Predicting The Los Lakers Wins And Loss Record Game By Game: This Could Be One Of The Worst Lakers Seasons Ever
Los Angeles Lakers could have one of the worst seasons in the franchise history.
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The way the Lakers are starting this season, you have to wonder if fans are hoping that the season will end tomorrow. It has to be an odd feeling. After all, this is the Los Angeles Lakers we are talking about. This is supposed to be one of the storied franchises in all of the NBA. This is a team that owns a career-winning percentage of 59.2% and has won 3,460 wins in franchise history. This team owns only 18 losing seasons.
After an 0-3 start to the 2022-23 season, it doesn’t feel like the Lakers are going to get any better anytime soon. Last year, the Lakers won 33 games and couldn’t persuade anyone to take the contract of Russell Westbrook. With Westbrook, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis running it back, it’s evident that the team’s lack of outside shooting is going to hamper this team. Unless the team can find a taker for Westbrook, these Lakers are in real trouble.
This could be one of the worst seasons that the Lakers ever have.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Denver Nuggets - Loss
Date: Wednesday, October 26
Nikola Jokic is a two-time MVP that will pick apart the Lakers with his passing alone. Even with Jamal Murray not looking 100% as he starts to get back into a groove, this team still features a strong one-two punch. Michael Porter Jr. has looked very good through four games. He is going to have a day scoring on the Lakers. With Jokic and Aaron Gordon locking down the middle, the Nuggets should take care of this game.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Minnesota Timberwolves - Loss
Date: Friday, October 28
Anthony Edwards has the scoring talent of a young LeBron James. The Timberwolves made a deal for Rudy Gobert in the offseason, but it’s going to be Edwards that takes the step towards being an All-Star. With Gobert protecting the middle, Anthony Davis is going to have a slow day. It’s going to force the Lakers to shoot from outside, which we know is not going to go very well.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets - Win
Date: Sunday, October 30
The Lakers have to win a game eventually, right? After starting the year 0-5, the Lakers will finally get a win. After getting blasted by the Nuggets, the team will get their one good game out of Westbrook to help lead the team to their first win of the season. That’s the issue with bad teams. For every five bad games, there will be one diamond that surfaces from the rough.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Pelicans - Loss
Date: Wednesday, November 2
Brandon Ingram turned into an All-Star after getting traded by the Lakers for Davis. Every time Ingram plays the Lakers, there has to be a chip on his shoulder. Zion Williamson looks like his former All-Star self. Who is going to stop him? Even if the team can seal up the middle, that leaves open shots for CJ McCollum, and we haven’t even talked about how physical Jonas Valanciunas can be. The Pelicans are better than the Lakers on paper. That’s a wild statement you probably would not have believed last year around this time.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz - Win
Date: Friday, November 4
The Jazz cannot sustain this success. Eventually, the team is going to ship off their tradable assets. Maybe this success over the Jazz will help turn the Lakers towards convincing the team to take Westbrook’s contract for Mike Conley Jr. and Jordan Clarkson. Either way, this is a home game against another bad team, and most of the time, the home team can escape with the win.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers - Loss
Date: Sunday, November 6
Last season, the Cavaliers were a top-5 team rated in defensive rating. The Cavaliers are going to lock this team down defensively, especially since the team can crowd the paint with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Donovan Mithcell is going to have almost 40 points by the end of this night and do whatever he wants offensively. The big question will be this. Will the Cavaliers deploy Allen to guard Westbrook like the Trail Blazers did the other night?
