The Los Angeles Lakers and their fans are excited for the 2023-24 season. The team appears to have a legitimate shot at winning another NBA championship. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are motivated and hungry, and for the first time in a few years, they’re surrounded by a strong and talented supporting cast.
Every year, ESPN issues its projections for how many games each NBA team will win during the regular season. These projections are based on a formula that was devised by writer Kevin Pelton.
This year’s projection has the Lakers winning 41.5 games and finishing eighth in the Western Conference, which would make them a play-in tournament team once again (h/t Lakers Daily).
ESPN’s Western Conference predictions:
1. Grizzlies: 48.4 wins
2. Timberwolves: 47.7 wins
3. Nuggets: 46.4 wins
4. Warriors: 43.7 wins
5. Suns: 43.5 wins
6. Pelicans: 43.2 wins
7. Kings: 43.1 wins
8. Lakers: 41.5 wins
9. Mavericks: 41.4 wins
10. Clippers: 40.3 wins— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 7, 2023
Another questionable aspect of these projections is the fact that they have the Memphis Grizzlies, a talented but immature and incomplete team, finishing first, and the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have an even more incomplete and ill-fitting roster, coming in second.