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It’s far too early in the 2022-23 NBA season to make any definitive statements about specific teams. Well, except for the Los Angeles Lakers. They’re a horrible basketball team, and there aren’t many positives pointing toward a drastic turnaround.

Through four games, the Lakers are 0-4 with an average scoring margin of -8.3. LA ranks dead last in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage (22.3%), and its 102.3-point scoring average ranks 29th in the league.

Things are looking so bleak for the Lakers that a popular sportsbook has already decided to pay out every bettor who placed money on LA to go under its win total this season. Easiest winner ever?

The Lakers might be the worst team in the NBA

LeBron James and Anthony Davis show frustration.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers look on during a game against the Los Angeles Clippers | Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

After a disappointing 2021-22 season in which the Lakers somehow missed the playoffs, fans were expecting some positive regression this year. But that hasn’t been the case. In fact, LA looks even worse than it did last season.

In a league that values shooting more than it ever has, the Lakers are the worst shooting team in the NBA. Los Angeles is shooting 41.6% from the field and an abysmal 22.3% from three. That’s bad news in and of itself, but they don’t seem to realize three-point shooting is their biggest weakness. The Lakers are attempting 37.0 threes per game, which is the ninth-highest mark in the NBA.

Aside from LeBron James and Anthony Davis, no one on the roster has stepped up on the offensive end. Lonnie Walker IV is their third-leading scorer at 15.3 points per game, but his plus/minus is at -39 through four games. Oh, and Russell Westbrook? Yeah, so much for a rebound season from him. Westbrook is shooting 28.9% from the field and 8.3% from three so far, which would both be career-lows by a hefty amount.

This roster isn’t any better than it was last year. It might even be worse. The Lakers are quickly headed toward another missed postseason, and bettors are already profiting four games in.

Lakers win total under bettors are already celebrating

If you bet a win total in the NBA, you have to wait six long months to cash in. At least, that’s usually the case, but not with the Lakers this season.

On Thursday morning, PointsBet announced on Twitter that the sportsbook will be paying out all bettors who took the Lakers to go under their season win total of 44.5 or 45.5 wins. LA would have to go 46-32 the rest of the way to hit both overs, but PointsBet clearly doesn’t see that happening.

Congrats, Lakers under bettors. Now, will they even reach 30 wins in a season that seems destined for disaster?

Have thoughts on this topic? Keep the conversation rolling in our comments section below.

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Staff Writer

Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.