For the first time all season, the Lakers have an empty injury report and fans are excited. Many will look at the 15–4 start the Lakers had and think that’s who this team will be the rest of the way.
But, with fewer than 30 games left in 2025-26, the Lakers have already proven otherwise.
Where the Lakers’ Really Are
As of Friday morning, the Los Angeles Lakers are sitting as the fifth seed in the Western Conference and just one game behind Denver and Houston for third. On paper, that’s a good spot to be in. It seems as though, despite all the health issues, L.A. is doing more than just staying afloat in quite a deep conference.
However, a closer look tells a different story.
Since their 15–4 start, the Lakers are 18–17. They now rank 17th in net rating. Additionally, of all the top-eight seeds in both conferences, L.A. possesses the lowest point differential. Ironically, their point differential through 54 games is exactly zero.
Overall, the Lakers have struggled because they are a team that relies heavily on offense, even when said unit isn’t great all the time. Despite the primarily-offensive stars on the team, like Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, L.A. is still sitting just outside the top 10 in offensive rating.
That isn’t bad in itself, but it also certainly isn’t good enough considering the other side of the court: The Lakers rank 23rd in defensive rating.
In short, health can’t fix it all. Because of this, the Los Angeles Lakers’ ceiling heading into the playoffs remains low.
Luka and Reaves Make Their Return
Before the All-Star break, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves were the most notable names on the injury report for L.A.
But, even with Dončić returning to the lineup and Reaves freed from his minutes restriction, fans shouldn’t expect the Lakers to make a big jump in the standings.
Yes, Dončić is playing at an MVP level. Yes, Reaves is having his best season yet and could’ve been an All-Star, if not for injuries.
That said, defense isn’t what makes either star great. And, defense is what the Lakers desperately need right now. It is and will continue to be a problem for L.A.
Dončić and Reaves will improve the Lakers’ offense enough to bring it back to top-10 status. However, unless head coach JJ Redick can find a miraculous adjustment, this team will continue to struggle getting stops.
If that trend persists, the Lakers won’t live up to the lofty expectations.
The Lakers’ Expectations
Now that the Los Angeles Lakers are finally healthy, the purple and gold have some notable names in sports media excited about what they could do come playoff time.
“If Luka is clicking with AR and LeBron offensively, I’m saying you can make a run,” Stephen A. Smith recently said on ESPN’s First Take.
Sure, it’s possible. Is it probable? Absolutely not.
If the season ended right now, the fifth-seeded Lakers would face the fourth-seeded Denver Nuggets in the first round. Likewise to L.A., this is a team also navigating injury troubles.
Overall, this is not a favorable matchup for the Lakers. Over the last three years, the Nuggets have knocked the Lakers out of the playoffs twice.
But those years, L.A. wasn’t just eliminated, they were humiliated. In both series, from 2023 and 2024, they combined to have one win.
And now, Denver is even scarier.
The Nuggets boosted their depth like they’ve never had before with the offseason additions of Tim Hardaway Jr., Jonas Valančiūnas and Bruce Brown. After a rough start to the season, Cameron Johnson has found his deadly three-point stroke, shooting nearly 44% from the perimeter. Peyton Watson has improved mightily, providing great two-way value.
Meanwhile, Jamal Murray is playing the best basketball of his career, earning his first All-Star nod. And, Nikola Jokic is still Nikola Jokic.
Looking ahead, the Los Angeles Lakers’ ceiling for the postseason isn’t that high. An early playoff exit is far more probable for the Lakers than a deep run.
Leave a comment