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Los Angeles Lakers: 5 reasons they won’t make the playoffs in 2017-18

By Josh Cornelissen

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 10: Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers look on during the preseason game against the Utah Jazz on October 10, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 10: Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers look on during the preseason game against the Utah Jazz on October 10, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images /

The Los Angeles Lakers are slowly digging their way out of the cellar. Here are five of the many reasons they will miss the playoffs in 2017-18.

The Los Angeles Lakers will not make the playoffs.

That statement should be a no-brainer, self-evident to such a staggering degree that it doesn’t need to be said. The Lakers have won just 66 games over the past three seasons, or less than the Golden State Warriors won last year alone. Climbing into the postseason from the very bottom is a feat few teams accomplish, and never teams this young and inexperienced.

But that hasn’t stopped Lakers fans from getting hyped up by the possibility. Lavar Ball, heady from his correct prediction that the Lakers would draft his son Lonzo Ball, has predicted a postseason run for the Lakers. Media around the Internet have predicted the same. Even here at Hoops Habit, the Laker hype has taken hold.

The Los Angeles Lakers will not make the playoffs.

The statistical evidence is completely behind that statement, as last season this team was just 23rd in offensive rating and 30th in defensive rating. ESPN’s Basketball Power Index (BPI) projects the Lakers to finish with 34 wins, 13th in the Western Conference. Another metric has them at 33 wins and similarly 13th. Sports Illustrated, FiveThirtyEight and CBSSports all agree that the Lakers will finish no higher than 12th in the Western Conference.

This team has reasons to be optimistic about the future, but this season will not be a realization of them. Here are five of the myriad number of reasons that the Los Angeles Lakers will miss the playoffs in 2017-18.

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