Lakers Have a Shot

Lakers have a Shot!

The Los Angeles Lakers will host LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday evening at the Staples Center. Most of the media frenzy will be focused on LeBron James and his option to opt out on his final year on his current contract and become an unrestricted free agent. Pretty much giving the biggest brand in the NBA free reign to choose his next destination. One of the possible destinations James could land is with the team he is facing Sunday at the Staples Center.

However, James has stated that he has no “list of potential destinations” and reassured Cleveland fans that he still has work to do this season. I will take LeBron James by his word and move on from that topic for now. At the moment LeBron James has the right mindset and the Lakers should follow and focus on the present. The season is approaching the final stretch and there is plenty to play for. Especially for the Los Angeles Lakers.

There are 17 remaining regular season games for the purple and gold and with an optimistic chance on clinching the 8^th and final playoff spot. The Lakers currently sit in 11^th behind the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, and current 8^th seed Clippers. To most NBA fans this may seem like a stretch, which it is, but that’s what is captivating about the league. There are still four teams battling for that last playoff spot.

The Lakers have the higher mountain to climb of the four teams and it doesn’t help that they lost to the Nuggets on Friday night. Of the 17 games remaining the Lakers play four games against the teams that sit above them. They will host the Nuggets, two games against the Utah Jazz, and their last game of the season will be against the LA Clippers.

One of the reasons why I mention the optimistic opportunity for the Lakers to make the playoffs is to appreciate the now. Laker fans had to endure two awful seasons and I am aware that most Laker fans’ mentality is win it all or it is a failure. The “We hang banners” thought process is due to the historically successful basketball organization. But, as someone who watches Lakers basketball on a regular basis this team is a significantly improved and fun to watch again. Their record may discourage some, but I can say that the loses the Lakers accumulate this season differ from the past.

For the most part, the Lakers are a competitive team and have demonstrated their experience by not being able to close out games when they have the lead late in the game. But! That right there is the difference! The team isn’t hopelessly being blown out by the other teams and that is where I make my case. Yes, it is a long shot, a prayer, and then some, but, excuse my short sightedness, LeBron James isn’t a Laker and free agency is never a guarantee to any player or organization. These current Lakers have a shot at the playoffs and that's something to get excited about.