Los Angeles Lakers @ Utah Jazz - Loss
Date: Monday, November 7
As mentioned, a matchup between two bad teams leans toward the home team. For now, the Jazz has some talent with Conley, Clarkson, and Collin Sexton. The Lakers are not overpowering on paper, so the Jazz will probably bounce back and take this victory. This matchup will swirl rumors again about what the teams should do at the trade deadline. The rumor mill will be the reason to watch this game.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Los Angeles Clippers - Loss
Date: Wednesday, November 9
Who is stopping Paul George? Who is stopping Kawhi Leonard? John Wall has looked solid in his 20 minutes of action each night. The Clippers are a deep team that can score from all over the court. George and Leonard are going to combine for 60 points minimum. The battle for Los Angeles is going to be as anti-climatic as possible this season.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings - Win
Date: Friday, November 11
Beating up on the bad teams is going to be the name of the game for the Lakers to win games. The Kings have equally started the season off poorly. Given that the team hasn’t made the playoffs since 2006, having the notion of a bad team is not too far off for the Kings. If the Lakers are going to pick up some wins this season, beating bad teams like the Kings will be one of their few ways.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Brooklyn Nets - Loss
Date: Sunday, November 13
This game will feature talk all about Kyrie Irving. During the summer, there was widespread speculation that Irving was going to be a Laker. Instead, the Nets kept both Kevin Durant and Irving. The Lakers will watch Irving tear apart the team and make them wish they had his outside shot. When Irving joined the Celtics, it was LeBron and the Cavaliers that got the laugh last in the playoffs. In this matchup, it will be Irving leaving the Staples Center all smiles.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons - Win
Date: Friday, November 18
The Pistons are a few years away from being competitive. Jaden Ivey already looks like a future stud in the NBA. Cade Cunningham is going through his development in his second season. The team is going to be near the bottom of the conference. The talent the Lakers have on the roster is better and should be enough to take care of Detroit at home.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs - Win
Date: Sunday, November 20
The projected last-place team in the conference has rattled off some wins, but that should not stick. The Spurs don’t have a true All-Star on their team. The tandem of James and Davis should be enough to carry the Lakers to a win over the Spurs. Beating up on legendary head coach Gregg Popovich will not be fun to watch. Then again, this game between these two teams will not be all that entertaining anyways.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix Suns - Loss
Date: Tuesday, November 22
This matchup has a 20-point win by the Suns written all over it. The Suns have a solid rim protector in Deandre Ayton and should have Jae Crowder back by then. Even if Crowder isn’t back, the Suns are a deep team that led the league in wins last year. Devin Booker will give fans flashbacks to Kobe Bryant, while Chris Paul can sit back and watch his surrounding cast pour in the points against the Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers @ San Antonio Spurs - Win
Date: Friday, November 25
A trip to San Antonio on three days' rest should help the Lakers bounce back with a win. As stated, the Spurs are not going to be a very good team. The team does not have the interior defense to stop James and Westbrook from going to the basket. In the rare instance that the team does not get forced to shoot from outside, the Lakers will take advantage to take the win.
Los Angeles Lakers @ San Antonio Spurs - Loss
Date: Saturday, November 26
For a strange reason, the Lakers and Spurs play back-to-back games. It’s hard to be a team three times in a row. If this matchup was spread out throughout the season, that would be different. Instead, given how close these two teams played together, the Lakers will have a tough time getting a third win against the Spurs. A player like Keldon Johnson or Doug McDermott will pop off to give the Spurs one of their few wins on the season.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Indiana Pacers - Win
Date: Monday, November 28
By now, the Pacers will have dealt either Buddy Hield or Myles Turner. As much as it would make sense for both parties to trade Westbrook for Hield and Turner, we will say the Pacers decided to not help out Los Angeles. With a team worse on paper than the Lakers, the team will get an easy win against the Pacers, who will be battling the Pistons for the worst record in the Eastern Conference.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers - Loss
Date: Wednesday, November 30
The tale of Jusuf Nurkic guarding Russell Westbrook will be an interesting topic during the broadcast. The “what if” scenarios of Damian Lillard being on this team will be talked about. It will distract the viewers from watching Lillard pour in over 30 points and torch the Lakers from outside. With no outside shooting to match Portland, the Lakers will drop another contest against the Trail Blazers.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Milwaukee Bucks - Loss
