3 realistic goals for Los Angeles Lakers in 2021 NBA Playoffs

1. Repeat as NBA champions

The Lakers are perhaps the only play-in team that can realistically win the championship this year. They are a different team when healthy and entered the year as favorites to repeat.

Winning would also make them the lowest-seed in NBA history to win it all. The Houston Rockets once won as a No. 6 seed, while the New York Knicks did win the East as a No. 8 seed in a shortened 1998-99 season.

The seed honestly does not matter for this team. Well, aside from the fact they must now take part in the play-in tournament. But given they can beat the Warriors, this could serve as an ideal tune-up for the true postseason.

Fans don’t even want to think about the alternative of losing just yet.

Having James is the ultimate X-factor other teams cannot attain. Add in Davis and the Lakers are understandably favorites regardless of seeding. They are realistic title favorites until proven otherwise.

Could this be the year that proof emerges? A loss to the Warriors would sure have some fans panicking. Others, however, may see it as the perfect beginning to another title story.