Los Angeles Lakers Game 1 Matchup Preview
The Lakers will be facing off against the defending champ Golden State Warriors to begin their season, as these two California teams have a history that’ll make this an intriguing matchup.
LeBron James and Stephen Curry have had some great battles over the course of the last decade, as they met in the Finals for four consecutive years.
Far Apart in Terms of Competition
But last season, these two NBA teams were far apart in terms of competition. The Warriors won a championship, whereas the Lakers failed to qualify for even a spot in the play-in tournament.
This game is going to come down to which player between LeBron and Steph can take over the game.
The Lakers odds to win this game aren’t high, however, as it will be ring night for the Warriors, so they should be expected to play with a ton of energy.
2022 Los Angeles Lakers Schedule
The Lakers will be facing off against the:
- Golden State Warriors
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Denver Nuggets (twice)
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Utah Jazz (twice)
- Cleveland Cavaliers
To begin their season. This will be a great test for the Lake Show, as they will be going up against a bunch of teams that are expected to be right in the thick of the playoff race.
Roster Breakdown
LeBron James is about to be 38 years old, but he remains one of the greatest players in the game today, so all eyes will be on him as fans, and media members alike will want to see how long his greatness can last.
Anthony Davis will also get a chance to prove that he’s healthy and still an elite basketball player, as he’s been hobbled with injuries over the last two seasons.
If Los Angeles Lakers can come out of this stretch with more than a few victories, then that will go a long way into making people believe that they’re right in the mix for the championship once again.
However, the Lakers odds to win many of these games aren’t looking so great.
Los Angeles Lakers Season Props
The over/under win total for the Lakers is 45.5 wins. That is surprising on a number of levels, as this team couldn’t even qualify for the play-in tournament just a season ago.
But this team is definitely more than capable of reaching this amount of wins. It’ll just come down to the health of the players and the continuity of the overall team.
Expectations for Lakers’ Players
LeBron James should be expected to still put up high averages in the points, rebounds, and assists categories, as the offense will continue to run through him.
Anthony Davis should also continue to put up high numbers in the points, rebounds, and blocks categories, with the main question mark how healthy can he be.
Russell Westbrook may be the butt of all jokes on Twitter, but he can still put up a triple-double on any given night. Whether that will lead to winning basketball is another conversation to have.
Los Angeles Lakers 2022 Season Odds
The Lakers odds to do anything this season will come down to the health of LeBron James and Anthony Davis and how effective they can be on a nightly basis, as well as how the other pieces can fit around them.
Lakers 2022 NBA Title Odds
Despite last season’s failures, the Lakers NBA title odds remain high, as people aren’t quick to count out LeBron James just yet.
LeBron was among the league leaders in scoring last season, but his injuries kept him from being among the qualifiers for the scoring title.
Anthony Davis is still one of the best two-way players in the league when healthy, as he has a great all-around offensive game with his ability to score in the post, shoot, and drive to the rim.
He can also lock down the paint defensively, guard someone 1-on-1 and defend out on the perimeter.
Westbrook at the Bench
A huge question mark will come down to Russell Westbrook, as he may have to eventually embrace a role off the bench for the betterment of the team.
Westbrook loves to have the ball in his hands, but he isn’t the best shooter, which makes his ability to be productive when he’s off the ball very limited.
Adding Patrick Beverley will go a long way in helping to add to this team’s defensive woes last season and give them a tougher identity.
It’s very possible that the Lakers could end up back in the Finals so long as LeBron is on that team, but everything needs to come together right for this team to get there.
Los Angeles Lakers Playoff Odds
The Lakers should be able to get back to the playoffs after missing out on it last season, as LeBron isn’t the type to just accept last season’s failures.
They may have to get in through the play-in route, however, as a lot of the teams they’ll be battling against are:
- younger
- have more continuity
- are overall better conditioned
To handle the rigors of the regular season. If the Lakers can stay healthy and find their continuity, then the playoffs should be attainable for them.
Los Angeles Lakers Pacific Division Odds
The Pacific Division is going to be a tough one this season, with the Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, and Phoenix Suns all battling it out for the division crown.
All are very capable of getting to the Finals in their own right, so this division will not be a given for any of these teams.
It will likely come down to the Warriors and Clippers, as both teams are the most top-heavy and deepest in not only their division or even conference but the entire league.
But if the Lakers can come together as a group, they can quickly find themselves in this conversation.
Los Angeles Lakers Western Conference Championship Odds
The Lakers could get to the Finals is all breaks right, but it’s going to be a tough battle for them to get there.
They’ll have to get past teams like the:
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Dallas Mavericks
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Golden State Warriors
- Denver Nuggets
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Phoenix Suns
- New Orleans Pelicans
To get out of the West
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