Lakers newsletter: Four reasons not to worry about the Lakers

Hi, this is Dan Woike, Lakers beat writer for the Los Angeles Times, and welcome to this week’s edition of the L.A. Times’ Lakers newsletter, where we’re down a couple of starters and bound to make some misstookes.

It’s been a rough week in Lakerland, and it’ll probably get rougher Wednesday against Utah (and maybe against Portland or Golden State or Phoenix). But in an effort to remind people that we’re not always doom and gloom, here’s proof you can find optimism and hope here, too.

So let’s give you some.

Here are four reasons not to worry about the Lakers

Reason 1 — What did you expect?

This is a simple one. Anthony Davis is maybe the best overall defensive player in the NBA, and he’s out. Dennis Schroder is maybe the only other Laker, Davis and LeBron James excluded, who can get the ball on the perimeter and create a shot for himself.

Neither has played in the Lakers’ last three games and the Lakers now are the not-so-proud owners of a three-game losing streak.

If James makes a free throw against Washington and if Alex Caruso hits a jumper against the Heat, the Lakers are 2-1 and all your panic is probably being channeled into something productive, like discovering new and exciting pizza toppings or something like that.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis talk during a game.

(Chris Graythen / Getty Images)

Reason 2 — The strength is still the strength

I remember doing a slew of radio interviews before the 2019-20 season where I was asked repeatedly who was better, the Clippers or the Lakers. I thought the overall depth of the Clippers was better, that the roster made more sense. But, and there was a big but, none of that might matter because James and Davis together might just be that good.

They were last year. And even with Davis’ spotty start to the season, the Lakers are still incredible when they’re on the court together.

In 517 minutes on the court with each other this season, James and Davis are 14.6 points per 100 possessions better than their opponents, making them the fourth-best duo in the league. (Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert are first, Seth Curry and Joel Embiid are second and Rudy Gobert and Royce O’Neale are third).

If Davis and James are healthy, they’re good enough to cover up a lot of other shortcomings.

Reason 3 — Better now than later

The recent skid has exposed some potential problems — inconsistent shooting (not different from last year) and uncertainty at the center position (that’s kind of a new one).

The center stuff kind of came to a head against Washington, as Montrezl Harrell was getting buckets on almost every touch. But his defensive liabilities led to Frank Vogel tabbing Marc Gasol to close the game.

Harrell is a fine choice to close games, provided he’s surrounded by other defenders — something that can’t really happen, especially while Davis is out.

There’s time for Vogel to play around with combinations — maybe explore Gasol and Harrell together in some situations. None of the flaws feel fatal, at least not with 40 games left to play.

Reason 4 — Help is coming

The roster isn’t done, more talent is on the way.

It’s just a necessity for teams to be nimble as the season progresses, addressing their flaws in either minor or major ways.

A big trade for the Lakers seems unlikely (but not impossible), but they figure to be major players in the buyout market, where there could be a unique influx of high-priced talent with contracts too hard to deal.

BONUS: Two reasons to worry about the Lakers

Reason 1 — The competition is stiff

Remember that thing about how nothing else might matter because James and Davis are that good. Yeah, that applies to Brooklyn too.

Add in the Clippers, who are better than they were last year, and Utah (and Phoenix), and it just feels like the hurdles are going to be higher this season.

Reason 2 — It all hinges on one thing …

Davis has to get — and stay — healthy. And you bet that applies for James too.

Glad I got that pessimism off my chest.

Second-half schedule

The NBA released the second half of its schedule for the 2020-21 NBA season — a schedule that is still flexible in the sense that the ongoing pandemic has forced postponements and reschedulings throughout the season’s first 30 games.

Here’s what it means for the Lakers:

—The Lakers come back from the break on March 12 to host the Pacers at Staples Center.

—They play only three road games in March, against the Warriors, Suns and Pelicans.

—The 76ers come to L.A. to play the Lakers on March 25.

—The Lakers and the Clippers meet for the first time since the opener on April 4.

—The Lakers begin a five-game road trip in Tampa against the Raptors on April 6. (Technically, it’s a seven-game trip that starts in Sacramento, but the second game is in L.A. against the Clippers).

—On that trip, they’ll play the Brooklyn Nets on a Saturday night national TV game.

—Following that trip, the Lakers will host Boston (April 15) before two games Utah (April 17 and 19)

—The Lakers play back-to-back road games in Dallas starting on April 22 as part of a four-game road trip that also goes to Orlando and Washington.

—The Lakers finish the second half of the season on May 16 in New Orleans.

—The Lakers have eight sets of back-to-back games in the second half of the season.

—They’ll play on national TV (ABC/ESPN/TNT) 15 times.

See the entire schedule.

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Song of the week

“Daft Punk Is Playing at My house” by LCD Soundsystem

Daft Punk broke up this week, but instead of honoring them with a pick (and there are some really good ones), let’s remember how awesome they were by listening to a song by a different band that was so enamored with the DJ duo that they wrote a party anthem about them.

Did you miss anything?

Lakers’ LeBron James disagrees with playing fewer minutes

Lakers to waive Quinn Cook, unlikely to reunite with DeMarcus Cousins

Pau Gasol, a two-time NBA champion with the Lakers, signs with FC Barcelona

Vanessa Bryant gets an apology from Meek Mill for ‘insensitive’ lyrics about Kobe