All things considered, we really haven't had a lot of time to learn about these Lakers. Yes, some of the team has been there all year, but the crew we've seen in the playoffs is a creation of the trade deadline, and even then the number of games played with the core together has been limited by injuries to LeBron James, Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell.

So while we likely won't see a true top end for this team that would come with a training camp and a season of seasoning, there is definitely room still for improvement. The Lakers have already beaten the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies and defending champion Warriors, both as the road team and both in (by NBA playoff standards) relatively easy fashion.

Add in the fact that James and Davis are now 6-0 in playoff series as teammates when both have been healthy and available throughout, and there is plenty of reason to believe the Lakers can, and even will, beat the Denver Nuggets in the Conference Finals, even while acknowledging that the Nuggets have easily been the West's best team all year, have tremendous depth and perhaps the best player in the game in Nikola Jokic. So while Vegas says Denver, and it's easy to agree with them, nobody should have to squint too hard here to find a path for the purple and gold.

Are there similarities between this group and the 2020 champs? What's different? And speaking of different, how might Darvin Ham shake up the starting lineup, compared to what he rolled with against the Warriors (whether in Games 1-5, or Game 6)?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers have overcome a ton already this year, and nobody is sure what the upside is.

SEGMENT 2: It's the same final four in 2023 as in the bubble playoffs of 2020. Kind of interesting! Plus, more on potential upside for LA.

SEGMENT 3: Any lineup changes you'd anticipate?

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