Lakers schedule: Projecting LA's record after upcoming 4-game week

The first couple weeks of the NBA season aren't the "be all, end all" for teams, but for basketball fans, there may be no better time to take stock of whether teams are going to live up to or fall short of preseason expectations. Some teams, such as the Celtics and Thunder, look every bit the championship contenders that most people pegged them to be, while others, such as the Bucks, Sixers and Nuggets, look like their championship windows are closing or closed already.

Lakers fans didn't know what to expect when the team hired JJ Redick to be the 26th coach in franchise history, but the early returns have been extremely promising. Redick has navigated the team through a difficult early schedule with aplomb, and at 4-2, L.A. is sitting pretty in the early Western Conference standings, with only the undefeated Thunder and the 5-1 Suns and Warriors ahead of them.

The Lakers have proven that they can hang with elite competition, as they're the team that gave Phoenix its lone loss on the season. They've also beaten the Timberwolves and Kings, two teams that would be above .500 if not for their loss to L.A.

The top teams in the league will beat up on each other all year long, but what often separates them in the final standings is how consistently they're able to take care of business against inferior competition. The Lakers have only played one team that currently has a losing record this season, and though that game against the Raptors ended up tighter than an early 26-point lead would have indicated, L.A. was still able to hold on for their first road win of the year.

The Lakers will finish their road trip this week as they travel to Detroit and Memphis to take on the Pistons and Grizzlies, then they'll return home for dates with the Sixers (who should have Paul George back but will probably still be without Joel Embiid) and Raptors.

If the Lakers hope to remain near the top of the West, they need to keep stacking up wins. This week's opponents have a combined record of 9-17. Can L.A. take advantage of a soft schedule, or will there be a letdown after an intense but successful first couple of weeks? Let's take a look.

Lakers at Pistons, Monday, Nov. 4

For the past few seasons, teams have been able to pencil the Pistons in as an automatic win. Even though they still figure to be a lottery team, that's no longer the case, for a variety of reasons.

The Monty Williams tenure in Detroit will go down as one of the most disappointing (and expensive) in history. J.B. Bickerstaff has been a major upgrade, and though their 2-5 record doesn't totally reflect it, his Pistons have been feisty while dealing with a brutal early schedule that has included the Cavs, Celtics and Knicks.

The Lakers will be the first Western Conference team the Pistons face, but the fact that it's in Little Caesar's Arena makes this a sneaky tough game. Cade Cunningham has taken a big step forward this year, with an improved three-point shot and a softer touch around the basket. He's also been helped in the backcourt by Jayden Ivey, who's finally thriving after being an afterthought while Williams was in charge.

The Pistons finished last season as the 26th-ranked team in defensive efficiency, but they currently sit at 16th. They also haven't dealt with a post scorer like Anthony Davis though, and with the MVP level AD is at right now, he should be in line for another monster game.

The Suns beat the Lakers behind 33 points from Devin Booker, and the Pistons will need something similar from Cunningham to win this one. Detroit showed a lot in hanging with the Celtics, but just as in that game, they'll ultimately come up a little short against a Lakers team that can physically bully them.

Lakers 117 - Pistons 109

Lakers at Grizzlies, Wednesday, Nov. 6

Next up for the Lakers is a trip to FedExForum (yes that's one word for some reason, which as a writer is making my eye twitch uncontrollably) to take on the Grizzlies. This is going to be a fun one, and a difficult one to predict.

The Grizzlies will be without Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart, and possibly Luke Kennard as well. Bane is out with an oblique strain, while Smart is nursing a sprained ankle. Kennard still hasn't played since straining a muscle in his foot in the preseason, though he's expected back soon.

Either way, the Grizzlies will be shorthanded in this one, but as long as they have Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., they're a tough out. Last year was a lost season for Memphis due to Morant's suspension and season-ending injury, so I'm tempted to throw it out completely. The year before, the Grizzlies were 35-6 at home. That seems important.

Ja Morant has scored over 26 points per game against the Lakers in his career, and though nobody has been able to stop Anthony Davis so far, JJJ's defensive prowess should at least be able to keep him in check.

This will be the final game of a five-game road trip for the Lakers, so I can see them coming out flat, especially in a hostile environment with Ja Morant running wild. This year, Memphis is third in the NBA in pace, and I expect them to try to take advantage of L.A.'s age by pushing the ball up and down the court.

Grizzlies 123 - Lakers 112

Sixers at Lakers, Friday, Nov. 8

Injuries will again play a prominent role in the Lakers' next game, but this one will be in the friendlier confines of Crypto.com Arena. The Sixers have dug themselves an early hole to start the year, with losses to the Bucks, Raptors and Pistons already on their resume.

As of Monday afternoon, Paul George and Joel Embiid have yet to make their season debuts, which has left Tyrese Maxey to shoulder an untenable burden in the meantime. George signed a four-year, $211 million contract to join the Sixers in free agency, and his expected return Monday night will be his first chance to prove his worth to his new team.

George is an All-NBA talent, but he won't have had time to get acclimated to the Sixers, and they to him, by time this game takes place. Nick Nurse is an excellent coach, but it's unlikely that he'll have his offense really flowing in this one, especially with Anthony Davis patrolling the paint.

Without Embiid, Davis will get to attack Andre Drummond, which gives the Lakers a huge edge. AD has had success against Drummond before, including dropping a career-high 59 points on him back in 2016 when they were on the Pelicans and Pistons, respectively.

The Lakers will be energized to return home after their road trip. The Sixers are all out of sorts. This should be a stress-free win.

Lakers 120 - Sixers 104

Raptors at Lakers, Sunday, Nov. 10

For the second week in a row, the Lakers will close out their week with a game against the Raptors, only this time the game will be in Hollywood instead of the Great White North.

The Raptors did well to make it a game when they last faced the Lakers, but by this time, they should be fully feeling the absence of Scottie Barnes, who is set to miss multiple weeks with a fractured orbital bone.

RJ Barrett and Gradey Dick have given Raptors fans something to be excited about, and they showed out when these teams met last week with 64 points combine. Without Barnes though, this is a severely undermanned roster, and certainly not one that should plan on winning many road games when travelling out West.

AD shot 70 percent and hit 10 of 11 free throws to hang 38 on the Raptors on Friday. That was with Raps starting center Jakob Poeltl (who could be a Lakers trade target) and reserve Chris Boucher on him. If Davis had been a little more selfish, he could have put up 50. Maybe he will this time, or maybe he'll be able to sit most of the fourth quarter because the game is well in hand.

Lakers 128 - Raptors 108

If our prognostication skills are any good, the Lakers will finish this week with a record of 7-3, which should comfortably keep them in the top four of the West. Tune in to NBA League Pass at 7:30 p.m. ET tonight to see if they can start the week on a good note in Detroit.