Date: Friday, December 2
Everything comes down to the stars. Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to be an MVP candidate this season. He is just too good, and he has a supporting cast in Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez, Grayson Allen, and Bobby Portis that can help pick up the slack. The Bucks are a team that can contend for the NBA Finals this season, so this should be an easy win at home.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Washington Wizards - Loss
Date: Sunday, December 4
Is the combination of Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis better than the combination of James and Davis? While that doesn’t seem likely, look at the rest of the Wizards' roster. The addition of Monte Morris and Will Barton were solid pickups. Don’t forget, this is a team that has Kyle Kuzma, who is a 20-point scoring complement to the team. Like Ingram with the Pelicans, Kuzma will have a chip on his shoulder to prove his worth that the Lakers should have never traded him.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Cleveland Cavaliers - Loss
Date: Tuesday, December 6
The second time playing the Cavaliers will not matter. The backcourt of Mitchell and Darius Garland features two All-Star guards. We already talked about the frontcourt defensively, but the Lakers don’t have enough players to guard the likes of two All-Stars. If we throw Mobley into the mix, who has the tools to be an All-Star in this league, it’s not going to be enough to pick up a win.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Toronto Raptors - Loss
Date: Wednesday, December 7
Speaking of defense, the Raptors have a head coach that can lead them into the top part of the defensive metrics of the NBA. With how long the Raptors are with Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, it doesn’t seem like this would be a great game for Westbrook to have. With Fred VanVleet opening up the offensive scheme, the Raptors have the perfect balance to deal doom to the Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Philadelphia 76ers - Loss
Date: Friday, December 9
Joel Embiid, James Harden, and Tobias Harris are legitimate big three despite their tough start to the season. If there is an 0-3 team that is going to turn things around, it’s the 76ers. Why? The 76ers have an MVP candidate in Embiid, that finished second in the race last year. Harden is going to figure this out because this is his last chance to be an impact player on a championship team. Playing at home in Philly, the Lakers don’t stand a chance.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Detroit Pistons - Win
Date: Sunday, December 11
The tough road trip would end on a pleasant note as the Lakers would pick up a win over the Pistons. As mentioned earlier, the Lakers have a better team with more experienced players. The youth will get a good lesson playing against the veteran Lakers, but there is not much to see here in a battle of bad teams.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics - Loss
Date: Tuesday, December 13
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will pick apart this team offensively. Marcus Smart doesn’t even have to guard Westbrook. Smart can be used on a different player, as the Lakers' backcourt would be locked down. Even without Robert Williams III, the Celtics have enough defense to hold down the Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets - Loss
Date: Friday, December 16
The Nuggets should be in a groove by now. Jamal Murray will have had time to get back to full strength. This should not be a close game, even with the Lakers playing at home. Michael Porter Jr. could be in the All-Star conversation if the Nuggets are playing at a high level. With Murray in the fold and healthy, this offensive trio will not be stopped. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will also have a breakout revenge game.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Washington Wizards - Loss
Date: Sunday, December 18
The pairing of Beal and Porzingis will have developed chemistry by now. If the first experience wasn’t already hard, this experience will be harder, given that the chemistry is on point. Kuzma will show up and show the Staples Center what they are missing. Beal and Porzingis will score 30 points each. It will be a bitter evening for Laker fans.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix Suns - Loss
Date: Monday, December 19
This is a plain and simple analysis. The Suns are better. A road game in Phoenix will not see a win for the Lakers. By then, Jae Crowder should be back and healthy for sure. As mentioned, the Suns are an NBA championship-contending team. The team is deeper and will roll past the Lakers with ease.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Sacramento Kings - Win
Date: Wednesday, December 21
