Los Angeles Lakers have seamlessly teamed LeBron James, Anthony Davis

The last time the Los Angeles Lakers were 35-9 in the first 44 games of a season was 2008-09. After 37 wins last season, how did they come so far so fast??

Last season, the Los Angeles Lakers got off to a decent start, winning 20 of their first 34 games. Unfortunately, a groin injury forced LeBron James to miss 17 games and the team wasn’t quite the same once he re-entered the rotation. This resulted in the team missing the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.

More from Hoops Habit

• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
• NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers

With that in mind, the Lakers were in need of a roster upgrade if they were going to be in the conversation with potential title contenders. Yes, they swung and missed in terms of their attempt to add Kawhi Leonard to the mix. However, they did acquire Anthony Davis, along with the likes of Danny Green, Avery Bradley and Dwight Howard, just to name a few.

Thanks to a solid offseason, the Lakers have gotten off to a spectacular start. Sure, they got their heads handed to them in a recent road outing against the Boston Celtics on Monday. But on the flip side of the coin, Los Angeles is 35-9, has the best record in the Western Conference and the second-best record in the NBA behind the Milwaukee Bucks.

So, how did they get off to such a good start? Here’s a look at how this ball club has exceeded expectations thus far.