Why Lakers Are Becoming a Western Conference Threat amid Playoff Rumors

The Los Angeles Lakers have finally reached .500 on the 2022-23 NBA season. While many fans might not view that as a worthwhile accomplishment, it's huge. This is a Lakers team that was 2-10 at the start of the season and has since clawed its way into playoff contention.

Even if fans aren't taking the Lakers seriously, one potential playoff opponent is.

"They are a serious threat in the West right now," Golden State Warriors center Draymond Green said on The Draymond Green Show (h/t Peter Dewey of Lakers Daily). "Talk about the record all you want, they just gotta get in. They get in, they a serious threat in the West."

Green isn't wrong.

Over its last 20 games, Los Angeles has gone 12-8, and it's in possession of a play-in spot. Trades have been part of the equation—the Lakers jettisoned Russell Westbrook while adding the likes of D'Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley and Rui Hachimura.

The Lakers have a budding star in Austin Reaves, and they still have superstar Anthony Davis. Los Angeles might have LeBron James back before the postseason, too—according to Dave McMenamin and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN"

"James is progressing toward a comeback from his right foot injury, and there is increasing optimism that the Los Angeles Lakers star could return to play 'a few' games in the final week of the regular season, sources told ESPN on Thursday."

James has disputed the notion that he has a clear timeline for a return in place:

However, it would be a shock to see Los Angeles make it to the postseason without James on the court in some capacity.

Just as importantly, the Lakers reportedly have no fear about facing some of the conference's best teams if they do indeed reach the postseason.

"They believe they got a legitimate shot to take down Denver," Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT told NBA insider Marc Stein on the #thisleague UNCUT podcast. "They believe they got a legitimate shot to take down Memphis. I don't know about Phoenix when [newly added All-Star power forward Kevin Durant] is healthy, I haven't asked around on that front, but there's no fear at all."

This meshes with a recent statement from Davis.

"The team we have now, we feel like not only can we make noise this year, and I like our chance against anybody, to be honest," Davis said, per McMenamin.

The Lakers' growing confidence makes them dangerous. So does a new-look roster that is suddenly deep—it won without both James and Russell on Friday—and possesses all the team chemistry L.A. lacked a season ago.

The Lakers don't have to rely on James and Davis taking over to win games in the postseason. They're getting strong contributions from multiple players, and coach Darvin Ham has done an excellent job of utilizing virtually the entire roster.

In Wednesday's win over the Phoenix Suns, Davis, Reaves and Russell all topped 25 points. In Friday's win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, Davis went for 37, while Dennis Schröder and Lonnie Walker IV each reached 20 points.

After a year-and-a-half of things not clicking with Westbrook, the Lakers have become a complete team capable of playing strong complementary basketball. Ideally, James will return before the postseason so that Los Angeles can continue building chemistry with him in the lineup.

If that happens, it will indeed be hard to not like the Lakers' chances in a seven-game series.

Of course, getting to the playoffs proper is still going to be a challenge. To avoid the play-in tournament, Los Angeles must claim at least the No. 6 seed. The Warriors currently hold that and have two more wins than the Lakers.

Falling out of the play-in tournament is still a possibility, too, as Los Angeles has a mere two-game lead over the Dallas Mavericks, who are in the No. 11 spot, with eight games left to play.

Every remaining game for Los Angeles—beginning with Sunday's against the Chicago Bulls—is critical. The postseason is far from guaranteed, but if the Lakers get there, they can be a serious threat.