The Los Angeles Lakers season has had plenty of ups and downs. About two-thirds of the season having passed, the team is on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, with a tough schedule to boot.
Despite the somewhat grim picture, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka feels optimistic about his team’s outlook as he spoke on Spectrum SportsNet after the team’s win over the Celtics following the trade deadline:
Talked with Lakers GM Rob Pelinka, who was optimistic about Lakers’ chances going forward.
If Lakers make the playoffs, “I wouldn’t want to (play) us in any seven-game matchup, that’s for sure,” Pelinka said.
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) February 8, 2019
It’s Pelinka’s job to inspire confidence within the fanbase, of course, but he does have the point. The Lakers were 18-10 at one point and looked like a top-four team in the brutal Western Conference before LeBron James was injured.
Having James is the key to all of this. He is the best player in the world and we have plenty of evidence that he can drag even mediocre teams to great heights, albeit in the Eastern Conference.
Outside of the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers should have a great chance in any series because they’re going to have the best player, a top defense and enough weapons, especially after a couple of minor trade moves, to make things work.
