Los Angeles Lakers are being touted as one of the favourites for the Western Conference playoffs after their historic Luka Doncic trade this week. The LeBron James lead side has bounced back strongly after a challenging outing in the first half of the season. However, are the Lakers now all-in on the Western Conference? Let's find out!Though Luka Doncic was landed by the 19 time NBA champions this week, they also had to give away some of their assets to the Dallas Mavericks. This includes a first round draft pick for 2026 and Anthony Davis. AD has been a cornerstone for Los Angeles’ defense. The 31-year-old’s absence will be felt on the court for the Lakers.The Los Angeles Lakers were already struggling defensively and a major part of the reason behind their slow start this season was a lack of rim protection. The absence of a big man in the paint leaves the team vulnerable to attack after attacks and offensive rebounds. This could come to haunt the Lakers despite a strong offensive unit.Also read: Luka Doncic net worth: How blockbuster Los Angeles Lakers trade could skyrocket his wealth and legacyThe Slovenian guard has just arrived in Los Angeles and fans are already riding on him for a championship stint. Luka Doncic, despite his spectacular offensive prowess, will need time to settle into his new team. Moreover, the former Maverick remains injured and hasn't played an NBA game since Christmas Day.The star player hasn't reportedly checked out mentally from the Dallas Mavericks. The trade which was made even before the consent of Luka has left deep scars on him. The 25-year-old will take his own time moving on from the backstabbing from his former franchise. And Lakers management is likely to be supportive around the sensitive issue.The Western Conference is known to be stacked with fierce competition from almost all the teams’ making a case for their own presence. The Los Angeles Lakers are 5th seeded with a record of 29-19 so far. But OKC Thunder are having one of their best seasons being consistently top seeded, OKC Thunder have a record of 40-9. While teams like Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets are also performing better than the Lakers.