The Los Angeles Lakers are currently sitting at 24-15. If you just look at the Western Conference standings today, January 17, 2026, they look like a solid, upper-tier playoff team holding down the 5th seed. But honestly? This record is a total rollercoaster. One night they’re blowing the brakes off the Hawks, and the next, they’re getting dismantled by the Hornets.
It's been a wild ride under JJ Redick. The "podcaster-to-coach" experiment has actually yielded a winning record, which plenty of skeptics said wouldn't happen. Yet, as we hit the midway point of the 2025-26 season, the LA Lakers win loss situation feels more fragile than the record suggests. They have a negative point differential ($-1$), which usually screams "lucky team."
The Reality of the LA Lakers Win Loss Record
If you're a betting person, the Lakers are a nightmare. They are 11-8 at home and a surprisingly better 13-7 on the road. Usually, it's the other way around. Crypto.com Arena hasn't exactly been a fortress this year.
What’s even weirder is how they perform against different tiers of talent. They are currently 13-6 against teams with winning records. That's elite. But they’ve also managed to go 11-9 against the bottom-feeders. They play up to their competition and then, well, they play down to it too.
Recent Form and the January Slump
The last ten games have been a grind. They’ve gone 5-5 in that stretch.
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- Jan 15: Lost to Charlotte (117-135)
- Jan 13: Beat Atlanta (141-116)
- Jan 12: Lost to Sacramento (112-124)
- Jan 9: Lost to Milwaukee (101-105)
That Charlotte loss was a gut punch. Getting carved up for 135 points by a team that isn't exactly a title contender exposes the biggest hole in this Lakers roster: the defense.
Where the Defense is Falling Apart
JJ Redick has the offense humming. They have the 7th-best Offensive Rating in the league ($118.0$). Luka Dončić, who arrived in that blockbuster trade from Dallas last February, is leading the league in scoring at 33.6 points per game. Having Luka and LeBron on the same floor is basically an offensive cheat code.
But the other side of the ball? It’s a mess.
The Lakers' Defensive Rating is $118.4$, which ranks 26th out of 30 teams. You can't win a championship with the 26th-ranked defense. Period. They miss Anthony Davis—who is now playing for Dallas—more than anyone wants to admit. Deandre Ayton was brought in to provide that rim protection, and while he’s averaging 8.7 rebounds and a block, he just doesn’t have the same defensive gravity.
The LeBron Factor at 41
LeBron James turned 41 in December. It’s actually insane that he’s still averaging 22.7 points and 6.9 assists. But the "slight slippage" the analysts talked about is becoming visible on the defensive end. He’s picking his spots. He has to. You can't expect a 41-year-old to chase 22-year-old guards around for 33 minutes a night and still carry an offensive load.
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What People Get Wrong About This Roster
A lot of fans think the LA Lakers win loss record is just about the stars. It's not. The emergence of Austin Reaves as a legitimate secondary (or tertiary) star has saved their season. Reaves is putting up 26.6 points per game on 50% shooting. He has become the "clutch" guy when Luka is double-teamed.
Then there's the bench. Or lack thereof.
When the starters sit, the Lakers' Net Rating plummeted. Marcus Smart was brought in to provide "grit," but his shooting has been shaky ($39.4%$ FG). Jarred Vanderbilt is still the Swiss Army knife, but he can't guard all five positions at once.
Key Personnel Stats (Mid-January 2026)
- Luka Dončić: 33.6 PPG, 8.7 APG, 7.7 RPG
- Austin Reaves: 26.6 PPG, 6.3 APG, 5.2 RPG
- LeBron James: 22.7 PPG, 6.9 APG, 5.8 RPG
- Deandre Ayton: 13.9 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.0 BPG
Is the Pacific Division Still Reachable?
Surprisingly, yes. Despite the 16 losses, the Lakers are currently 1st in the Pacific Division. The Phoenix Suns are right on their heels at 24-17, and the Warriors are hanging around at 23-19.
The division is mediocre this year. That’s the only reason the Lakers have a "1st place" tag next to their name in the standings. In the broader Western Conference, they are 9.5 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are absolutely running away with the #1 seed at 35-7.
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Actionable Insights for Lakers Fans
If you're tracking the LA Lakers win loss record for the rest of the season, here is what actually matters.
Keep an eye on the Defensive Rating over the next 15 games. If it doesn't move into the top 15, Rob Pelinka will almost certainly have to make a move before the February trade deadline. They need a perimeter stopper.
Watch the minutes for LeBron and Luka. Redick has been playing them heavy minutes ($33.2$ and $36.4$ respectively). If those numbers don't come down, they’ll be gassed by the time the play-in or first round starts.
Monitor the home record. The Lakers have a brutal stretch coming up at Crypto.com Arena. If they can't start winning 70% of their home games, they'll lose that 5th seed faster than you can say "load management."
The Lakers are essentially a glass cannon. They can outscore anyone, but they can also be outscored by anyone. Until they decide to guard the three-point line, that 24-15 record is going to keep vibrating between "contender" and "pretender."
Next Steps for Performance Tracking:
- Check the injury report for Rui Hachimura; his floor-spacing is vital for the second unit's efficiency.
- Watch the points in the paint allowed; if Ayton continues to struggle as a lone rim protector, look for the Lakers to target a defensive big like Robert Williams III or similar via trade.
- Track the back-to-back splits; with an aging LeBron, the Lakers' win percentage in the second half of back-to-backs is currently below 40%, a trend that must reverse to secure home-court advantage.