In what comes as news that no Los Angeles Lakers fans want to hear, the team has just a 1% chance of winning the NBA Finals this season.
But it’s all not bad news in its entirety, as the analytics site, FiveThirtyEight gives LA a 53% chance of making the playoffs. It should be worth noting that their dismal start to the season, followed by a string of losses in between didn’t really give them significant chances of making the postseason.
The projection aside, the Lakers’ current run of form, largely buoyed by the additions they made ahead of the trade deadline in the form of Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Mo Bamba — puts them in playoff contention.
For now, though, nothing is guaranteed, especially after the close loss to the Houston Rockets. At the time of writing, LA is placed 10th in the West with a 34-36 record. With LeBron James speculated to be away for a couple more weeks away from making his return, the team’s 1% chance is also dependent on his return.
Can The Los Angeles Lakers Beat The Odds And Win The NBA Championship?
The Lakers got themselves a squad that’s capable of going the distance. They beefed up both aspects of the game by acquiring a bunch of shooters and high-energy defenders around James and Anthony Davis.
And the results were out there with the Russell, Beasley, and Vanderbilt making instant splashes. The team has been winning without James and that was one of the biggest positives for a side that was inconsistent for the first half of the season.
To answer the question of whether they can indeed win the title, they can if their superstar duo plays every playoff game and manage to stay healthy — not to forget, land big performances.
Their latest additions have been impressive, but LA needs their primary weapons to go the distance. For now, they will be looking at more than just a 1% chance, and it remains to be seen if they manage to end their regular season on a high.
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