Lakers: Five positive things to take from the 2017-2018 season
By Jason Reed
4. The Lakers are in great shape with the “core four”
This entire article to this point has been praising the young talent on the Los Angeles Lakers. Although they have not found playoff success yet, the team is right on the brink of taking that next step.
You could argue that the team should have been a playoff team. The Lakers battling various injuries during the season that left at least one of the spokes in the wheel missing at any given time. Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram missed extended time. Julius Randle and Kyle Kuzma were the only two consistent guys on the roster.
The Lakers were 18-20 in games that the core four of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle and Kyle Kuzma played. This was after a slow start in which Randle did not have an extended role with the team. Los Angeles was 7-3 in the last ten games in which all four suited up.
18-20 may not be the most impressive, but for a young core consisting of two rookies and a second-year player, it is. Over an entire season, this would amount to 38 wins. Realistically, if the four suited up together late in the season when Randle was hot the Lakers could have finished with 40 wins.
They are only going to get better. If they should already be a 40-win team this year, the playoffs are definitely in play next year.