Reasons why the Lakers are playoff team worthy.

[Edrees]

1. Golden State
2. Houston
3. LA Clippers
4. Portland***
5. Memphis
6. San Antonio
7. Dallas
8. New Orleans

9. OKC
10. Phoenix
11. Utah
12. Denver
13. Sacramento
14. Lakers
15. Minnesota

***right now Portland is looking to be the prime candidate to be bumped from the playoffs next year.

OKC will almost surely make the POs again.

Dallas is sort of unknown to me, but if healthy they seem like a 7th seed again to me.

The Clippers lost their defensive stud, but with CP3 and Blake, I can't see them totally missing out.

Minnesota should be better (if healthy) with Towns and Wiggins getting older. Also heard that Rubio's shot is looking much improved thanks to Mike Penberthy as their shooting coach.

Phoenix looks like a bubble team, again.

Denver hired Malone, but I wonder if Lawson is gone.

Sacramento is a mess, but they have talent on their roster....

I can see us being a dark horse 8th seed if nearly everything goes well--and I mean everything...but we'll see. Way too many unknowns right now. Our margin of error is about as small as I've ever seen it. That said, I think if we don't tank and just try to win games, next year will be actually fun to watch.

Every year there are injuries that knock out previous playoff teams from the next year. Nobody in the world thought OKC would ever miss playoffs last year. one of those last year's 1-8 (in addition to portland) will get hit by injuries and miss the playoffs.

[Sofa King]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SerenaWinters/status/619303670732095488[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SerenaWinters/status/619304508951126016[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SerenaWinters/status/619304002300162048[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SerenaWinters/status/619305302270218241[/tweet]

[kblo247]

Health being good we can. Kobe's first summer in three years he's actually got to work his legs. Nick as kupchak said will be given a shot, and honestly not having a broken hand and wearing a cast should help him. We got solid and proven vets, as well as some hungry talent. We won't be great, but 7th or 8th seed is possible. The way thing stacked this year, we left ourselves a chance to bring in a talent with the room exception. All we need is health which has sucked the past two years, chemistry which results from health, and the coach to be honest with his own faults and form a system where he manages minutes and funnels

[dznutzz]

i see the lakers winning a couple of more games this year as they won't be blatantly tanking but that's about it. if they are to attract key free agents they need to shape up. it's another rebuild year

[Sofa King]

Even if the Lakers can make it to 45 to 50 games, that most likely won't be enough for the playoffs. Excited to see how the team will look.

[kblo247]

Portland and Dallas won't make it IMO. I think NOLA may miss it personally. If Martin is starting Minny will suck, Martin has never started in a winning team in his career. Uncertain what Utah will do. I'm not really sure if OKC was an anomaly or omen with KD because he's such a rare freak of nature at his height doing perimeter stuff. And I'm one of the free, but for me Houston needs smith back and the clips will take time to come together

[Sofa King]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/MarkG_Medina/status/619303536199757824[/tweet]

[oneseven]

81-1 is definitely a playoff team if my math is correct

[dipstick]

Im guessing 30-40 wins barring any major injuries.

We have definitely improved all positions and we have a team that we can buikd on. Obviously thats something we didn't have last year. As a result, 6 players who we tried to give a chance to start last year are gone. No more celebrating a win after a looooong losing streak please.