Some people believe predicting the unpredictable is a fool’s game.
Not me, though.
Up next are my Los Angeles Lakers predictions for the 2021-2022 season.
1. The Lakers’ (old) age will not have a negative effect on the team
Did you know the Los Angeles Lakers are one of the oldest squads in NBA history? Did you know that LeBron James has played like a zillion minutes on his poor knees? And did you know that Carmelo Anthony is, like, really old?
According to the national media, all the incredible oldness circulating through the Lakers’ player’s creaky bones will lead to injury. And Frank Vogel will be forced to use game management strategies. And eventually, the regular-season losses will pile up.
But why?
This isn’t the 1990s when players cracked open a beer and lit up a cigar in the locker room after games. We’re living in a time when nearly every player, especially veterans, have a nutritionist create meal plans for them.
We’re living in a time when NBA stars like Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving, and Damian Lillard are going vegan to extend their careers. We’re living in a time when professional athletes spend hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars, on their bodies, creating longevity as we’ve never seen before.
Yeah, the Lakers are old compared to many other NBA squads.
Yes, LeBron is 36-years-old.
36!!!!!!
46-year-old Anderson Silva recently knocked out 46-year-old Tito Ortiz with one counter punch to the jaw.
Tom Brady, 43, led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the much younger Patrick Mahomes and his Kansas City Chiefs to win the super bowl.
Age doesn’t matter the way it used to, and the old fogies in the national media still living in the 20th century need to catch up.
The talking heads will “talk” about the age of the Lakers roster all season long, and sure a few players will suffer an injury. Still, the core of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook will play through the season with no significant problems.