A dominant regular season leading up to the stoppage of the NBA’s season in March all but locked up the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference for the Lakers entering the summer restart. However, the team hasn’t quite looked like itself since play resumed. LeBron James‘ squad went 3-5 during the seeding games and dropped Game 1 of its first-round series to the No. 8 Trail Blazers.
The Lakers’ shooting doomed them in Game 1. Despite out-rebounding the Blazers, winning the turnover battle, and moving the ball better, the Lakers just couldn’t put the ball in the basket, finishing with an abysmal shooting line of .351/.156/.645.
L.A. still only lost by seven points, and the team’s shooting won’t be that bad every game. But beyond James and Anthony Davis, many of the Lakers’ secondary scorers are streaky, including Danny Green and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who went a combined 4-of-21 from the floor on Tuesday. Additionally, Avery Bradley‘s absence means the club is without its top perimeter defender — that’s not insignificant in a series against Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.
In a discussion about the Lakers’ situation today, ESPN’s writers expressed mixed opinions on whether it’s too early to start worrying about the team. As Kevin Pelton points out, L.A. is still getting the same quality shots it got during the regular season, and it seems likely those shots will start dropping at some point. However, Nick Friedell and Andre Snellings view the Lakers’ roster as top-heavy and have questions about the supporting cast.
Neither Friedell nor Royce Young necessarily expects the Lakers to fall in the first round to the eighth-seeded Blazers. However, both ESPN writers expressed skepticism that L.A. should still be considered a prime championship frontrunner.
It’s worth noting that even before the Lakers’ Game 1 loss to Portland, sports books had generally started listing the Clippers as title favorites over the Lakers, with some moving the Bucks ahead as well, per David Purdum of ESPN.
What do you think? Has your opinion of the Lakers changed at all since the restart began? Do you expect them to start firing on all cylinders again any day now? How confident do you feel right now in forecasting a Finals appearance – or win – for the Lakers?
Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Lookin’ good for the Laker show I’d say! I mean watching LBJ steamroll & speed past POR guards, CJ, is somethin’ to behold! If LBJ is too fast for POR guards to stop him, not much else needs to be said. LAL eventually will get their shots in. LAL played abismal & lost by 7, POR can’t play much better meanwhile the Lakers can’t play even as bad again. Me says is gonna be comfortable from here on.
Share with the rest of us what you are smoking.
If Lakers lose the series Lakers next 5 years are not bright
If Knicks are able to sign Free Agent Davis，……
Knicks future is brighter
Knicks asst coach Payne is a good friend of Davis
Anything can happen but unlikely
Poll has them at risk of being eliminated lol. Being a Homer should’ve blind you to the game. Lakers have no guards. Blazers played a bad gm. Blazers Defense is what stopped Lakers. Look at the FG%. I believe Lakers are favored. But I saw a team that can lose. Lakers have no depth. They were never deepest team. So losing two guards hurts them. Bron and AD had very gd games. No one else on Lakers did. They are a two man team. That’s not winning a title. May not even beat Blazers. Blazers are a solid team playing well. This is a series.
Blazers are a 3 man team lol. Its funny how much cool aid you are drinking.
The 33% that think the Lakers are still top 2 or 3 are the ones drinking kool-aid.
I only watch. Don’t look good for Lakers. Let’s see if any other Laker shows up tonight.
Agreed. Before this series stared I figured it was going 6/7. Portland is hot and got back a huge piece in jusuf. I still like the lakers but wouldn’t be surprised if they lost. They really miss Avery Bradley right now
I think LAL and MIL (in anticipation of the next poll) will get out of the 1st round but the struggle is real starting in the 2nd round.
That’s what’s great about this postseason. Almost every team has a chance from the second round on.
Nothing would surprise me from this point forward. But I would say that the NBA will do everything it can to help us see a Clippers Lakers Western Conference Finals.
They’re also two of the best, so not much work would be required.
Love how the Clippers lose a game and got a massive boost from the refs to win game 1 and no one says a word. R-E-L-A-X. Lakers are tying the series tonight.
Referees love Clippers
It’s about love
Refs love the Lakers even more
Too true LAC is in real trouble, not the Laker show! POR is a vastly inferior team than DAL! & Luka is vastly superior right now than Dame will ever be!
Why all fans not sayin’ LAC is out? All is about Laker hate!
Lakers are scary bad
Lakers have zero chance to beat healthy Rockets
I know the Lakers didn’t play very well but it’s been 1 game. If they beat the blazers that would mean they figured some things out. To say they have no chance against the Rockets is very premature.
Always said Clippers vs Bucks. I still feel good about that. I told you after Blazers won. Not having Bradley n Rondo would hurt against CJ n Dame. Lakers need bodies against these two. Not a good matchup. Makes it a fun series for me.
Lakers are never winning with Bron. They are capped out and no assets. AD would be smart to only stay here two yrs. Not hating just Reality.
Imagine AD with Celtics. Hayward leaving so will have cap space. Just one example. Bron is not only one who gets to go where he wants lols.
Don’t count out the MAVS. They could go all the way.
I’m not sure about their defense.
Who cares about defense when you got Luka? SMH!
The Lakers’ supporting cast is abysmal. Even if Lebron and AD get 30 points each the rest of the team can’t be trusted to score 40 points combined.
The Lakers are at risk for being eliminated by the Blazers and are one of the top 2-3 teams likely to win the title.. It can be both you know.
I would agree with you do to match ups. A particular team might not match up particularly well with one team while being able to handle other teams. Certainly, POR’s guard play vs LAL could fit description.
Comparison
Last year Warriors conference finals without Durant and Iguodala vs
Current Lakers
Tonight’s game is a textbook example of why we don’t overreact after one game lol
Annnd the Lakers postseason outlook is just fine. Lakers in 5.
They’re in a camp. A team that loses a game will get a Bill Murray speech like in “Meatballs” and come back next game.
Lakers missed good shots game 1… I mean bunnies, not just open 3s. And their 3pt% had room to improve too.
Game 2 saw AD & Mcgee establish themselves the middle. The team being connected can adjust better than most. Looked like AD got the speech!
Well we won’t have to wait long for game 3. Lillard can make speeches!