The 4 Worst Matchups for the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference

The Los Angeles Lakers are currently on a four-game winning streak and have won eight of their last 10 games after starting the season 0-2.

Yes, the season is only 12 games in, but it’s never too early to start thinking about what teams pose the biggest problems for the Lakers in the Western Conference.  The chase leading up to the Western Conference playoffs is always wild and super competitive. And this season will probably be even more so, given the truncated schedule.

Here are the four worst matchups for the Lakers in the Western Conference.

4. Dallas Mavericks

Despite their slow start to the season, I figure the Dallas Mavericks will be in good shape by the time winter turns to spring.

And while there are other teams in the Western Conference who I think pose bigger threats to the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas has to be on this list for the simple fact they are the defending champs, and swept the Lakers out of the playoffs last spring.

But if the two teams were to play a seven-game playoff series this season, I would pick the Lakers to win. Gone is Tyson Chandler, who single-handedly transformed the Mavericks’ defensive makeup last season, en route to the team winning the franchise’s first championship.

Without Chandler manning the middle, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum would likely be too much for the Mavs to handle.

3. Memphis Grizzlies

When Zach Randolph returns from his current knee injury, which is set to keep him out for at least another month (via SB Nation), the Memphis Grizzlies are capable of giving any team in the league a handful in a seven-game series.

And what makes the Grizzlies so dangerous from the Los Angeles Lakers’ point of view is that they are one of the few teams capable of negating the advantage L.A. has in the frontcourt with Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol.

Randolph and Marc Gasol are certainly capable of outplaying elder Gasol and Bynum enough to push the Lakers to the absolute limit in a playoff series.

2. Portland Trail Blazers

Over the last few seasons, albeit in the regular season, the Portland Trail Blazers have dominated the Los Angeles Lakers in the Rose Garden. The Blazers have won 11 of their last 13 regular season games against the Lakers in Portland, including 24 of 30 since Kobe Bryant joined the team in 1996.

Also, the Blazers present tons of matchup problems for Lakers. Outside of the shooting guard (Kobe Bryant over Wesley Matthews) and center (Andrew Bynum over Marcus Camby) positions, the Blazers have the small advantage at the power forward spot (LaMarcus Aldridge slightly over Pau Gasol) and extreme advantages at small forward and point guard, where Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton can practically run circles around anyone the Lakers have at each position.

Portland also has the best sixth man between the two teams in Jamal Crawford, who is a former Sixth Man of The Year Award winner.

The Blazers have the type of quick, athletic personnel we have seen give the Lakers fits the last handful of seasons.

In the two teams’ first meeting earlier in the month, Portland forced the Lakers into 14 turnovers and scored 11 fast break points.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

Not only are the Oklahoma City Thunder the biggest threat to the Los Angeles Lakers, but they are the biggest threat to the entire conference. The Thunder currently have the best record in the conference (10-2) and are tied with the Chicago Bulls for the best overall record in the league.  

Outside of being way quicker and more athletic than the older, flat-footed Lakers, I believe the biggest advantage the Thunder would have over L.A. is their superior depth. Headed by star-in-the-making James Harden as their sixth man, the Thunder bench also boasts the likes of: Nick Collison, Eric Maynor and Nazr Mohammed.