Unlike some of their direct competitors for the title, the Lakers can consider that they have inherited a favorable schedule at the start of the 2021-22 season. Yet an analyst sees them fail in large widths, and already prefers to warn the fans!
Year after year, the debates surrounding the calendar of each team rage while waiting for the big comeback of the NBA. The 2021-22 edition is no exception, and in particular observed the birth of a big controversy around the program reserved for the Clippers. So much so that the league itself was forced to react in the face of numerous complaints from fans of the franchise.
The latter could all the more plague, seeing the beginning of exercise planned for their enemies of the Lakers. Frank Vogel’s men will play for their part 12 of their first 15 home games, most against opponents a priori within their reach. Called to discuss this planning in The JumpBrian Windhorst first advised observers to be restrained.
I would say with so many new players I’m not sure how they are going to play. And I would tend to encourage people not to learn too much after this first month of competition.
Logic would have wanted the famous insider to deliver such advice, to prevent the NBA planet from seeing the Angelinos too good after this rather easy start to the campaign on paper. In fact, he expects on the contrary to see LA in difficulty during the first weeks!
If they start with 15 wins and 5 losses, fine. But if they don’t, no matter their home schedule, don’t overreact. This team is destined to miss its start to the season!
To justify his surprising statement, Windhorst calls on the liabilities of… LeBron James and Russell Westbrook, which does not bode well for the residents of the Staples Center.
Let me remind you that historically when Russell Westbrook was traded to the Rockets, they got off to a sluggish start, because they had to learn to play with him. Same as the Wizards. When LeBron had to play with a new back star, in the person of Dwyane Wade in Miami: sluggish start, 9-8. When he joined Cleveland and Kyrie Irving: slow start, 19-20.
All these elements allow Brian Windhorst to predict a bad start to the Lakers’ season. The many haters of the franchise will obviously want to see this prediction confirmed!
