Since this is a Laker venture, we trend towards predicting the positive. They have had much past success, which informs our guesswork at the future. Las Vegas has this team figured for a 59.5 over-under win total. Other statistical projections (via ESPN) have Los Angeles winning 54.8 games and 53 games, respectively. The wide gap between analytical model projections and what the betting public believes can be, in part, attributed to that glorious Laker history.
Those who feel excited about the big experiment have trouble focusing on what can go wrong. It is obvious that this team could mesh well, play relatively injury-free, and have an incredible season. But it should be equally obvious that much can go wrong here.
Injuries are more than a concern when we're discussing a squad that stars a 34-year-old shooting guard, 32-year-old power forward, and 38-year-old point guard. This is an old team, and there are advantages to that. Experience wins in the postseason. Age succeeds...right up until the point that it doesn't.
The late 2000's Detroit Pistons reached the point of falling off the age precipice. The post-2010 Celtics may have done the same. Eventually, injuries and skill erosion claim a team. Eventually, your team's stars are hosting NBA studio shows and pretending to laugh at Shaquille O'Neal's hideous jokes.
We don't quite know if the Lakers are there yet, but concern should be high. Steve Nash has been relatively ageless as far as point guards go, but his is still a position dominated by younger players.
Nash was good last year, but the effects of age became visible. He can ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
