The Lakers have slowly risen to the top seed in the Western Conference, but with other teams looking stronger and their playoff odds decreasing, are they doomed? What type of team will this be for Kobe Bryant’s final season?
The “last time Lakers won finals” is a question that asks whether the Los Angeles Lakers have been doomed because of their slow start. There are some who believe that the team has been doomed because of their slow start, but others think that it will take more than just one season to get back to where they were last year. Read more in detail here: last time lakers won finals.
The Los Angeles Lakers started 2021-22 with championship aspirations, led by three MVP-caliber players. Despite this, LA hasn’t looked like the heavyweight favorite many anticipated it to be through the first 25 games.
With a record of 13-12, it’s easy to dismiss the Lakers as little more than a play-in team. Is there still a possibility for the Purple and Gold to save the season and finish among the Western Conference’s top four teams come playoff time?
The TNT team argued whether or not the Los Angeles Lakers will finish in the top four seeds.
The Lakers’ performance on Tuesday was one of their finest so far this season. The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Boston Celtics 117-102 thanks to performances from all three of their players. TNT’s Inside the NBA team examined the game and, more significantly, predicted where the Lakers will finish by the conclusion of the season.
Kenny Smith informed his other analysts, “I feel they will be a top-four seed comfortably.” Barkley, who believes LA is in for a tougher season, was skeptical of Smith’s faith.
Barkley lashed back, “The Lakers aren’t going to be in the top four.” “I don’t give a damn what anybody says.”
“Let me tell you why they’ll be four or five,” Shaquille O’Neal revealed. “They don’t want to be in the seventh or eighth slot in the playoffs….” They don’t want to play Phoenix or Golden State in the first round.”
“They’re not even on the same planet as the Suns and Warriors tonight, tomorrow, next week, next month,” Barkley exclaimed gleefully as he sipped from his cup. Chuck also predicted the Lakers will end in the play-in round earlier in the program, predicting they “won’t win six games in a row at any time this year.”
Against the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers put on a spectacular show.
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The Lakers are on the cusp of a significant breakthrough, if Tuesday’s performance is any clue.
Unlike the bulk of the team’s games so far, LA triumphed owing to a strong third quarter, outscoring Boston 31-20 after halftime. Russell Westbrook, the much-maligned guard, led the charge, scoring 15 of his 24 points in the third quarter.
LeBron James scored 30 points to lead the Lakers. Last Thursday, James returned from health and safety processes with a team-high +18 rating. Anthony Davis also had a strong 17-point, 16-rebound performance, as well as a pair of blocks and steals.
“There were a lot of things we could fix up,” James told TNT after the victory. “But today was one of the greatest 48-minute games we’ve played so far.” “And we want to keep doing it all the way to Memphis.”
Los Angeles couldn’t stop Jayson Tatum, who scored 34 points on 13-of-22 shooting. Despite this, Tatum was the only Celtic to score more than 13 points, as the Lakers made life tough for the rest of the Celtics.
For the Purple and Gold, a four-seed or higher is still within sight.
Is a 13-12 start in what was projected to be a title-contending season disappointing for the Lakers? They certainly are. However, the 2020 NBA champions still have a chance to win homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
After dropping a tiebreaker against the 13-12 Los Angeles Clippers, LA is in sixth place heading into Wednesday. Despite this, James and the Cavaliers are just 1.5 games behind the four-seed Memphis Grizzlies, who are presently missing standout guard Ja Morant. The Utah Jazz are the three-seed, with a four-game lead over the Los Angeles Lakers. In contrast, the 10-seed Sacramento Kings, who are barely outside the play-in round, are just 2.5 games ahead of LA.
However, it’s worth noting that this was just LeBron’s, AD’s, and Russ’s 12th game together. James is the lone reason for this, since he has yet to play more than three games in a row this season. So, if LeBron can remain on the floor and create better connection with his teammates, there should be many more games like the one against Boston.
At this point, catching the Warriors or Suns may be impossible. The Lakers, on the other hand, still have plenty of time to position themselves for postseason success.
Basketball Reference provided all statistics.
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The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a slow start this season. They currently have a record of 10-11. Their chances of making the playoffs as a top four seed, however, are not looking too good. Reference: lakers record.
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