Last night after the loss to the Washington Wizards, Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni had some strong words regarding his team and whether or not they are capable of winning a championship:
“I told them today, we put our hands in [the huddle], and you guys have probably seen it, we say, ‘Championship,’ and go out [on the floor]. That’s laughable. Championship? You got to be kidding me. Nobody understands the importance of every possession offensively and defensively. Every time they got to come out with some kind of determination to be a good basketball team, and [until] then, we’re just, we’re fooling ourselves. Right now, that’s what we’re doing. We’re just making a ‘sham-mockery’ out of it.”
The Lakers did not resemble the effort of a team that wants to win a championship last night. They gave up an 18-point lead at home to one of the worst teams in the league en route to another bad loss in this up-and-down season. Mike D’Antoni had ever right to express the way he feels. Too many times this season the Lakers have not played with a sense of urgency, or with the passion that is required in order to win ball games.
D’Antoni’s frustration with his team was certainly evident after the game, as that was the most animated Laker fans had seen the head coach since he had been hired earlier this season.
If they do have championship hopes, it is going to be important that they rid themselves of these bad habits, and soon, or they’re going to find themselves heading home for the summer much earlier than they would like.
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