The Los Angeles Lakers are in for a major 2021-22 season filled with high expectations.
Following a disappointing conclusion to the 2020-21 campaign with a first-round playoff loss, plus a regular season mired in injuries, the Lakers got aggressive in the offseason.
Landing Russell Westbrook was the peak of the new additions, but players like Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Kendrick Nunn and more each have specific roles to master.
The Lakers went after all the talent they could afford with limited financial flexibility this summer, and though the prevalent criticisms have been about the collective age of the roster, winning a championship would silence those doubts.
Los Angeles wants to optimize the current title window in place with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and adding the talent it did this summer signaled those intentions.
With the schedule for next season released, let’s look at 10 games that will be key for L.A.: