An exciting stretch of NBA basketball has restored a quiet optimism surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers. Some have even been bold enough to think the team could maybe, just maybe, have some say in who wins a title this season. As good as they have been, that remains a tough sell.
Mostly, the reason there is the Lakers really have not done enough to steer away from the formula that has consistently failed them in recent years. The roster will still be too reliant on asking Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James to carry a heavy burden. It's do or die by the star power.
On one hand, the guys at the top are good enough to believe there is a chance. On the other hand, it's about questioning how real that shot truly is. Debating the realism of title aspirations in Los Angeles is something Rich Paul and Max Kellerman weighed during a recent episode of their podcast.
"Any time you have great talent, you always have a puncher's chance," Paul said. "It's all about matchups in the playoffs. It really is. You can get rolling. ... We'll see."
Lakers have to wonder how much can their stars handle carrying
For whatever it is worth to the hopeful bunch in Los Angeles, the Klutch Sports CEO has been pretty consistent about the Lakers not being contenders all year. It sure sounds like that stance has softened a bit. The recent success offers room for that type of optimism.
To some capacity, it is fair to believe that a favorable matchup for the Lakers here and there could lead to this team going deeper than anticipated. It really comes down to the ultimate goal, and it still takes some serious mental gymnastics to talk oneself into Los Angeles being a title contender.
Doncic is a proven playoff riser and that should always raise the ceiling for any team he's on. James is not what he once was, but can still be banked on turning back that clock here and there for a boost. Reaves still needs to prove himself in the postseason, but his rise to stardom has been undeniable.
None of that is the real point, though. The other guys matter here, and the ones the Lakers have are better than they have been previously, but still offer plenty of room for valid skepticism.
Teams can get hot at the right time and turn that into title runs. Luka's Dallas Mavericks did that down the stretch of the 2023-24 season.
Peak at the right time during a campaign and great success can find you. That is the cope and hope for a meaningful season in 2025-26.