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Despite holding one of the NBA's best records, the Los Angeles Lakers have not earned universal recognition as legitimate title threats. In his latest power rankings for Yahoo, NBA insider Kevin O'Connor listed eight teams he considers true championship contenders, omitting the Lakers from that group.
O'Connor's top eight features the San Antonio Spurs at No. 1, followed by the Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, and Houston Rockets. The Lakers check in at No. 9, but O'Connor categorizes them as a falling contender rather than a real one, grouping them with teams like the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets that harbor title aspirations but fall short of the elite tier.
Key Analysis
While O'Connor acknowledges Luka Dončić's elite play, his rankings reveal a clear disbelief in the Lakers' viability. The team's strong record is attributed in part to a soft schedule, and there is a prevailing belief that they will regress once they face tougher Western Conference opposition.
O'Connor elaborated on why he ranks the Lakers below teams such as the Rockets and Pistons, highlighting a significant statistical flaw. He pointed to Austin Reaves' impressive individual numbers—23.1 points per game on 66.9% true shooting—but noted that the Lakers post a dismal 100 offensive rating when Reaves is on the floor without Dončić. That figure drops sharply from 137.7 when both Reaves and Dončić play and 112 when only Dončić is on the court.
The central question for the Lakers this season was whether they could survive defensively. O'Connor suggests they cannot afford offensive lapses when their best player rests, and unless this issue is resolved, they may not even qualify as a fringe contender. He identified Reaves as a major weakness in his critique and concluded that the Lakers might not even be a secondary fringe contender. Notably, O'Connor did not mention Walker Kessler as a difference-maker.
Lakers Must Secure High Seed to Silence Doubters
The Lakers' only route to proving critics wrong is to keep winning. Injuries to players like Anthony Edwards, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren have left the top Western Conference seeds up for grabs. On paper, only San Antonio and Houston rank above the Lakers, and the Rockets were eliminated by Los Angeles just last season.
The departure of LeBron James necessitated major roster changes that some pundits question. However, Dončić had significant input in bringing in talents like Kessler, Quentin Grimes, and various role players. Dončić believes he can win a title with this group, and securing a high seed for home-court advantage is crucial—especially with other contenders already dealing with injury-plagued rosters.
Originally reported by yahoo.