Making a deep playoff run can often be about who gets hot at the right time. That much is true. Maintaining a stable course throughout the regular season certainly does not hurt either, though. The Los Angeles Lakers failed to do as much in 2025-26.
The Lakers got off to a hot start last season. Despite the early absence of LeBron James, Los Angeles sprinted toward a strong 15-4 record to begin the campaign. That included two separate winning streaks of five or more games.
Picking up momentum with the NBA Playoffs in sight was also something the Lakers proved more than capable of doing. Everyone remembers the well-documented and exciting March that Los Angeles enjoyed. They only lost two games that month, beating good to great teams left and right.
It is that in-between where the Lakers struggled. The team went 5-7 in December, 9-7 in January, and 6-6 in February. A midseason lull would do them no favors in 2026-27.
Avoiding that midseason slump would put the Lakers closer to a title
Getting hot at the right time ultimately does hold more weight for the Lakers. Los Angeles has a perfect example of how much that matters from the previous season.
The San Antonio Spurs were on an absolute tear to end the 2025-26 campaign. From the beginning of February, the team that would go on to represent the Western Conference only lost four regular season games.
Where the difference truly lies here is that San Antonio built upon an already strong foundation with that torrid run down the stretch. They were right on the Oklahoma City Thunder's heels in the standings. That eventually gave them enough gas in the tank to knock them off in a competitive Western Conference Finals.
That is the type of ramp-up the Lakers should be aspiring to, rather than stabilizing an uneven season like they did last year.
No one will sit here and dismiss the clear talent advantage the Spurs have. There is a reason most consider San Antonio and Oklahoma City to be in a tier of their own. However, the Lakers are not without their means to securing stable regular season success.
The newfound depth in Los Angeles should allow them a clear way to keep the ship steady throughout 2026-27. Having Luka Doncic paves the way for the Lakers to have a means to regularly steal tight contests, too. The path to a top-tier record is there.
Being in the mix at the top of the standings by year's end could allow the Lakers an opportunity to control their path more than previous seasons. Those little things matter. Imagine a best-case scenario where Los Angeles only needs to go through one of San Antonio or Oklahoma City in the NBA Playoffs.
Turning that into a reality demands the foot to stay on the gas through the entirety of 2026-27.
Add us as a preferred source on Google