The Los Angeles Lakers started the NBA season very lackluster, going 2-10 very fast. However, as we are about halfway through the season, things are starting to look up for the Lakers. Though their record may be harsh to look at, being 20-24, for those who watched those games, you saw improvement throughout the season.

The supporting cast of Austin Reaves, Wenyen Gabriel, Thomas Bryant, Kendrick Nunn, Tory Brown Jr., and Juan Toscano-Anderson has made huge strides. With Lonnie Walker IV, Anthony Davis, and Dennis Schröder all out, the Lakers were lacking important pieces in scoring points and playing defense against other teams. But the help from the supporting cast has allowed them to at least close in on finally bringing the team record above .500.

Another point to note is that for the Lakers, it seems like the Russell Westbrook problem has been solved. If anything has been shown to us from about the last eight games, it’s that Westbrook has finally started to find his fit in with the Lakers’ second unit. Westbrook is averaging 22.3 points, 8.4 assists, 8.5 rebounds, and about 1.5 steals per game during this stretch.

With Westbrook performing more like the All-Star we know him to be, the next step for the Lakers should be to try and focus on winning as many games as they can until Davis can return. With the eventual return of AD and the rest of the roster playing at their best, the Lakers may still have a solid chance at the playoffs despite their mediocre record for the season.