After starting the season 0-5, things are finally starting to look up for the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James is healthy, Russell Westbrook has found his fit, and Anthony Davis has returned to MVP form. Best of all, it has resulted in winning basketball for the Lakers, who are now up to 10-13 on the season.
But coming into tonight’s game as the underdogs against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Lakers Nation got a brutal reminder that this squad still has a lot to prove before they are considered among the top teams in the East.
This is the thinking of NBA legend Charles Barkley, who recently said on ‘Inside the NBA’ on Tuesday that he’s still not sold on the potential of this Lakers team.
“Anthony Davis is playing great, but what place are the Lakers right now? 13th… if the playoffs started today, they wouldn’t even be in the play-in game!”
“Hey, if the playoffs started today, they wouldn’t even be in the Play-In Game”
Chuck is still hesitant to buy in on the Lakers 😅 pic.twitter.com/ElIJZkesOi
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 7, 2022
It’s understandable for Chuck to feel this way about the Purple and Gold. Even before tonight’s game, they were below .500 with wins against mostly easy opponents. Now, after Anthony Davis played just nine minutes in the loss to Cleveland, there’s even more reason to worry about the future of this team.
Can The Lakers Make A Playoff Run This Season?
Putting aside Barkley’s disbelief, most would agree that LeBron James and Anthony Davis would usually be enough to get any team into the postseason. But with the way Davis is playing right now, and the way that guys like Austin Reaves and Lonnie Walker IV have stepped up, it doesn’t seem so unrealistic that this squad can make some noise.
Paul Pierce has recently claimed that the Los Angeles Lakers can easily be a playoff team if Anthony Davis continues to play with “KG mentality”. There is no doubt that the big man is currently.
“This is the Version of Anthony Davis everyone was waiting to see,” said Celtics legend Paul Pierce. “His ability says he’s capable of it ,but we all questioned his mentality. Yo AD ain’t no going back now blood. KG mentality rest of season , if so Lakers easily a playoff Team also hope u stay healthy.”
Of course, the Lakers probably shouldn’t get too far ahead of themselves. We’re in December now, and thinking about the playoffs would be premature for this 10-13 Lakers crew.
But if the Lakers keep playing like this, it won’t be so long before they climb back up the standings and insert themselves into the championship conversation.
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