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The LA Lakers are a storied franchise dating back to the origins of the NBA. Having developed a fanbase moving from Minneapolis to Los Angeles, the franchise has seen its fair share of glory. They are tied with the Boston Celtics for the most championships in NBA history (17).
Having won their most recent NBA Championship in the 2019-20 season led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers entered the last campaign looking to repeat the success they had the previous season. But with player injuries and a host of other problems on the court, the Lakers came up short in the first round of the playoffs, losing to the Phoenix Suns in six games.
To make up for their performance in the postseason, the LA Lakers made some impressive moves by first trading for a triple-double machine in Russell Westbrook and then signing an elite scorer in Carmelo Anthony. Melo had an impressive season as a role player with the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2020-21 season. These are just two of the many valuable pieces the Purple and Gold acquired.
Eager to bounce back from their early playoff exit last season, here are six keys that will determine the success of the LA Lakers' championship campaign in the 2021-22 season.
#1 Anthony Davis' dominance
Anthony Davis is currently one of the best big men in the league. Having shown his dominant play in the NBA bubble, there were high expectations of Davis coming into the new season as the team showed aspirations for another ring.
For the majority of the regular season, Davis faced issues with establishing himself in the post and had a less than impressive record from the free-throw line, shooting just 73.8% from the charity stripe. He also played in only 36 regular-season games for the LA Lakers due to a calf injury. A subsequent groin injury reduced his impact in the playoffs.
Anthony Davis needs to remain healthy in order to play to his potential. He signed a five-year, $190 million extension with the LA Lakers in December 2020 making him the potential face of the franchise after the end of the LeBron era. Establishing himself as one of the best bigs in the West is going to be very essential to the Lakers' success going forward.
#2 LA Lakers need their veterans to perform their role
The LA Lakers have one of the oldest squads in the NBA going into the 2021-22 season. This, however, is not necessarily a disadvantage. With players such as Trevor Ariza, Dwight Howard, Kendrick Nunn and Talen Horton-Tucker, the Lakers roster is full of players who have either won an NBA title or have been to the finals before. The team is full of veterans who are battle-hardened.
The postseason is a completely different ball game compared to the regular season. If experience counts for anything as wisdom, the LA Lakers are brimming with it. They just need to ensure that the veterans on their roster buy into the project and don't let individual egos come into play.
#3 Defense will again be key for the LA Lakers
A huge part of the LA Lakers' success can be credited to their defense. With a defensive-minded head coach such as Frank Vogel, the team featured some of the most suffocating defensive sets in the NBA during their championship run in the 2019-20 season. A team with great defense wins championships and that will always be the key to a successful postseason.
With the addition of Kent Bazemore and Trevor Ariza, the LA Lakers have bolstered their defensive ranks to some extent at the perimeter. While Marc Gasol may not be the defensive player he used to be, Davis continues to be a great interior presence. Dwight Howard's return also provides an additional degree of rim protection.
#4 LA Lakers need to develop team chemistry
With the LA Lakers losing Alex Caruso in free agency, LeBron James became the longest tenured Laker on the roster. Besides LeBron, Davis, Horton-Tucker and Gasol, the rest of the roster consists of players who were acquired by the Lakers this offseason.
With so many new faces, forming team chemistry will be vital for the Purple and Gold. Having a healthy locker room boosts team morale and pushes players to perform to their full potential.
The addition of veterans in this regard is a definite upside as there is a wealth of knowledge that comes with it. However, the coaching staff will have the task of ensuring that the dominant egos in the team can work together towards a common goal.
#5 LA Lakers need to focus on player health
The short offseason took its toll on all the teams that went deep into the playoffs in the NBA bubble. With star players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis missing the majority of last season due to injuries, the LA Lakers dropped from the top of the Western Conference all the way to the seventh seed. They barely squeaked into the playoffs through the play-in games.
The Lakers have an old roster. The rest of the roster outside LeBron James and Anthony Davis also needs to stay healthy. The medical and training staff will have to make sure that the players are prepared to go through the grind of the regular season. Frank Vogel will also have his hands full while managing the minutes of LeBron and other veterans.
#6 LA Lakers need to address their three-point shooting woes
An additional facet to be acknowledged here is the LA Lakers' three-point shooting woes. While the mid-range is making a comeback in the game, shooting from the outside is a must in the modern NBA. Having reliable outside shooters will open up options for both LeBron and Westbrook to drive and kick the ball to an open man while also making it easier for bigs such as Davis to feast in the post.
Having shot just 35.4% from beyond the arc last season, the LA Lakers have attempted to solve those problems by signing Wayne Ellington and Malik Monk. Ellington shot the ball at 42.2% from downtown last season while Monk maintained a healthy accuracy of 40.1% from beyond the arc.
