Following an undesired postseason departure last season, can 2022 see a Los Angeles Lakers squad worthy of another NBA Finals run?
While the last installment of the Los Angeles Lakers was a strong one, it still left a lot to be desired with its early exit in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. This is especially the case when considering that the team who eliminated them, the Phoenix Suns, eventually failed to win it all themselves.
When a team is headlined by big names such as Anthony Davis and, even more so, LeBron James, most people would not expect them to fall out of the Finals race as early as the opening round, regardless of opponents faced and injuries sustained, yet that is exactly what happened.
However, all hope might not be lost for the esteemed franchise, as they have many positives to keep in mind when entering this upcoming season. Said positives include some faces on the roster (both old and new), along with the weaknesses of who all could stand in their way come time for the playoffs to begin.
Those aforementioned faces are most namely LeBron and AD, but the Lakers‘ depth has been improved by some rather renowned folks, such as veterans Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony.
Russ has been one of the most dynamic players in the league over the course of the past several years, and his reputation as a walking triple-double has cemented that fact.
While he is typically seen as the individualistic/stat-padding type, that does not mean that he can’t work with the team at all. He wants his ring, and this is perhaps his best chance to get one in a long time; he knows that, and so, he will bust his behind extra hard to not soil his chances of succeeding to do so.
As far as Melo is concerned, he will almost definitely be a role player on this current Lakers squad. This is because of the fact that, while he may still be able to carry his own weight and come up big in some moments, his old age cannot be ignored.
Now just for clarification, Anthony’s age does not make him any less valuable to the team (he has certainly proven that). Rather, it just means that he runs a serious risk of lacking the endurance that a guy 12 or so years his junior may have. That’s just the way life is.
But nonetheless, with those four leading the way while being backed by a solid bench, playing like a contender should be no problem. The problem comes in when you’re facing younger competition over and over again in a postseason setting.
Some powers that come to mind when thinking of some of the Lakers’ Western Conference adversaries include the LA Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Suns, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, and Utah Jazz.
The biggest names on those teams all have an age advantage over at least some of the previously-established Lakers stars. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Donovan Mitchell, and Jordan Clarkson.
All of them have one thing in common – they are all several years younger than LeBron and Melo, the more timeless half of the four Lakers that have been referenced.
But, it may not be the end of the world just yet. Think about it: even with the Lakers out of the way, none of those guys could win the chip. And also, throughout the process of coming up short, they all illustrated the act of losing games/series that they shouldn’t have, whether by choking or by merely overlooking the capabilities of their opponent(s).
If they would dare do that when facing a lineup in its prime, they could certainly do so when facing an antique show (especially when it can still rain buckets like everyone else).
Basically, the Lakers’ current chances of running it back would normally not rely on them and them alone. However, their potential opponents have proven that it in fact does. All they have to do is channel the greatness that their legendary players have for years.