The Kings will look to get some revenge on the Lakers but will continue to sink to the bottom of the standings. The idea of De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis will not live up to the hype. The Lakers will have enough pieces to push past the Kings. Harrison Barnes's trade rumors will continue to be at an all-time high. The Lakers will wish for his services, but fans will feel ill knowing there is no way he is coming to Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Charlotte Hornets - Win
Date: Friday, December 23
A home game with the Hornets will give the Lakers a two-game winning streak. LaMelo Ball can only do so much. The talk of the game will be what the Lakers can offer the Hornets for Terry Rozier. While Rozier has a great night shooting outside, the Lakers will barely hang onto the win.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Dallas Mavericks - Loss
Date: Sunday, December 25
By now, the Mavericks are in the middle of the pack of the standings. Luka Doncic looks like he is flirting with the scoring crown. Christian Wood and Davis are going tic for tack in the offensive scoring. Spencer Dinwiddie and Tim Hardaway Jr. provide enough offense to get past a solid game of scoring from James. Doncic will have a triple-double and remind fans that Westbrook used to be on that level.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Orlando Magic - Win
Date: Tuesday, December 27
Watching Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs, and Franz Wagner will be fun to see how they develop, but the Lakers are good enough to beat the Magic. This Magic team will be fun to watch in a few years, but for now, they are young pups. An experience with James, Davis, and Westbrook will be something these kids talk about when they are older.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Miami Heat - Loss
Date: Wednesday, December 28
James will return to South Beach in a different mood. It’s been 11 years since James won his first championship with the Heat, and it’s nearly a decade since he won MVP and Finals MVP in 2013. The Heat are back to being title contenders, and that has to rub James the wrong way. A sense of jealousy to prove his worth isn’t going to matter as the better team takes this victory.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Atlanta Hawks - Loss
Date: Friday, December 30
Speaking of better teams, the backcourt duo of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray will be flirting with being All-Stars. Young and Murray will shoot lights out while Clint Capela grabs 20 rebounds. The Hawks are young and ready to show the world they are capable of being in the NBA Finals. Beating the Lakers will be another part of that quest.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Charlotte Hornets - Loss
Date: Monday, January 2
The rematch with the Hornets will not go in favor of the Lakers. This will be a tight game, but LaMelo Ball will finish with a triple-double. Gordon Hayward will have a rare, strong game, while Rozier added six three-point shots. This will be a pivotal game that messes with the psyche of the Lakers and doom the team to a long losing streak.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat - Loss
Date: Wednesday, January 4
A rematch with the Heat in a short time will not matter. The Heat are the better team. LeBron got the last laugh on Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro in the NBA Finals in 2020. This Heat squad has more talent and features Butler, who will be all smiles as he destroys the Lakers offensively with 32 points.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Atlanta Hawks - Loss
Date: Friday, January 6
It’s deja vu when it comes to talking about this situation. For the same reasons as the Heat, the Lakers are not going to come out with a win against the Hawks. The team has more talent on paper, and it will create a five-game losing streak. Tensions will be at an all-time high.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Sacramento Kings - Loss
Date: Saturday, January 7
After the Lakers lose their sixth game in a row, we will finally see frustration come off of James if it didn’t happen already sooner. The morale will be low, and the team will drop a game that they should have won. The body language will be evident at the end as the Kings celebrate at home with a win-stopping losing streak of their own.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Denver Nuggets - Loss
Date: Monday, January 9
Does the losing streak stop here? With a road game at Denver, the Lakers dropped their seventh consecutive contest. There isn’t much to see here as Nikola Jokic terrorizes the team offensively while Aaron Gordon locks down Davis defensively. Westbrook scores three points in what feels like a game that replicates insanity.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks - Win
Date: Thursday, January 12
The Lakers finally stop the bleeding at home against the Mavericks. After one of the worst road trips ever for LeBron, he puts the team on his back and leads the team to a win over the Mavericks with 42 points. James will look exhausted, as someone who is 38 years old should be after scoring over 40 points in a game.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ers - Loss
Date: Sunday, January 15
