If you saw the Lakers dismantle Mavericks this week, you understand why many people think Luke’s new team has a chance to go further in the playoffs this year than his old team did last season.
And there is only one event that would make it possible to happen.
Don’t be fooled. It doesn’t go that way.
Lakers should not be regarded as one of the NBA title favorites.
The squad that we saw Thrash the defending Western masters with 15 points was Luke’s team. The return to Dallas was his night, his brilliant moment for 2025.
But effectively about 15.00 today, when the regular season ends and the lamps become brighter, Lakers Lebron’s team becomes. Like all other teams, he has been on for about two decades.
So completely ignore everything you saw earlier this week.
The story tells us to pair Luka with a second star can be successful. Mavericks is a good example.
Dallas was no better than a 29-26 team when Kyrie Irving played his first match for Mavericks in February 2023. They looked good that night and rolled to a 13-point victory on Utah even with Luka sitting outside.
The first time they shared the court, Mavs was beaten in Sacramento. The dynamic duo combined for 55 points, but it was clear that Dallas had changes to make.
They had two large scores and passers -by. They needed more complementary pieces.
Over the next 12 months, they agreed to acquire them. The version we saw in the NBA final last season included a productive center Tandem, a stretch power forward and several 3-point shooters.
The transformation took time. But when they were ready, Mavs, 9-16 with Irving and after missing the playoffs in 2023, enjoyed a 50-victor’s regular season and three rounds of the playoffs before encountering Celtics.
Lakers appear on the same road. At least the first part.
Like 2023 MAVS, they have no real big man. It is a problem for two reasons.
First and foremost, Väster is charged with quality large. Thunder has two; Rockets, Nuggets, Clippers, Timberwolves, Grizzlies and Kings all have one. Someone will have to protect these guys … and it is certain that it will not be Lebron.
And secondly, Luka needs a defensive goalkeeper. You know, a shot blower hanging around the edge for when the guy the chubby guy has the task of protecting dribbles around him and making a line for the bow.
Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II were Godsens for Luka last season. Mark Williams may have been this year too … until red -flagged -rays sent him back to Charlotte and left the Lakers, eh, with no one in the net.
Jarred Vanderbilt has been a nice player for the Lakers, except that he cannot shoot and allows an opposite defender to zone up on Luka and Lebron. Another bad fit.
Like 2023 Mavericks, Lakers has to do. And as 2023 MAVs, two months are not enough time to implement the large company.
As currently designed, Lakers can play two different ways: through Luka and through Lebron. In the former, it is undoubtedly the biggest player of all time and watches. In the latter, a triple-double machine takes a holiday in the game.
None of the game call is favorable for winning basketball or good relationships.
Warriors had a similar problem during the 2017 season when they brought ball dominant Kevin Durant into his passport-and-cut crime. Some swear that Durant pronounced, “I’m not doing screening”, the first time he was told to “pursue the crime.”
Warriors won two titles in Durant’s three seasons and failed only when he and Kyy Thompson were injured in the playoffs in 2019. Credit Durant, who sacrificed and had three of the six lowest points seasons in his career, and Steve Kerr, a coach who had already won a title with less talent.
Should JJ Redick be mentioned in the same breath as Kerr? Certainly not yet.
And will Luka sacrifice as Durant did? It is interesting to note that he shoots about as much as he did with Mavericks, and he drops more 3 points.
He had his best game when he was told to swing for the fence rather than sacrifice. It’s probably the worst thing that could have happened to the Lakers.
Keep an eye on LA next season. But this year …
They will start the playoffs with the fourth lowest odds to go away with the hardware. Honestly, they are a better bet to lose in the first round.
