Can the Lakers Make the Playoffs This Season?
What does it take to make the playoffs?
A team must finish the regular season with at least the eighth highest win-loss record in either the Eastern or Western Conference to make the playoffs.
The Bulls, tied with the Heat in the Eastern Conference, with a win-loss record of 41–41 last season last season (See below). The Bulls ultimately landed the final playoffs spot in thanks to a higher overall conference record of 28–24. The Heat finished with a conference record of 27–25.
The Trail Blazers in the West, squeezed into the top eight with a win-loss record of 41–41.
How do the recent draft picks, trades and free agency moves affect the Lakers chances of making the playoffs next season?
Since we don’t know how the draftees will do in the league, let’s bar them from this conjecture.
In regards to trades and free agency moves, far more talent left the Eastern Conference for the West thus making the Western Conference more competitive. Thus, it will be more difficult for the Lakers to finish in the top eight.
Top Players Entering the Eastern Conference:
- Gordon Hayward to the Celtics
- D’Angelo Russell to the Nets
Top Players Entering the Western Conference:
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Lakers
- Brook Lopez to the Lakers
- Paul Millsap to the Nuggets
- Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves
- Jeff Teague to the Timberwolves
- Paul George to the Thunder
Where can the Lakers make improvements in their game?
For argument’s sake, let’s assume the Lakers have to outmatch the Trail Blazers — last season’s Western Conference number eight playoff seed — in all facets of the game to make the playoffs.
On offense…
In comparison to the Trail Blazers, the Lakers had a better overall offensive game. The Lakers ended the regular season with a team three-point percentage of 0.346 while the Trail Blazers came in at 0.324. As for two-point shots, the Lakers again outmatched the Trail Blazers with a team two-point percentage of 0.493 to the Trail Blazers’ 0.441.
However, the Lakers free throw percentage suffered. They finished with a 0.754 while the Trail Blazers finished at 0.804.
On defense…
In regards to steals, the Lakers averaged a higher 8.22 to the Trail Blazers 7.25.
But in regards to blocks and turnovers, the Lakers were outscored. The Lakers ended with a team average of 3.90 blocks per game whereas the Trail Blazers averaged 4.75. For turnovers, the Lakers averaged 14.5 per game while the Trail Blazers averaged 15.3.
If the Lakers increased their average free throw percentage and elevated their defensive game, could they make the playoffs?
Not necessarily.
While raising these statistics do help their chances, there are countless ways the Lakers can elevate their game.
Going into the off-season, Lakers President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson felt the team lacked leadership. As a result, Johnson drafted guard Lonzo Ball to utilize his passing skills to conduct the team on the court.
Johnson also brought in veteran center Brook Lopez to help develop the team’s basketball I.Q. Because the Lakers are a relatively young team (The average player being 24, with Metta World Peace — who has not yet left the team — at 37), many of the players lack experience matching up against stronger and faster opponents as well as handling crunch-time moments. Together with Lopez, Johnson and Head Coach Luke Walton will help to fill this gap.
As of right now, the team has yet to complete off-season training and pre-season games. This is when the team will be able to hone in on and rectify these and other weaknesses.
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