With the 76ers progressing in the right direction and the Lakers trending downward, this is a game that appears to have blowout written all over it. The 76ers will be battling for a place in the standings, so there will be more fire for the team to succeed. Finding a player to stop Joel Embiid is nowhere to be found on the Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets - Win
Date: Monday, January 16
A home game against a bad team in the Rockets will help the Lakers get a win. By now, the Rockets will have potentially traded away Eric Gordon. The keys to the Rockets are Jalen Green and Jabari Smith. Either way, these two youngsters are not going to get the team a win against the Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings - Win
Date: Wednesday, January 18
They needed a win to keep their positivity alive; thank goodness the Kings are in town. The Lakers can enjoy a two-game winning streak by thumping the Kings. The team will be in the same realm as the Lakers in the basement of the conference standings.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Memphis Grizzlies - Loss
Date: Friday, January 20
Fans showing up to this game will be in attendance for Ja Morant. All eyes will be on the high flier who will lead the Grizzlies to a big win. With Jaren Jackson Jr. healthy and anchoring the defense, getting inside shots on Jackson and Steven Adams will not work. Outside shooting doesn’t work with the Lakers, as the Grizzlies will use their stars to lead their way to a win.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Portland Trail Blazers - Win
Date: Sunday, January 22
The Lakers will sneak a road win against Portland. Call it injuries to the team or a player like Lillard taking a night off for rest. Either way, the Lakers will get lucky and escape the city with a win over an opponent that is also out of the playoff race.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers - Loss
Date: Tuesday, January 24
The battle for Los Angeles sounds great on paper, but this will be a dud on television. There is only so much pride and hard work that can get the Lakers. The Clippers are more talented on paper. With the Clippers battling for a top spot in the conference standings, beating the Lakers will remind everyone who owns Los Angeles for the 2022-23 season.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs - Win
Date: Wednesday, January 25
A home game against a reeling Spurs team will change the narrative for a brief moment. With the Spurs looking towards the lottery, the Lakers will have some believe they can turn their season around. With a favorable schedule in the future, getting this win will be helpful.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Boston Celtics - Loss
Date: Saturday, January 28
With a road trip to the east coast, the Celtics would bring the Lakers back down to Earth. The Celtics will potentially have Robert Williams III back in the lineup. That will help the team turn back into a top-5 defensive team. Williams, along with Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, will be a formidable defensive duo in the starting lineup.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Brooklyn Nets - Loss
Date: Monday, January 30
The first matchup featured a win, with Irving walking away with all smiles. This time, Durant will shine as the Nets easily take care of the Lakers. By now, Ben Simmons will have enough minutes under his belt to build some chemistry. Even if Simmons does not shoot the ball, the team could throw Simmons on LeBron defensively and force Westbrook to win the game, which is very unlikely.
Los Angeles Lakers @ New York Knicks - Win
Date: Tuesday, January 31
With three more games on the road trip, the Lakers have a chance to win some games. The Lakers would steal one game in New York. Even with Mitchell Robinson playing well in the middle, LeBron would live up to the New York spotlight and play a fantastic game at Madison Square Garden. Westbrook would have one of his better games, and he seems to always have an extra jolt of energy at MSG.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Indiana Pacers - Win
Date: Thursday, February 2
There is not much to see here. The Pacers will be without Buddy Hield and Myles Turner by now. Tyrese Haliburton will be a one-man offensive show and cannot carry this team by himself. The Pacers will be looking for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft as the Lakers cruise to an easy win.
Los Angeles Lakers @ New Orleans Pelicans - Win
Date: Saturday, February 4
Needing a big win on the road, the return of Davis in New Orleans will always get him hyped up. Fans in the area still are not the biggest fan since he wanted out. Davis will have a monster game to stop the haters. By the end of the night, the Lakers will steal an important win to keep their spirits high.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Win
Date: Tuesday, February 7
A four-game winning streak has all of Los Angeles bumping. The Thunder come to town with a bad roster, and the Lakers make quick work of it. Josh Giddey will get some national spotlight for a brief moment, but all eyes will be on LeBron’s double-double that helps the Lakers win easily.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Milwaukee Bucks - Loss
Date: Thursday, February 9
