Los Angeles Lakers: Toughest 5-game stretch in 2017-18

Final thoughts

The Lakers were bound for some rough stretches playing in the Western Conference. But this stack of five games seems like one of the most strenuous string of games in the NBA. They will face five top-10 players (three of which have MVPs) and the two best teams over the last three seasons.

There’s reason to be optimistic about the Lakers building towards the future, so it’s exciting to see how far away their young pieces truly are from competing for the playoffs, let alone in them. Lonzo should see time defending three of the top offensive guards in the NBA and will test one of his biggest weaknesses: on-ball defense.

I wouldn’t expect them to win more than one of these games. The Cleveland game seems unlikely, Golden State is never a smart team to bet against and Houston on the road is not much easier. The finale taking on Portland seems like the best guess for a win here.

Despite them being likely underdogs in each game, these could be the most entertaining games the Lakers play all year. Any matchup with stars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry and so on is worth tuning in and watching. The projected increased wins may not turn into a playoff spot, so consider these games the must-see games for the Lakers.

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Not to mention their next game sees the Minnesota Timberwolves come to Los Angeles, another team that improved significantly in the offseason. You could argue it’s the most challenging six-game stretch, but the initial five are consistent playoff teams that the Lakers and Timberwolves are striving to join in the Western Conference.