NBA Thanksgiving 2019: What each team has to be thankful for

Los Angeles Lakers

An easy opening schedule

No one should deny the premise that the Los Angeles Lakers are one of the best teams in the NBA. With that being said, their sterling 15-2 start and plus-8.2 point differential have undoubtedly been boosted by one of the easier schedules in the league thus far.

Through 17 games, only six of their opponents currently have a record of .500 or better, with the Lakers going 4-2 in those contests. LeBron James is somehow leading the league in assists as his 35th birthday approaches (ridiculous), and Anthony Davis is a two-way monster conjuring up Defensive Player of the Year buzz, but the quality of competition still matters.

We should probably see how they fare against the other elite teams in the NBA before we go crowning them as title favorites, but beating inferior competition is what any good team does. In the end, this favorable opening schedule should be seen as a benefit, helping the Lakers assemble into an indestructible force before they take on tougher challengers.