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Lakers News: New model gives Lakers drastically small title odds

By Jason Reed

MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 23: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers high fives head coach Frank Vogel against the Miami Heat at FTX Arena on January 23, 2022 in Miami, Florida. 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 23: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers high fives head coach Frank Vogel against the Miami Heat at FTX Arena on January 23, 2022 in Miami, Florida. 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Lakers have been struggling this season. That is not news to anybody. However, there are still optimistic fans that are holding out hope that the team can figure it out and we cannot completely blame them as there are reasons to still have faith in the Lakers.

This is disappointing as the Lakers were expected to be the favorites to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals before the season. After all, they did just win the NBA Championship in 2020 and added a former all-star in Russell Westbrook.

The Westbrook skeptics were right, though. He has not fit on the team at all and his massively large salary made it nearly impossible for Rob Pelinka to build a quality team around the “big three”. The depth of the team has been tested and it has failed.

Now, the Lakers have virtually no chance of winning the NBA Championship.

While some have hope, most fans would say that the Lakers have a zero percent chance of winning the NBA Championship in 2022 (especially with the reported tension between LeBron James, Klutch Sports and the Lakers front office).

The numbers back up the common belief among Laker fans as well. Currently sitting with a 27-31 record, the math does not expect the Lakers to make some miraculous turnaround over the next three months.

The Ringer’s NBA Odds Machine gives the Lakers a <1% chance of winning a title.

The Ringer released its NBA Odds Machine that gives a percentage chance of each team making the playoffs, winning the title and projects the team’s average wins. Things are looking bleak for the Lakers. The model gives LA a less than 1% chance of winning the title and a 32% chance of making the playoffs with the average wins being 37.

The same model gives the team an 88% chance of playing in the Play-In Tournament with the most likely seeding being the ninth seed. This is less than ideal. Can we really trust this team to win two do-or-die games in a row? Probably not!

LA checks in as the team with the 18th highest playoff and title odds, checking in right behind the Atlanta Hawks and right ahead of the Charlotte Hornets. That is not the company that the Lakers should be in, but here we are.

Next. What a LeBron trade package could look like. dark

Barring a massive surprise that literally breaks the model itself, this season is going to go down as a huge disappointment and one that could have future implications for the franchise.

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