Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers currently stand seventh in the Western Conference and are still very much alive to secure a playoff spot. No matter how the rest of the season winds up, the Lakers could finish no less than the No.9 seed which still guarantees them a spot in the play-in tournament.
The Lakers have shown a lot of promise since trading Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley and a couple of their bench warmers prior to the NBA trade deadline. Since reconstructing their roster, the Lakers have gone 16-8 and are 7-2 when LeBron James plays.
While the new-look Lakers have improved significantly since the trades, NBA analyst Doug Gottlieb said that the Lakers are just interesting but not a team that could legitimately contend for a championship.
“While the Lakers are a far better team with far better chemistry since they got rid of Russell Westbrook and added a lot of pieces that fit better, THAT AIN’T a championship team…The Lakers are not really a contender; they’re just interesting.”
“While the Lakers are a far better team with far better chemistry since they got rid of Russell Westbrook and added a lot of pieces that fit better, THAT AIN’T a championship team…The Lakers are not really a contender; they’re just interesting.”
📺@GottliebShow pic.twitter.com/6A3tmp5s6Q
— FOX Sports Radio (@FoxSportsRadio) April 6, 2023
