Despite being just a few games over .500 this season, the Lakers still believe that they can go all the way. In a recent chat with the media, NBA center Christian Wood became the latest Lakers player to set high expectations and doubled down on the Lakers being a top-six team in the West this season.
“We’re gonna try to get into the playoffs,” said Wood. “We need to come back, finish off strong. Right now, we’re 9th in the West, but we’re a top-six team. I think if we come back with the attitude of trying to stay consistent and trying to stack wins together, we’ll be a tough team to beat.”
The Lakers were on a similar trajectory last season before finishing the season in dominant fashion. While their 43-39 record was not enough to get them into the top six, they were still able to win two rounds against the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors en route to the Western Conference Finals. Eventually, the Lakers were sent home by the Denver Nuggets but they responded by bringing in even more talent in the form of Christian Wood, Gabe Vincent, and Cam Reddish. Their newest arrival, Spencer Dinwiddie, is expected to make his Lakers debut tonight. This year, while fans were hoping for a better start, there is still widespread belief that the Lakers can beat anyone in a seven-game series and if they can snag a top-six seed before the postseason it should set them up for success in the early rounds. But whether or not they have enough to beat the likes of Denver, Oklahoma City, or the Los Angeles Clippers remains to be seen.
Lakers Stars Are Still Confident In A Potential Finals Run This Year
The Western Conference has never been more crowded. The top four teams alone include some serious power-houses, like the defending champs in Denver who are looking good for their chances of a repeat. Among teams 5-8 in the standings, no team has a winning percentage lower than 57.4% and all of them have some kind of top-level superstar, whether it’s Luka Doncic, Zion Williamson, De’Aaron Fox, or Kevin Durant. For the Lakers, there is no doubt that they can keep up in the West with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who have already proven that they can lead a team to a championship.
With a 28-26 record, the Lakers have struggled to get a grip this season, and there are questions if their championship window has closed for good. At the trade deadline, the Lakers were involved in all kinds of rumors and the word on the street is that they plan to chase another star this upcoming summer (potential targets include Trae Young, Kyrie Irving, and Donovan Mitchell). Regarding the current season, Los Angeles may already be too far behind to catch the top six. Currently, the Pelicans are 4 games up on the Lake Show with no signs of slowing down.
The good news is, with games against the Pistons, Jazz, Spurs, and Wizards over the next two weeks, the Lakers have an opportunity to take advantage of a weak schedule and close the gap between them and a guaranteed playoff spot. If the Lakers can make the cut, and avoid the play-in tournament, it will be a major advantage for LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who need as much rest as they can get before the post-season grind. If not, the Lakers will face an uphill battle to the NBA Finals and it’d be a miracle to come out alive.
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