Los Angeles Lakers have to ‘go crazy offensively’ to make playoffs
With Hall-of-Fame guard Kobe Bryant returning to the lineup, many expect the Los Angeles Lakers to make the postseason. With apologies to Carlos Boozer, Jeremy Lin and Ed Davis, the Lakers really didn’t make an impact signing after losing Pau Gasol to the Chicago Bulls.
More from Los Angeles Lakers
- NBA rumors: Hawks trade candidate, Sixers miss out, Lakers almost lose Reaves
- Predicting NBA’s Christmas Day Schedule: Lakers, Warriors highlight slate of postseason rematches
- Bronny James collapses at practice, taken to ICU with cardiac arrest
- NBA Rumors: Lakers nearing another savvy minimum signing
- Lakers projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
Nate Duncan of Basketball Insiders believes the Lakers will have to “go crazy offensively” to make the playoff this season.
"They are going to just have to go crazy offensively, because I can’t possibly envision a scenario in which they are better than about 25th in defense. They don’t have a single above-average defensive player on the roster, and I think Byron Scott is the only coach to every preside over 3 straight bottom 25 teams in defense while in CLE.So to get up above 45 wins where they’d really be able to compete, they’d need a top-5 offense. Maybe that’s possible if Kobe can return to 2012-13 levels (that seems very unlikely 2 years older having missed so much time with major injuries), Nash can give them 24 minutes, Lin plays well, Boozer bounces back, Randle is a force out of the gate, etc. But it sure seems very unlikely. And maybe 45 wins isn’t even enough in the West anyway."
The Lakers really don’t seem to have a roster built to get into the postseason. Perhaps if they played in the Eastern Conference instead of the loaded Western Conference, they’d have a shot to sneak in.
Be sure to check FanSided’s official NBA page to keep up to date on the latest news and rumors from around the league as we get you ready for the start of the 2014-2015 season.
More on FanSided.com
Chicago Bulls made huge upgrades this offseason
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant on free agency: ‘I can’t tell you the future’
Los Angeles Lakers Nick Young: I might win MVP or 6th Man, I was robbed last year
Detroit Pistons news: Greg Monroe has no beef with Josh Smith
Minnesota Timberwolves rumors: Will Wolves trade Nikola Peković?