The Los Angeles Lakers had one of their worst seasons in franchise history. Their offseason moves failed to click and injuries played a massive part as they were unable to make the playoffs. After a coaching change and a busy offseason, let’s look at the Lakers season predictions for 2022-23.
The Lakers have been trying to trade Russell Westbrook all offseason, but they just haven’t been able to find a deal they like. They have decided to give this experiment another shot with a new head coach.
But we have seen how this movie goes before and the Lakers can’t afford a repeat of last season. Will the Lakers finally figure it out or will they endure the same fate as we take a look at the Lakers predictions for 2023?
Lakers season predictions 2022-23
The Lakers finished in the 11th spot in the West last year and they missed the play-in tournament. They boast some of the best players in the NBA in LeBron James and Anthony Davis. And they were the champions of the league just a couple of seasons ago.
The Lakers have got some good players in the offseason and it will be very interesting to see how they fit into this team. With the opening game fast approaching, let’s take a look at the Lakers season predictions 2022-23.
Westbrook will bounce back from a disappointing season
Westbrook came to the Lakers with championship expectations. The Lakers were just a year off being the best team in basketball and they added another all-star to the mix, with many analysts having the Lakers as favorites.
But that move just didn’t seem to click as Westbrook underperformed massively. His numbers dropped across all categories and he just could not find a fit for the team. The majority of the blame for the Lakers’ failures fell on his shoulders.
With a new coach coming in, Westbrook seems to be enjoying basketball again. Darvin Ham insisted that he will expect everyone to make sacrifices, and he is excited to coach Westbrook.
Westbrook seems to have listened to his coach and has changed his approach. In the first few games in the preseason, he has been efficient and understood his role. He will make a strong comeback after an underwhelming season.
Anthony Davis will show why he is a top five talent in the NBA
When the Lakers won in 2020, one of their main points of attack was Anthony Davis. He was a 7-foot-center who was doing things only a guard could do. And he had his best season to date as he clinched his first title.
Fast forward two years, Davis is now someone who is just unreliable. He has missed more than half the games in the last two years and his standard has dropped massively since winning the title. His numbers have also been down and his shooting percentages have taken a massive hit.
AD is now coming into the season with a massive chip on his shoulder and he is looking good so far. In 2020, Davis was a top five player in the league and he will reclaim his spot by the end of the year. Expect an MVP-caliber season as The Unibrow will take the Lakers deep in the playoffs.
LeBron James will have another historic year
If you put the Lakers’ record aside, LeBron had a historic year. There has been no player in NBA history who in his 19th year has been one of the league’s best. The King had one of the best-scoring years of his career and he was among the league’s top scorers.
He was the best Lakers player by a country mile and he had to take on an extra load all season long. The injury to Davis and inconsistent play by Westbrook meant he was the only option for the Lakers at times. His assists dipped last season as he lost his favorite lob target for half the season.
Had the Lakers ended up with a better record, LeBron could have ended up with another MVP award. And after missing the playoffs for only the fourth time in his career, LeBron vowed that he will never do so again.
The King has been looking as sharp as ever in the preseason and he will have another historic season. He has bought into the new system of Ham and has meshed well with his new teammates. LeBron will be one of the leading MVP candidates from day one.
The Lakers will be a top six team in the West
After a terrible season, the Lakers are bound to improve. Last year, the Lakers ended up with a record of 33-49 and fell short of the play-in tournament.
The Lakers are looking motivated and hungry in the preseason, and their play has also been excellent. Their new signings seemed to be having an instant impact, and they have been meshing well with the stars.
Vegas suggests that the Lakers will have a 10-game improvement over last year. However, if AD and LeBron are healthy all season long, the Lakers NBA win totals will surely be much higher than that. In fact, I believe the Lakers will end up being a top six team in a loaded Western Conference.
Lakers record prediction – 50-32
The Lakers will make the Conference Finals
This may be a bold take, but I believe when AD and LeBron are healthy, they are the best duo in the league. Westbrook and the other players will make a difference this year, but the two main pillars are these two superstars.
And we have seen over the years, it doesn’t matter what seed a LeBron team finishes up in, they always have a chance to win. There is no one I would rather have over The King in a playoff series. And the Lakers will make the Conference Finals this year, despite the odds being stacked against them.
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