With two opponents pegged to make the NBA Finals, the Lakers watch their winning streak disappear. The Bucks make a trip to Los Angeles with a thumping of the Lakers. Khris Middleton has one of his best games of the season, while Holiday and Portis also have strong games. Allen’s outside shooting reminds everyone that the Lakers don’t have any legitimate three-point shooting threats.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Golden State Warriors - Loss
Date: Saturday, February 11
Speaking of outside shooting, the Warriors throttle the Lakers with 18 three-point shots. Between Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole, the Warriors post a clinic at home. The added layer of the Curry and LeBron rivalry sees Curry all smiles as he leaves the court.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Portland Trail Blazers - Win
Date: Monday, February 13
By now, the Trail Blazers probably have a player hurt. Lillard, Jusuf Nurkic, or even Jerami Grant are probably ailing with something. With the lack of depth, the Lakers take advantage to steal a win on the road.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Pelicans - Loss
Date: Wednesday, February 15
After getting beat on the road, the Pelicans are not happy. The team comes back with a 20-point beatdown of the Lakers. Zion Williamson shows all of California that he is for real. The All-Star will have a double-double and even knock down a couple of outside shots on top of that. Williamson brings the whole package while the Lakers' defense struggles to keep up.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors - Win
Date: Thursday, February 23
Every really good team stumbles every once in a while. The Warriors are not perfect and will lose games at times. With the Lakers on their home court, the place will be packed to see the star power on the court. With a different vibe in the arena, the Lakers will use the energy to quiet the Warriors and steal a game at home.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Dallas Mavericks - Loss
Date: Sunday, February 26
The fun doesn’t last for long as the Lakers hit the road for a three-game stretch. The road trip starts with a loss in Dallas. It’s been said before that stopping Doncic is a hard task. The Lakers don’t have a true defensive stopper to stop him. With the Mavericks riding a winning streak of their own, the Lakers become just another casualty.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Memphis Grizzlies - Win
Date: Tuesday, February 28
A surprise road win over the Grizzlies would help for the moment. Of all players, Lonnie Walker IV erupts for 38 points and has the game of his life. It would be Morant making a few top-10 players, but Walker would get the last laugh to help the Lakers escape Memphis with a win.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Oklahoma City Thunder - Loss
Date: Wednesday, March 1
After an ultimate win, the momentum crashed with a trip to Oklahoma City. The Thunder would add a layer of frustration with their surprise win over the Lakers at home. Josh Giddey flirts with a triple-double, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 28 points of his own. The homecoming for Westbrook does not end with a smile on his face.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves - Loss
Date: Friday, March 3
The Thunder loss opened up a can of worms as the Lakers have a tough four-game stretch. Despite playing at home, the Lakers cannot hang. The entire night features flashbacks to Patrick Beverley’s time with the Timberwolves last season. The problem is that this is the present, and presently the Lakers are not going to beat Minnesota.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors - Loss
Date: Sunday, March 5
The home stretch continues with another rough loss. The Warriors are contending for the top seed, and the Warriors use a barrage of outside shooting to take away the win. Andrew Wiggins limits LeBron to a slow night, while James Wiseman adds a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Memphis Grizzlies - Loss
Date: Tuesday, March 7
The losing streak continues as the Grizzlies come to town. At one point, Morant frustrates Westbrook so much that he gets him to bite on a technical foul. Morant dunks on at least one Lakers player, and the highlight goes viral. Defensively, the Grizzlies get the job done and beat the Lakers with ease.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Toronto Raptors - Loss
Date: Friday, March 10
At this point, emotions are starting to be visible, and the Raptors frustrate the Lakers with another loss at home. Pascal Siakam has 35 points and eight rebounds, while VanVleet adds 20 points of his own. Westbrook cannot find a way into the defense, and Davis cannot get going offensively.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. New York Knicks - Win
Date: Sunday, March 12
The losing streak ends with a win over the Knicks. The Lakers can always count on the New York team coming through for them, sort of. The Knicks are trying to win the game, but this is a battle of two large market teams that feature very little talent. The thing is that the Lakers have a hair more talent than the Knicks at this point in the season.
