It's a known fact that the Los Angeles Lakers have been struggling mightily throughout the season. However, it's also true that while they are currently fighting for deal life in the West, the fact of the matter is that this team is far from done. It's going to be an uphill battle the rest of the way, but at this point, we just shouldn't count LeBron James and the Lakers out just yet.
Right now, the Lakers are sitting at the ninth spot in the Western Conference and are barely clinging to a spot for the Play-In tournament. The New Orleans Pelicans, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Portland Trail Blazers are all hot on their tail, and if LA ends up losing a handful of games in the coming weeks, they could very well miss the Play-In altogether.
Be that as it may, the one thing the Lakers have going for them is LeBron James. The King has been nothing short of tremendous this entire season and he's done everything he can to carry his team. His heroics have not been enough to secure a playoff spot for LA, but at least he has been able to keep the ship afloat, so to speak.
Right now, the Lakers still have a chance. With LeBron in the picture, anything can still happen. This is exactly why head coach Frank Vogel remains adamant about keeping his hopes alive despite his team's overall poor showing this term:
“This team has not let go of the rope,” Vogel said, via Bill Oram of The Athletic. “And the biggest, No. 1 reason is because of how (LeBron’s) played and how he’s led and what he represents in terms of having confidence about where we can ultimately get to.”
The Lakers have been horrible. There are just no two ways of putting it. It is clear that this roster just doesn't fit and that Russell Westbrook — as great as he is — just hasn't been able to find his groove alongside LeBron and the rest of the squad. However, there is also a lingering belief that this team can still turn things around. Lakers supporters are hoping that so long as they make it into the playoffs, this team should be alright. LA is expected to be a different animal once the postseason kicks in and again, the main reason behind this seemingly blind faith is none other than LeBron James.
Coach Vogel doubled down on this notion by saying that he expects the Lakers to figure things out when it matters the most:
“How we’ve played up to these 65, 70 games, whatever it has been, (with) the trial and error nature of our season, does not necessarily represent who we are going to be in the Play-In game,” Vogel said, “and hopefully beyond that.”
There is a growing belief within this squad and the fact that they have won two out of their last three games adds a glimmer of hope. This includes an impressive 131-120 win over the Cavs, one of the best teams in the East, in Cleveland on Monday night.
Westbrook himself has also been showing signs of life. He was clutch in LA's 128-123 overtime win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday, coming up with the steal and game-tying triple to send the game to an extra period. Over his last three, the former league MVP is averaging 19.6 points on 53.2 percent shooting, 8.0 rebounds, and 9.7 assists. He's also been knocking down his attempts from deep, averaging 2.7 triples on a highly-efficient 50.0-percent clip. The sample size is undeniably small, but the fact is that Westbrook has been playing much better of late.
New Lakers recruit DJ Augustin confirmed that the mindset within the squad remains optimistic.
“Internally we feel like we’re a great team and we can do something special,” said Augustin. “Make a run. Get into the playoffs. And make a run in the playoffs.”
All hope is not lost and the Lakers are still confident that they can turn things around. For LeBron, he's just drowning out all the outside noise as he puts his focus on doing what he can to help his team:
“Because I couldn’t care less what the narrative about our team is,” James said. “At my point in my career, I don’t get involved in that stuff. I don’t read about it, I don’t hear it too much. … None of that stuff matters to me, I’m having a blast playing the game of basketball.”
LeBron is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his entire career. He's 37, by the way, in case you forgot. The King is clearly enjoying the last few remaining years he has left.
Follow Us
Subscribe