The Los Angeles Lakers have had an up-and-down start to the 2023-24 season with the team failing to capture any long-lasting momentum. As it stands right now, the Lakers are 12-9 and are the seventh seed in a competitive Western Conference.
While it has been much better than the start of last season, this slow start has still caused some fans to panic. After all, the Lakers were supposed to be one of the premier contending teams in the league.
A team's record doesn't properly reflect the true quality of that team, especially so early in the season. Fans who have realized this, and have taken a 30,000-foot view approach, have realized that this "slow" start is not the end of the world.
In fact, considering the circumstances, a 12-9 record through 21 games is actually quite impressive. The deck has literally been stacked against the Lakers early in the 2023-24 season and the team has mostly passed the test.
Some jarring stats about the Lakers schedule via @Tim_NBA. The Lakers have had:
— Red Mamba (@Purpl3andGold) December 2, 2023
-The 2nd most miles traveled
-The 3rd hardest overall SOS
-Tied for 2nd most B2B games
-The most rest disadvantaged games
-Tied for 2nd fewest rest advantaged games
-Have played the most games pic.twitter.com/CfyZFcz5Af
Insane schedule stat proves the Lakers are just fine
This team has already bounced around the entire country, has played the toughest teams there is to play and has had to play more frequently than any other team in the league. All while the team's best player is in his 21st season. Despite all of that, the Lakers are 12-9.
Not to mention that the purple and gold has done this while battling injuries. LeBron James and Anthony Davis have stayed healthy but the rotation has been decimated. Jarred Vanderbilt just barely made his season debut on Saturday against the Rockets. Rui Hachimura has missed time, Gabe Vincent has played four games, and even Cam Reddish missed time.
Most teams would crumble under these circumstances and the Lakers could easily be 8-13 with fans hoping that the season will turn around once it gets easier. If the Lake Show can have this record under these circumstances just imagine what will happen when the schedule softens up and the games start to be spaced out more.
Any fans who were panicking this early in the season were overreacted. Fans calling for Darvin Ham's job were failing to look at the bigger picture. This team is more than fine and if anything, staying the course and winning 12 games in the first 21 proves that this is a title-worthy team that can get through whatever the NBA throws its way.