One of them is the fact that Pascal Siakam improved a lot, he improved last year but he kept improving this year as well, dude is amazing and that does cover a bit of the lack of kawhi thing, secondly OG improved as well, that is more like replacement for Danny Green thing but he did improved a lot, thirdly Nick Nurse is a national treasure and dude knows how to use every player to best of his abilities and studies basketball like a student all the time to figure out new stuff to improve.
However, I still do believe in lakers that will be able to make it into championship this year. It just a one lost game for them. Maybe lakers should do more next game.
Lakers still have the chance not just because they've lost the game means that they are no longer dominant.
The league still far from the finals so it's not a big thing if they'll get some loses. It will be a different though when it turned to the second round where every teams will aimed to win each games that they've had to make sure
to advance their chance to semis.
They are great and their rooster is also competitive and the game will change once they are on playoffs, for now maybe we can see their games sometimes in the downside but for sure they will recollect their selves when they are near on their goals. I think there's a mental effect of the current pandemic since I don't enjoy much the games right now the physicality has lessen.