The Los Angeles Lakers are preparing for the 2024-25 season, which they hope will produce better results than 2023-24. Although Los Angeles won its first NBA Cup, the season ended 47-35 and was unceremoniously eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

With a new head coach and Anthony Davis and LeBron James seemingly rejuvenated after their outstanding performances at the Olympic Games, the Lakers are entering the 2024/25 season with completely new energy.

Los Angeles has a similar running back roster to last season, but the changes in the rotation are as drastic as they are subtle. A year ago, Jarred Vanderbilt signed a four-year, $48 million contract and Gabe Vincent joined the team on a three-year, $33 million deal.

The intent of both signings was to give Los Angeles two defensive-minded players who, along with Anthony Davis, could enhance the team’s efforts in that phase of the court.

Unfortunately, Vanderbilt and Vincent only played in 40 games in the 2023/24 season due to injuries. There is hope that they can stay healthy in the 2024/25 season and, together with new rookie Dalton Knecht, can give the Lakers a completely new face.

With Anthony Davis, Rui Hachimura, James, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell at the helm, the Lakers could realistically be a better team in the 2024-25 season – if this 10-game series goes in their favor.

Los Angeles won 47 games in 2024-25, suggesting that a 50-win season is only a marginal improvement. However, the rest of the NBA has improved, meaning the Lakers will have to be noticeably better to take a real step forward.

Two of the most obvious areas where the Lakers need to succeed are winning the games they are supposed to win and performing well against the highest competition.

Over the course of 10 similar games in the 2024-25 season, the Lakers will have to go through a series of tests to prove how legitimate their championship ambitions are. If they can finish with a win, the rest of the season will be a far more manageable hurdle.

However, if the Lakers fight through these 10 games, 50 wins and a potential top-four finish may no longer be possible.

With the exception of the Brooklyn Nets, each of these games will be against a title contender – and the next four games won’t be any easier.

Last season, the Lakers were the epitome of ups and downs. They were below .500 after 49 games and a disappointing 24-25, but they got going at the right time and went 23-10 over the next 33 games – an encouraging but also disheartening fact.

That 23-10 record equates to a winning percentage of .697, or a 57-25 record after 82 games—so exactly what was that number in the first 49 games?

If the Lakers can put some distance between themselves and their .500 record, finishing strong could actually be worth more than a play-in tournament berth. That’s the main reason this 10-game stretch will be so monumental.

If the Lakers play well under these tense circumstances, they can expect a much better postseason placing in April than in past seasons.