The 2021-22 NBA season is a few weeks in, and the Los Angeles Lakers are currently holding a 4-3 record.
Injuries to Trevor Ariza, Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn have forced lineups and rotations to change, while minor setbacks to LeBron James have also transpired lately.
With what the Lakers have to work with, they’ve been pretty solid all things considered during the early stages of the season, minus one major blunder against the Oklahoma City Thunder that prevented the team from having a 5-2 record.
But recent wins have seen the Lakers go up in a new set of NBA power rankings done by Cody Taylor of USA TODAY’s Rookie Wire:
11. Los Angeles Lakers (4-3)
Last Rank: 12
Outside of an embarrassing loss to the Thunder, in which they blew a 26-point lead, the Lakers look to be rounding into form after winning four of five. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the way, the Lakers are also getting strong contributions from Carmelo Anthony, who has seemingly turned back the clock.
As Taylor mentioned, Anthony has been on fire through seven games, minus a two-game stretch where he shot 1-of-12 from deep. He’s shooting 52.2% from deep on the year and is averaging 16.7 points. For the minimum, that is absolutely fantastic value because his weaknesses are well known.
Now, the Lakers must continue to capitalize against smaller opponents and build a strong record.
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