The Los Angeles Lakers are right in the heart of the Western Conference playoff race and do have some good wins over the likes of the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves. However, the Lakers have suffered some blowout losses to many top teams as well and their defensive struggles have led many, including LeBron James himself, to claim that this team is not at the level of the true championship contenders.
Following the Lakers’ close loss to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron didn’t mince words in saying that the Thunder are a championship team and while the Lakers aren’t at that level.
But the Lakers roster doesn’t believe that to be the case, particularly if they are healthy. Bronny James made it clear that the Lakers players believe this team can make a run in the postseason as long as everyone is suiting up.
“I know that our team believes that we can be contenders and make a deep playoff run,” Bronny said. “We all believe that. Once we get healthy and stuff like that, it’s just gonna come down to playing hard and playing smart and winning games.”
While this would seem to be a direct contradiction to what LeBron said, it should be noted that the reason LeBron said the Lakers weren’t at the level of the Thunder wasn’t about the roster itself, but rather that they have been unable to sustain energy and effort for a full game. Even in their best wins, the Lakers often have a quarter where they just completely falter and that just can’t happen against the top teams.
Injuries have certainly played a factor this year for the Lakers as LeBron, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have only played 10 games together, but that doesn’t excuse this team’s inability to execute for an entire game.
If this team is able to finally get healthy than we can get a true idea of where this team stacks up against the top contenders. But this squad believes they can compete, now it will be up to them to prove it.
Luka Doncic remains out for Lakers final game before All-Star break
The Lakers still won’t be fully healthy before the All-Star break as superstar guard Luka Doncic remains out with a hamstring injury for the team’s contest against the Dallas Mavericks.
If Doncic doesn’t play in the All-Star Game then he would get eight more days off before the Lakers next take the court.
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