After a 2-10 start, this season was looking like another lost cause for the Lakers, who didn’t appear to have an easy way of improving their situation. But now, after clinching the 7th seed in the West, the Lakers are clearly on the rise — and they haven’t lost sight of how it all began.
In fact, in the Lakers locker room, Darvin Ham wrote the team’s playoff odds (0.3%) as a way to inspire the guys to keep the momentum going amid a miraculous turnaround.
“When we were 2-10, the analytics guys said we had a 0.3 (%) chance of making the postseason,” said LeBron. “So, all you ask for is a chance I guess. So for us to turn around our season and give ourselves an opportunity to compete for the Larry O’Brien Trophy, that’s all you can ask for.”
0.3% chance.
Here we are. pic.twitter.com/HUJFDh9PJm
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 12, 2023
It’s important to remember just how bad things were for the Lakers. At one point, they looked like one of the worst teams in the West with Westbrook, Kendrick Nunn, and a bunch of other players who didn’t fit the mold of L.A.’s plans.
But after Rob Pelinka’s busy trade deadline, the roster got a lot better with guys like Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Rui Hachimura to bring much-needed depth around the two stars.
Still, the path to a championship will not be easy for the Lakers, especially given how much effort and work it took to climb their way back into the playoff mix.
LeBron James Is All-In On Winning His 5th Championship
Even with practically nothing left to prove in his career, LeBron James hasn’t lost an ounce of his competitive spirit. This season, at 38 years old, he’s heading into the playoffs with his eyes on the prize, and it could finalize his legacy once and for all.
“That’s the only reason I play still, is to try to put myself in a position to make championships runs,” LeBron said. “And give teammates that have never been part of a championship run something they haven’t experienced before. It hasn’t changed for me since about 2006-7, that’s just been my mindset every year on how can I make a championship run and I’ve been successful in four of those.”
Of course, the job is not yet finished for the Purple and Gold. In fact, the road is really just getting started and it only gets harder from here. If the Lakers really want to win another title, they’re going to have to earn it…
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