Lakers Still Being Viewed as Frauds Out West Despite Recent Hot Streak

The Lakers are one of the hottest teams in the NBA, but not everyone agrees that they are possible NBA title contenders.

Mar 4, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) moves the ball against New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Once the Los Angeles Lakers made the trade for Luka Doncic, they thought that they could be an NBA title contender. They thought his offensive prowess would make up for any slowdown on defense.

It looks like that thought process is working out so far. The Lakers are one of the hottest teams in the entire leaague.

They have won seven straight and 13 of their last 15. This run has pushed them from seventh in the Western Conference standings all the way up to second.

It seems clear that the Lakers should be considered a title contender. Their defense hasn't slipped as much as pundits thought it was going to without Anthony Davis.

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Despite the strong play as of late, there are still some doubters out there. Not everyone believes that the Lakers are good enough to win the title this season.

Bleacher Report thinks that the Lakers are frauds relative to their title odds. They don't seem to trust the center rotation on defense, which was the concern with shipping Davis out of town.

Jaxson Hayes has manned the center position admirably since the Mark Williams trade fell apart. The defense has been excellent since the Doncic trade, which doesn't make much sense.

LeBron James has been playing some absolutely incredible basketball for being 40 years old. His play in the last couple of months is at an All-NBA level.

James has benefitted immensely from the Doncic trade. Having another player who can be on the ball more often has allowed him to be the best version of himself.

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It seems to be a stretch to call them frauds. There is a big enough sample size to see that the Lakers are one of the teams that can win the title this year.

Since the Doncic trade, the Lakers are second in defense and ninth in offense. That offensive number will only go up as Doncic continues to get his feet back under him.

Los Angeles is here to stay. They have turned themselves into a very dangerous team.

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