwiddie partially tore his ACL earlier in the season and will not be available for the playoffs. The Nets still have Joe Harris but they do not really have much good depth behind that.

DeAndre Jordan is no longer that good and the next five players in the rotation are Jeff Green, Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, Landry Shamet, Bruce Bowen and Chris Chiozza.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers have Dennis Schroder, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Marc Gasol, Wesley Matthews, Alex Caruso, Talen Horton-Tucker and Kyle Kuzma. Kuzma would be the fourth-best player in Brooklyn.

Stars that might not get along with shoddy depth behind them? That sounds like a recipe for disaster.