It’s funny how things can quickly change in the NBA. Just a month ago, the Los Angeles Lakers were looking over their shoulders, wondering if another slip would send them tumbling into the play-in scramble. At best, they were predicted to make it as far as the first round when looking at the teams around them. However, after a near-perfect March, the narrative has completely changed and there is a chance that they could win that elusive ring they have been chasing since 2020.

The Lakers are riding on a nine-game win streak, which included wins against possible playoff opposition like the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and the Houston Rockets, whom they beat twice. They have now lost only one of their last 13, and that string of victories has pushed them up to the No. 3 spot in the West. After a season filled with a lot of uncertainties, they are now positioned for something bigger.

The Lakers Budding Chemistry Will Make Them Contenders

The Luka Doncic effect is in full flow and for once, the Lakers don’t have to put all their hopes into 41-year-old LeBron James. The move to land the Slovenian superstar is now reaping rewards after Los Angeles sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks for Doncic to come the other way. From the onset, it has always looked like the Lakers had the better deal, but after a first-round exit last year and a rollercoaster 2025-26 season, it was looking like they couldn’t maximize the 27-year-old superstar.

Doncic is averaging a league-leading 33.4 points on 47.6% shooting from the field and 35.7% from beyond the arc, along with 7.9 rebounds and 8.4 assists. He is the only player in the NBA putting up 30+ points with at least seven rebounds and eight assists on a regular basis. He has literally shot himself up the MVP ladder and is currently No. 2 in the race, and all this is coming right in time as the playoffs approach.

There is still a long way to go for the championship and going by what is in play this season, it won’t be a smooth ride in the Western Conference with the two top teams, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, being clear favorites. However, the Lakers weren’t even considered among the top teams some weeks back, but here they are, and going by how they have been playing of late, those two top seeds will have to watch their backs.

With Doncic in the full driving seat, the supporting cast is feeding well. Austin Reaves is having a career-high year, and in their latest outing against the Orlando Magic, he complemented Doncic’s 33 with 26 of his own. Luke Kennard, from the bench, hit the game-winner, and what they didn’t have earlier in the season was a role player stepping up in moments like these.

James is still out there defying history by averaging 21.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.8 assists this season. Those are solid numbers, but what is interesting is how he has played in this Lakers’ recent form. He is averaging 19.3 points in March, which is his lowest monthly production since November when he had just returned to competitive action. It shows that the four-time MVP has dialed back and embraced a third-option role without ego. If it means another ring, he wouldn’t mind.

The Lakers didn’t get it at first, thinking that Doncic and James would just form a backcourt duo with equal responsibilities. However, what they are actually doing now is pairing their 27-year-old MVP candidate with their future Hall of Famer, who’s willing to play Robin. James has dimmed his usage just enough for Doncic and Reaves to take on primary and secondary options, respectively. It’s a much-needed sacrifice, one that has seen the Lakers win 12 of their last 13 games and look like contenders.

The contender tag is largely dependent on their defensive capabilities. This season, the Lakers have been inconsistent, with a shaky net rating and a defensive rating of 116.6 before the All-Star break, which isn’t high enough to place them among the top 15 defenses. Since the All-Star game, their defense has been rated at 113.0, and this March it was an even stronger 111.6. The most significant change is James’s new defensive focus, working closely with DeAndre Ayton. He and Davis were a pair last season, and though they had physical presence and size, they weren’t the offensive threat that Doncic is.

Moreover, the Lakers have struggled against these two teams whom they are likely to meet deeper in the playoffs. They are 1-5 this season against the Thunder and Spurs.

A good run in March is one thing, but the substance required for a deep playoff run and a shot at the title is another. Doncic is their main offensive threat, but the six-time All-Star isn’t always Mr. Reliable in terms of availability. He has already missed 12 games this season and who is to say he won’t miss a few more in the most critical stage. If that happens, the Lakers aren’t strong enough defensively to make up for any struggles on offense. 

The bottom line is that the Lakers’ margin for error is much slimmer than their top competitors. To make it to the Western Conference finals, they’ll need to piece together some generational offense. That they are capable of.

L.A. also cannot rely on James’ explosiveness due to his age, and its defense will be really tested beyond this purple patch it is having right now.

The Lakers have improved their record against top opponents, which is crucial for the playoffs. Having lost seven of eight against teams above .500, they have now won their last seven. Of course, nothing is guaranteed come April. Injuries or hard luck could tilt playoff series, but if everything goes as it is, the Lakers are in pole position to go through the West.