8 - 9

[Lonzo-Lite]

Someone brought up a thread here that the 2011 Heat team started 9-8 before going to the Finals and losing.

This Lakers team is the opposite, 8-9.

Has any championship team started this bad before winning the championship? Not only going to the NBA Finals but actually winning the whole thing?

Or...

Time for the Lakers to make history right? NBA champs with the worst start in NBA history! Who’s with me? Anyone? Hello?
_________________
Tacos

[BandwagonLBJhopper]

That heat team had peak prime Lebron James. We don’t have that guy on this team.

[windycitycane]

We ain’t making the playoffs

We have had the third easiest schedule so far and absolutely suck.

Westbrook has been a disaster.

Vogel has lost the team.

In 13 month’s we’ve gone from
Championship team to lottery.

Unbelievable.
_________________
"I bought the Lakers so I could beat the Celtics" - Dr. Jerry Buss

[DrDent]

Before this thread is closed...

This squad looks like hot garbage right now. Just calling it like I see it. Right now they look more likely to enter the lotto than even make the playoffs.
_________________
"One thing I admire about Kuzma is his unwavering confidence. He truly has no idea that he’s not as good as he thinks." - Killer_Z

[mad55557777]

Seriously, this team is stupid. If you don’t have to players to play agreesive defense, adjust and go to zone more. At least they can save some energy

[Brawn13]

[KindCrippler2000]

Heat had 3 HOFers in their prime, which makes Dirk's run in 2011 even more unreal.

[lakers4life78]

This team is terrible. If they’re lucky they’ll make the playoffs as a play in team and get swept round 1. They also have no cap space or draft picks.

But this was all very predictable.
_________________
17 time World Champions

[DrDent]

[Four Decade Bandwagon]

[Lakesh0wtime]

Gonna take a the next few games off until after thanksgiving.

This is not good for my mental healthy haha.
Happy thanksgiving laker fam!

[DrDent]

[lakersboy]

The title of the thread should be:

“How to go from winner to loser in 2 seasons, by Rob Pelinka.”

The Lakers are 8-9 but it’s the way they’re losing. They’re one of the worst defenses out there. Offense could get better, but that won’t fix the problem.

They’re running out of excuses. I personally don’t expect Reaves, Nunn, or Ariza to make significant differences overall.

I agree with AD’s 13 game assessment. I don’t need to wait 30 or 40 games to see how bad this team is.

[mad55557777]

It feels like any scoring drought of 3 minutes or more will end the game for us at this point.

[KingKobe20]

If Crappy second half starts is gonna be the reoccurring theme throughout the season forget everything.

No Heart! 🤬🤬🤬

[hydrohead]

We are in the unofficial preseason of the NBA (pre Christmas). Frank is getting a better idea on who to play and who to sit. Ill be more critical between the Christmas and the All Star Break when we should be solidifying style and pace.
This team needs to be clicking post ASB like we did in 2020 before the shutdown. We make a late season run to get into the playoffs and then crush to a championship.
Thats my view through these purple and gold colored glasses.
_________________
Darvin

[1995Lakers]

[mad55557777]

We are so much like the Manchester United at the moment, lol

[lakersfever714]

There's a HUGE difference between a team full of talent who just needed to get going and a team with mediocre players. The Heat is the former and the Lakers is the latter. You think Westbrook could channel his inner Curry? You think Melo is hiding his Holiday like defense? Dream on.

At this point, I think this is where we're at, a middle of the road team barely making/missing the playoffs handing the Pels a high draft pick.
_________________
LeGoat! LeMazing! LeGend!

[lar9149]

I started thinking about this thread yesterday. And perhaps a comparison to the 2012 Heat doesn’t work for reasons other posters mentioned.

I think a comparison that might work is to the Tampa Bay Bucs and Tom Brady and the 2012 Lakers with Dwight.

Yes one is a different sport and the 2012 Lakers ended on disaster. Tom Brady and LBJ are both defying age by using their knowledge of the game.

And the 2012 Lakers actually ended the season 25 and 12 I believe one of the best in the 2nd half thus vastly Improved. If it wasnt for Kobe’s injury hard to say how far they would have gone. Luck plays a role in these scenarios.

I do see this as possible for this Lakers if Healthy. As in we may see continued subpar performance until after the all star break even. Than they could get hot and if things go right, maybe even a championship.

[venturalakersfan]

[lakersken80]

This was always the likelier outcome from their roster moves over the summer. We were counting against league trends where they surround their aging vets with much younger players. We were hoping to buck the trend but unfortunately, its not working and our team isn't gelling either. So we are sub .500 while they try their best to play good enough basketball to make the playoffs.

[venturalakersfan]

[Vancouver Fan]

Not surprising.
_________________
Music is my medicine

[LakerSD]

8-9 with a ridiculously generous schedule.

Imagine if they had the Bulls early schedule. They would be 4-13 or worse.