Charles Barkley did not hold back earlier this season when talking about the Los Angeles Lakers. He said that the Lakers had no chance against the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
And at the time, he was not wrong. The Lakers were getting beaten consistently by good teams, and they were exposed big time on the defensive end. But as of late, they have picked up the slack on both ends, and some matchups now look completely different.
Lakers keep proving Charles Barkley wrong 😭
by
u/King_Vegito_52 in
lakers
Let’s start with the Spurs.
They have been a better team all season long, as they sit 2nd in the West with a 51-18 record, and they are the biggest threat to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Lakers could only manage one win in four games against them, so Chuck wasn’t wrong here. But that one win still matters. It showed they do have a shot when things click, even if they’re not on the same level.
Houston is where things flipped more clearly.
The Lakers beat the Rockets twice in a row recently and took the season series 2-1. Those weren’t sloppy wins either. They controlled the pace, put up a great defensive showing, executed late, and didn’t let the game turn into chaos. Against a team that thrives on energy and physicality, that says a lot.
Then Denver.
The Nuggets are always a problem because of Nikola Jokic. You don’t really stop him; you just try to survive his stretches. The Lakers managed to win that series 2-1, including an overtime game that could’ve gone either way. They didn’t fold late, which used to be an issue earlier in the season.
Minnesota might be the most telling one.
The Lakers swept them 3-0. Clean sweep. This is the same team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year. That kind of turnaround doesn’t happen by accident. They looked more prepared, more physical, and just sharper across those games.
Now look at where the Lakers are.
They’ve won seven straight and 10 of their last 11. That run pushed them from sixth to third in the West at 44-25. They’ve also locked in tiebreakers over the Timberwolves, Rockets, and Nuggets, which could quietly matter a lot later.
The numbers back it up, too, but more importantly, the eye test feels different.
Luka Doncic is controlling everything offensively, and lately, he’s been on another level. Austin Reaves has settled into that second option role without forcing things. And LeBron James has adjusted. That part stands out. He’s not trying to dominate every possession, but he’s still everywhere when it matters.
That balance wasn’t there before.
Are they favorites? No. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Spurs have been more consistent all year. That gap still exists.
But the idea that the Lakers can’t ‘beat these teams’ doesn’t hold up anymore.
They already have.
