The Lakers as a team, and Bron as a player, have the largest hate-bases in the NBA, so of course a majority of basketball heads are writing this team off. Including "Laker fans", many of whom we all should know aren't really Lakers heads...
Its not good right now and if you asked me at this very moment, do I think they are winning it or even getting back to The Finals? My answer is probably not but the margin for error isn't as slim as people seem to believe it is...
Davis looked great the other night against Portland. The falling and injury shyt is always a concern with dude but how many of yall are actually watching these games? He's ramping it back up into form, thats nothing but a positive for LA...
Besides health the major issue with LA is scoring, that will cure itself when two of their three leading scorers return (Bron, Schroder). Those two will also unlock the scoring for everyone else on the roster, it won't be seamless and the timing is inopportune but it is what it is. I'd rather take my chances having Bron and Schroder back in a playoff setting, even with some rust issues, than have to resign myself to entering the postseason without them---->and that's what yall are missing, the Lakers are gonna have them...
The team defense and collective IQ of this team is too great to write off. These are some good losses they are having, you want to win more but they are hanging with teams for the most part that are substantially more whole than they are...
They doing the right thing. Stay locked in on your fundamentals and philosophy, and be patient with bringing Bron back and allowing AD to ramp up. The season is what it is, i think at this point they probably understand the play in may be a reality, so lock in for each opponent abd do work...
They'd need to lose two games in a row to be eliminated out the play in, two games to GS, Memphis, or SA. No shot of that happening, so even if we lose to GS and fall to the 8-seed, there's a series with Utah coming up...
Right now they the 7-seed, with the expectation Schroder and Bron will be back, so making a prediction at this very moment, I think they hold the 7-seed and have 50/50 odds at beating Phx in Rd1. Beyond Rd1, I'd have to see how they play but I definitely think the Lakers still have a run in them...
If you're asking whats next after this year? You come to grips acknowledging Bron is a declining asset, gotta start building the team with that reality in mind. Lakers can still be a contender with their coaching and philosophy, but a consistent scorer is needed and more scoring punch off the bench. These dudes are far from dead, not surprised people dancing on the grave already though!
