The Lakers’ record shows that the NBA is more competitive than it has ever been.
Nineteen NBA teams have a record of.500 or higher as of April 5. In a few weeks, if the Rockets (38-38) can stay at.500 or above, we may formally declare the 2023–24 season to be the most competitive in history.
This is due to the fact that, although 18 clubs have finished.500 or higher on a few occasions since the expansion in 2004–05 (including the last two seasons), 19 teams have never done so previously.
To put things in perspective, there were not 19 teams with a.500 or higher record during the 2009–10 season, despite a record eight teams in the West finishing with 50 or more victories.
The Lakers are one squad that is particularly suffering from the increased competition. The team led by LeBron James is enjoying a midseason comeback, having won 19 of 27 games since February 1 and 14 of the previous 21 games since the All-Star break. The Lakers haven’t been able to climb the ranks, though.
The Lakers on February 1st: 25-25; ninth in the Western Conference
Since then, the Lakers have: – Went 19-8 (70.4%) – Remaining in ninth place in the West
(via Reddit / lopea182)
The Warriors, who have one of the easier remaining schedules and are riding a six-game winning run, could overtake the Lakers despite their impressive winning record and vault them to the tenth slot.
The NBA no longer has “gimme games” or off nights, as this season has demonstrated. It’s a dogfight every night. What a wonderful moment to be a basketball fan.
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