Last week, as Dalton Knecht rained threes on the hapless Utah Jazz, you probably wondered: Are the Lakers good? Six straight wins, 10 overall, a bona fide MVP candidate in Anthony Davis, a developing roster and a (still) ageless wonder in LeBron James offered reason to believe.
Also last week, as the Lakers gagged away a win over the Orlando Magic and looked lifeless in the second half of a blowout loss to the Denver Nuggets, you may have wondered if what you were seeing was more of the same. Bad defense, too many turnovers and stretches of poor effort—particularly in a 37–15 third quarter on Saturday against the Aaron Gordon–less Nuggets—made this Lakers team look a lot like the one from last season.
