The 3 keys for the Lakers to be able to win the NBA championship this year

The Los Angeles Lakers are currently fifth in the Western Conference, just 2 games behind the second position held by the Memphis Grizzlies and with a 4.5-game lead over the play-in zone they seemed to have settled into in recent years. The arrival of Luka Doncic has naturally increased their favoritism for the championship, although almost no expert places them among the real contenders to win like OKC, Denver, Boston, Cleveland, or even New York.

Despite the lack of quality interior play (which was what made the trade of Luka for Anthony Davis fall short), the team of JJ Redick, LeBron James, and company has shown some signs of being a serious unit that could give them a chance in the postseason to make an impact and clinch the championship. For this to happen, the following keys or conditions need to be met:

1. Maintain the defensive system despite Doncic

In the last twenty games, the Los Angeles Lakers have been the best defensive team in the NBA by rating. And they achieved this for a long time with Anthony Davis injured, not just with The Brow on the court. They must maintain this effectiveness (I'm not saying they need to be the best after the Slovenian arrived, but they must continue to be among the best) to aspire to the championship. Against Denver last weekend, they tactically demonstrated how, despite having fewer resources in the interior game, they could lock down Nikola Jokic, the best player in the world. Players like Finney Smith, Vanderbilt, or Hachimura are crucial for this.

2. LeBron James' physical condition

This sturdy defense by the Lakers would not be possible if LeBron James did not have the physical condition to support it. Thus, against Denver, for example, we saw him acting both as an exterior defender and providing help defense against Jokic. Being able to maintain his level on both ends of the court during series of seven games at the age of forty is something we have not seen him do in recent years. If this season he is doing things differently with Redick to rest when he can afford it and be effective when necessary, this is something we won't truly see until April. It's also true that Luka's arrival takes a lot of offensive weight off him.

3. Let Luka be Luka

Of the 3 premises, this one seems the easiest to fulfill. In the first 2 games, Redick tried to make Luka one more player on the team, but from Denver onward, it's clear that the Lakers are Doncic's team. If he plays at his usual level, the Lakers simply have one of the top 3 players in the world, making them very dangerous.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Las 3 claves para que los Lakers puedan ganar este año el anillo de la NBA