if they'll complete the season with no major injuries, this Lakers squad still have that great chance to win the title, LeBron and Davis still the best combo in terms of both offense and defense,
Westbrook and Anthony they'll be adding more offensive threats and if combine well by the coach, it will bring the most of this team to a winning squad.
Still early, but for sure all of them are after the ring and they are on the mission to prove those critics regarding to their age.
So, this is a very important variable. The "x" factor that caught several teams off guard this NBA season (2020/2021) was injuries, there were a lot of injuries, even I was worried about that.
I confess that if they don't have a lot of injuries this season, the Lakers and Nets will have a great chance of making it to the NBA Finals this season (of course anything can happen), but I believe these teams have a lot of potential for that to happen.
Basketball isn't just a height thing otherwise all 7 footers would be awesome. Athleticism is a huge part of playing basketball. And for most people that tall, their shooting mechanics are all wrong from anywhere out from 5 feet from the bucket. Limbs are too long for smooth mechanics. And besides most are goofy and can't move laterally quick enough to last.
Look, I believe this is a compilation of factors that can make a difference. In my opinion, height is indeed an important factor, but for a person to be an excellent player, he needs to have skill, be a good shooter, be a good movimentation and be a good defender (which in my humble opinion this last characteristic is a of the most important).
For example, over the years we've seen a number of HS and college basketball players who are tall and who are occupying SG and PG positions.
I believe these characteristics of that players is going to change