Two nights, two wins over the Warriors and Clippers, and a team that was 14th in the power rankings a week ago now sits 4th. The Lakers carry that 2-0 record into Utah, where the question under the box scores is whether it belongs to a contender or to a hot opening week.
The Case For
Start with the margins. The Lakers beat Golden State 127-105 and the Clippers 125-117, and two different players led the way. Luka Doncic scored 28 against the Warriors, Kessler scored 26, and Austin Reaves answered with 28 against the Clippers. That is a roster with more than one engine. Silver Screen and Roll has already called Kessler the defensive anchor, and Lakers Nation reports Ziaire Williams embracing the point-of-attack defender's job. Last year's defense finished 19th. If those two pieces hold, the weakness that defined the Doncic-Reaves pairing starts to close.
The Case Against
The preseason ended 2-3 with back-to-back losses, so the turn is quick, and quick turns can reverse. Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero are both listed out, with an estimated return of Oct. 27. The roster also lost bodies in a week: Niwa Tait-Jones and Rafael Castro left Oct. 18, and Dalton Knecht was waived Oct. 19. Meanwhile payroll is $201.3M, just over the $200.4M tax line, and the draft cupboard is thin, with Dallas and Memphis owed picks through 2029. Any repair has to be made with few assets, and the first apron at $209.0M is not far away.
The Verdict
Utah is 1-1, missing Jusuf Nurkic and Trey Alexander, and both teams arrive with a day of rest. It is a fair test, not a trap. The answer here is yes, with a condition. The start can hold because the top three of Doncic, Reaves and Kessler is producing now, and JJ Redick, per Lakers Nation, believes Kessler can be even better. The condition is depth. If Carr and Thiero return Oct. 27 and the minutes behind the stars stay steady, this is a real second-seed team. If they do not, the margin for error is a single bad shooting night.
What is the Lakers' record this season?
The Lakers are 2-0 after beating the Warriors 127-105 and the Clippers 125-117. They sit second in the West entering the game at Utah.
Who is injured for the Lakers right now?
Cameron Carr (right oblique) and Adou Thiero (left knee) are both out, each with an estimated return of Oct. 27.
