The start of the 2023-24 NBA regular season is just over two weeks away, and it is one that the Los Angeles Lakers hope will serve as a stepping stone to their 18th world championship.
For the first time in a while, they have a strong, talented and balanced roster, and they may actually have the deepest and most talented roster, at least on paper, they’ve had in decades.
Buy Lakers TicketsBut the rest of the league has gotten stronger as well, and it means Los Angeles is by no means the favorite to win it all. It will likely have to deal with these five teams more than any others in order to earn banner No. 18.
5. Los Angeles Clippers
The Lakers have had massive problems beating the Clippers head-to-head over the last 10 years, and the duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George has always presented defensive issues for them. In addition, former Laker Russell Westbrook may be motivated to stick it to his old team, especially if both squads are to finally meet in the playoffs.
4. Golden State Warriors
The Lakers knocked the Warriors out of last season’s Western Conference semifinals with relative ease. But the Warriors are likely more motivated this season, and they have newcomer Chris Paul, who could give them a big lift, not to mention a respite for their aging core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
Paul, of course, has his dubious place in Lakers history. He was headed there in a December 2011 trade that was quickly nixed by then-NBA commissioner David Stern, who was acting as the owner of the New Orleans Hornets at the time.
3. Phoenix Suns
Many national pundits have picked the Suns to have a better shot at winning it all this season than the Lakers. On the surface, it is very understandable, as they now have Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal alongside Devin Booker, one of the game’s deadliest scorers.
On the other hand, the Suns have a weak bench and no real point guard or floor general. One or the other could end up being their downfall next spring, but their threesome of stars could also prove to be so formidable that these two concerns won’t matter much.
2. Boston Celtics
Out are Marcus Smart, Grant Williams, Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III, and new to the scene are Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. That means the Celtics will have a formidable starting five that could present the Lakers with some matchup problems should the two teams meet in the NBA Finals.
But the Celtics, like the Suns, have an iffy bench, and it remains to be seen if they can develop enough of their young reserves to mitigate this concern.
1. Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee is the favorite to win the world championship, and for good reason. Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo could be the NBA’s best star tandem, and Lillard has had a habit of going off against the Purple and Gold over the years.
The Bucks also have decent depth, and they did win it all in 2021 while retaining much of the core that got the job done that year. A Bucks-Lakers NBA Finals matchup could be must-see television, as it would pit two superstars who have won at least one championship and multiple MVPs in Antetokounmpo and LeBron James.
