Season opener will instantly test if Lakers have addressed primary weaknesses

The way the critics tell it, the Los Angeles Lakers were a lottery-bound team that couldn't even break .500. The way reality is, Los Angeles was three wins shy of a 50-win season, had a top-five winning percentage after February 1, and lost to a team that simply has its number in the playoffs.

Unfortunately, that doesn't mean the Lakers aren't without flaws—glaring flaws that could torpedo their season if they aren't resolved early on.

Los Angeles finished the 2023-24 regular season at 47-35, but it was truly a tale of two halves—or, more accurately, three-fifths and two-fifths. The Lakers were 24-25 entering February, but went 23-10 the rest of the way, posting the fifth-best winning percentage in the NBA.

It was a remarkable display from a team that suddenly found its form and ranked No. 3 in the Association in offensive rating over the course of its final 33 games.

The unfortunate reality facing the Lakers last season, however, was that it was too little too late. Bad habits had been established in crucial areas of the game, and four flaws in two areas proved too significant to overcome.

Matched up against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the regular season opener, the Lakers will have a chance to prove that they've learned from their mistakes.

Have Lakers fixed three-point shooting and offensive rebounding woes?

In 2023-24, the Lakers ranked dead last in offensive rebounds and second-chance points. On the other end of the floor, Los Angeles was No. 27 in second-chance points allowed, thus revealing how painfully balanced the flaw really was.

Along those same lines, Los Angeles was No. 24 in three-point field goals made and No. 28 in three-point field goals allowed.

It was a truly baffling display from a team that had identical flaws on both ends of the floor. Despite ranking No. 8 in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage, it couldn't bring itself to attempt more shots from beyond the arc—and had even more trouble stopping the opposition from burying triples.

Anthony Davis, meanwhile, ranked No. 1 in the NBA in second-chance points and No. 3 in defensive rebounds per game, yet the Lakers couldn't create or prevent second chances as a team.

Based on last year's numbers, Minnesota is the perfect team to exploit the two areas in which Los Angeles struggles most. In 2023-24, the Timberwolves ranked No. 3 in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage, while starting center Rudy Gobert was No. 2 in offensive rebounds per game.

Minnesota was resistant to the three-ball, as well, but still managed to rank No. 15 in the Association in three-point field goals made.

With this in mind, the regular season opener has suddenly become the proverbial litmus test to determine where the Lakers stand. It'd be unfair to expect Redick to turn Los Angeles into an elite team in these areas overnight, but it's fair to expect some degree of improvement.

One game can only mean so much, but this early test of the Lakers' primary weaknesses will offer a strong idea of where the team currently stands.