Wild Lakers Theory Proves Team Will Win Finals if Recession Hits

A bonkers Los Angeles Lakers fan theory, posited by user @pokerawz on Reddit, suggests that the Lakers could win a record-tying 18th NBA championship, albeit at the expense of the U.S. economy.

The Lakers have won nine of their 17 titles thus far during U.S. economic recessions. Here's their tally, via @pokerawz:

"1972 (Nixon shock & stagflation)
1980 (energy crisis & high inflation)
1982 (Volcker recession)
2000, 2001, 2002 (dot-com bubble + 9/11)
2009, 2010 (housing crash & financial crisis)
2020 (COVID-19)
All during NBER-defined recessions with major market drops."

There have been rumblings about a potential new domestic recession this year, which would seem to align with this theory.

Los Angeles has gone 49-31 so far this season.

With the No. 2-seeded Houston Rockets (52-28) resting most of their best players ahead of their L.A. tilt on Friday, and the Lakers' Sunday opposition, the already-eliminated Portland Trail Blazers (35-45), trying desperately to tank, Los Angeles seems well on its way to earning at least 50 wins this season, and thus the conference's third seed.

Los Angeles shocked the world when it managed to pull off an insane trade midseason, acquiring five-time All-NBA First Team guard Luka Doncic, plus reserve big men Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for 10-time All-Star power forward/center Anthony Davis, 3-and-D shooting guard Max Christie, and just one future first-round draft pick in 2029.

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The Lakers and Mavericks both all shipped out 2025 second-rounders to the Utah Jazz. L.A. offloaded 2023 first-round pick Jalen Hood-Schifino to Utah, too, though he was subsequently waived.

Doncic, alongside 21-time All-Star Los Angeles power forward LeBron James and seemingly perpetual Most Improved Player candidate Austin Reaves, has led the reconfigured Lakers to a strong 2024-25 regular-season finish. Beyond the Thunder, the West appears to be wide open, with just five games separating the No. 2-seeded Rockets from the No. 8-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves.

Los Angeles has the firepower, requisite scoring superstars, and wing defense to contend with virtually anyone in a seven-game series. The team's primary weakness now, sans All-Defensive First Teamer Davis, is interior rim protection. Jaxson Hayes has emerged as L.A.'s best traditional center option, while starting small forward Rui Hachimura, James, and reserve forward Jarred Vanderbilt have spelled him to some success as small-ball backups.

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The Lakers legitimately have a chance to win it all again this year, whether or not the market ultimately yields a recession.

This year, James has shown little sign of slowing down, and seems to be in line to extend his own record of All-NBA honors to 21 in a row. Through 69 games so far, the 6-foot-9 superstar is averaging 24.6 points on .512/.378/.782 shooting splits, 8.2 assists, and 7.9 rebounds.

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