NBA Bubble Power Rankings Preview: Looking at week one

Things are going well for the Los Angeles Lakers. The biggest issue they’ve had of late is Dwight Howard having some questionable takes on vaccines and Alex Caruso attending his sisters’ wedding. When those are the largest concerns for you at this point, you know things are looking up.

Speaking of the Bald Mamba, Caruso is more important to the Lakers than many fans realize. Even before the absence of both Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo, lineups featuring Caruso and LeBron James were among the most elite in the league.

A lot of this comes down to James, but it is telling that this is the Laker that seems to fit him best among the reserves. He adds something to the transition game that few guards in the Lakers lineup can hope to replicate, with all due to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

In other good news for the Lake Show, Markieff Morris has reported to the bubble. LA is looking to prove its case as the class of this league and has two tough tests right off the bat. They open the return with the Clippers before moving on to face the Raptors. Splitting these games should be looked at as a success. Win both and the hype train will continue full steam ahead.