This isn't a prediction. The Lakers didn't even make the playoffs this past season, but have the best odds to win it all next season. I'm looking for reasons why they might not make it to the finals next season. Here are some that are most obvious to me. 1) injuries. Since we're talking about Anthony Davis being on the roster, and seeing what happened to Golden State, this is probably the first one that comes to mind for most people. 2) Lebron hasn't won anything in the Western Conference. Winning is of course a combination of factors, what I mean here is that the Western Conference is being under-rated. What worked in the east, may not work in the west. 3) Who fills out the roster? They may get by with not much, but if #1 happens, then what?
Because they'll sell the team and move it to Seattle where there actually are "lakes" and they won't have to continue to live under the shadow of the mighty Clippers...LA's favorite team
If the Lakers don't look like they're going to finish top 4 in the West, the Kobe-ites are going to start dogging on LeBron.
Really quick... When Lebron formed his team in MIA did they win the first year? Nope.. They lost to the Mavericks... They should have SMASHED them... It takes a season, or a GSW team with a WHOLE lot of injuries to win it in the first year.
I kind of agree, I think one major difference is Lebron hadn't won before, he knows how to win championships now. Just like how Kawhi had one a ring before. To argue against myself, Dwade had a ring so he knew how to win. I actually think that Mavericks team is like the Raptors, just kind of one of those years where the best team wasn't playing their best.
They basically just started over from scratch though. They traded away half their core. It's basically a new team.
How are you not playing your best when you make it to the finals? That Mavs team should not have won a title but maybe... Just mabye they deserve it for giving me this:
Who is going to win the west next year? Odds are it won't be the Lakers but odds are it won't be anyone else either. I will take the "field" on any bet. But does anyone have a better duo than LA......right now?
Well in GS’s case, they kind of just ran out of healthy bodies. For Miami, I think it was more like they just had to figure out things. Lebron is way better then he played in the finals.
That's what I'm saying. That's what the Lakers just did. That means they won't have success this season and it will be another year before they can really compete.
a minor quibble, but the thread is about winning the West, not winning the championship. That Miami team did win the conference the first season they played together The Boston team that added KG and Ray Allen won 66 games and the championship in their first season after they won 24 games the previous season a Portland team that added Maurice Lucas, Dave Twardzick, Johnny Davis, Corky Calhoun and Herm Gilliam one summer won the championship 10 months later...I saw it so I know it's not an internet rumor
If Brady was hurt in the super bowl the Rams would be NFL champs. Injuries are part of the game and it makes a difference in competition. Loved it when Kurt Gibson came to pinch hit on a bum leg and the rest is history. IMO, no way Raptors would have beaten GS with a healthy Durant & Thompson. I don't want to offend Canadians at all, it's just the truth.
