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Los Angeles Lakers 2015 NBA Season Preview

By Cody Williams

Oct 13, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) and coach Byron Scott react during the game against the Sacramento Kings at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 13, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) and coach Byron Scott react during the game against the Sacramento Kings at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 24, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Lakers assistant coach Paul Pressey speaks to Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson (6) during a break in action against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 24, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Lakers assistant coach Paul Pressey speaks to Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson (6) during a break in action against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Most Important Games

For a team like the Lakers that most people aren’t projecting to be in the postseason this year, what you want to see from them is solid progression and growth from their young players. And if they have some success while doing that, that’s even better for the fans and the team.

The first benchmark of the team’s progress will undoubtedly come at the start of December as the Lakers head out on an eight-game road trip that will take them all over the east coast, into Canada, and down to Texas all from Dec. 1 to Dec. 12. With six of those games being against teams that have a foreseeable shot in the postseason, seeing how the Lakers are gelling over that stretch and how the key young players like Russell and Randle manage through that tough stretch will tell us a great deal about this team.

Another December matchup to keep an eye on is their clash with the Los Angeles Clippers on Christmas Day. Make no mistake; the Clippers are far and away the better of the two teams in L.A. However, any game getting the Christmas Day shine is important for a team.

The end of the Lakers season will again be another and the final benchmark of how the Lakers have developed over the season. From March 27 to the end of the season on April 13, the Lakers have their final 10 games of the season. It’s an even 5-5 home-road split over that stretch, but they are almost unanimously against teams likely to be playing postseason basketball this year. That’ll be a big test of where the Lakers are and give the organization a better idea of where to go from there.

Next: NBA Finals Odds

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