Los Angeles Lakers @ New Orleans Pelicans - Loss
Date: Tuesday, March 14
The Pelicans are battling for playoff position and need a win. The team is motivated and clearly in a position to compete for a top-six position in the standings. Williamson explodes offensively and beats Davis in every aspect of the game. Valanciunas adds a double-double as the Pelicans use the rebounding advantage to bully their way to a win over the Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Houston Rockets - Win
Date: Wednesday, March 15
The Lakers are stumbling their way out of the playoff picture. There are talks about shutting down LeBron for the rest of the season. However, a win helps the Lakers stay within the conversation for the play-in game. With a bad Rockets roster, the Lakers can get past these rumors for one more week.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks - Loss
Date: Friday, March 17
It will be the last time that the fans in California get to see the Luka Doncic show. As the Mavericks continue to make a playoff push, the Lakers are floating around being irrelevant. At least the 35 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists by Doncic gave Laker fans a show to watch because it will be anything but entertaining watching this.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Orlando Magic - Win
Date: Sunday, March 19
A bounce-back win at home helps calm the nerves for the time being. The Magic’s group gave the Lakers a competitive game compared to the last meeting. The young core looks promising. Meanwhile, the salaries and age give the fans a grumpy mood because the Magic appear to have a plan, while the Lakers are wasting another year from their star player LeBron.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns - Loss
Date: Wednesday, March 22
After enjoying a brief moment of victory, the team’s poor season hits right back to the bottom with a loss to the Suns. The Suns are fighting with the Warriors for a top spot in the conference. The championship-caliber roster of the Suns makes quick work of the Lakers. LeBron is so frustrated that he walks off the court as fast as he can.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Win
Date: Friday, March 24
Back to the bad teams, the up-and-down stretch of the season features another win over a bad team. There is no lightning in the bottle for the Thunder as the Lakers take this game with a strong performance from the frontcourt. The Thunder appears to be trying to race the Lakers to the back of the standings and help their chances of getting a lottery pick.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Chicago Bulls - Win
Date: Sunday, March 26
With the Bulls coming to town, there are questions about the health of Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball, as both are battling lingering injuries. With both players out, the Lakers take advantage of an off-shooting night of DeMar DeRozan to steal a game against the Bulls.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Chicago Bulls - Loss
Date: Wednesday, March 29
The Bulls need this win as the team is fighting for a play-in spot. The team has the top six in view but is sitting with the eighth-best record. The Lakers are on the outside of the last spot for the play-in game and blow another opportunity by losing to the Bulls.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Minnesota Timberwolves - Loss
Date: Friday, March 31
With the Lakers losing another game, the play-in game is all but out of their grasp. The Timberwolves are trying to secure the fourth seed in the West and use a strong defensive showing to hold the Lakers to under 100 points. The scoring from D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns picked up the slack. Patrick Beverley can only be wishing he was back with the Timberwolves. It’s now that LeBron is shut down for the rest of the season.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Houston Rockets - Win
Date: Sunday, April 2
The Rockets are throwing out whatever young player they can at this point. Even with Davis leading the way and padding his stats, the Lakers are good enough to beat the lowly Rockets. There are a ton of players not named Jalen Green and Jabari Smith trying to impress those around the league for a contract.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Utah Jazz - Win
Date: Tuesday, April 4
The Jazz is in a similar boat. With the playoffs out of view, the Jazz is seeing what players they have in their farm system. With plenty of draft picks, it’s all about evaluating the current talent and then looking at the college ranks.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Los Angeles Clippers - Loss
Date: Wednesday, April 5
At this point, the Lakers decide to shut down Davis for the rest of the season and let Westbrook run around with the younger group. The Clippers have something to play for, as the team is among the top three teams in the conference. With a beatdown, the Clippers hang onto life for the second seed, while the Lakers are ready for the season to be over.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns - Loss
Date: Friday, April 7
The Suns are looking to keep pace with the Clippers and Warriors for a top seed. The Lakers have nothing to lose, so the team plays a bunch of younger players with Westbrook. By the end of the night, Westbrook takes 30 shots, and the Clippers blow past the Lakers for an easy win.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz - Loss
Date: Sunday, April 9
Westbrook doesn’t play the final game, which brings up rumors about the future of his NBA career. In a battle of young talent, the Jazz has more and uses it to beat the Lakers in a meaningless game. The Staples Center is empty, and the disastrous season finally comes to an end.
Final Record - 30-52
Six times in the history of the franchise has there been a season where the Lakers won less than 30 games. Four of those seasons were in the midst of the 2010s. The team went 27-55 during the 2013-14 season, 26-56 in the 2016-17 season, and 21-61 during the 2014-15 season. The team’s franchise record for most losses came during Kobe Bryant’s final season in the league when the team went 17-65 in 2015-16.
The team was capped with money tied to Bryant at the time. There was virtually no talent on the roster as Bryant was older. There are some similar parallels right now. The issue is that LeBron has played at a high level and can still be a top-10 player. Unfortunately, the team took a chance on dealing complementary role players for someone like Westbrook, which has doomed the team since the start of last year. If the Lakers cannot get rid of Westbrook, the team is going to be in danger of having one of the worst seasons in team history. The Lakers will flirt with losing more than 50 games this season. With no potential end in sight for Westbrook, the future looks bleak for Laker nation.
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