The Los Angeles Lakers are 16-20 against teams that have a record of .500 or better. It's the alarming truth that has defined their season, with skeptics committing themselves to the belief that such a subpar mark is why the Lakers aren't true contenders.
What's transpired under the radar, however, has been the evolution of this Lakers team into a side that can compete with just about anyone—particularly when Austin Reaves is healthy.
Los Angeles has played 22 games against teams that are .500 or better when Reaves has been available in 2025-26. During that time, it's gone an even 11-11, which may not be elite, but it reveals both Reaves' value and the quality this team actually possesses.
The Lakers may be 16-20 on the season against teams that are .500 or better, but that includes a 5-9 record without Reaves that skews the numbers.
An 11-11 mark with Reaves may not send fans into a frenzy, but it shows how close this team truly is. It's also critical context considering he and Luka Doncic have developed remarkable chemistry, but their progress was interrupted by Reaves' untimely calf injury, which cost him 26 games.
With a 26-13 record when he plays and an 11-5 mark since he returned, the Lakers seem to be more legitimate than advertised. Their two most recent wins are the latest evidence.
"Lakers can't beat above .500 teams."
The 40-25 Lakers have won six of their past seven games, although critics will be quick to point out that four of those wins were against below-.500 teams. The past two outings, however, have produced signature victories for a Los Angeles team in need of exactly that.
Down LeBron James and back to playing through Doncic and Reaves, the Lakers defeated the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves in a span of 48 hours.
On the night of Mar. 8, the Lakers were borderline dominant against the Knicks during a 110-97 victory that looks closer than it was. New York shot just 42.7 percent from the field and 23.5 percent from beyond the arc, and Los Angeles never allowed its lead to hit single digits during the fourth quarter.
On the night of Mar. 10, the Lakers outscored the Timberwolves 39-23 in the third quarter and went shot-for-shot in the fourth quarter to win 120-106 over the team that eliminated them from the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Suddenly, the narrative that the Lakers can't defeat above-.500 teams looks less like a factual statement and more of an ommission of pertinent information. Particularly: Failing to acknowledge that Los Angeles is an entirely different team when its second star is healthy and available.
Such pieces of context are applied to other championship hopefuls that have endured injuries in 2025-26, but it seems as though the Lakers will have to operate in spite of a flawed narrative.