Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers still have pulse but barely. Their only hope of making the playoffs is getting in as an 8 seed and they’re a good 3.5 games out of that position while being 3 games under .500. So in the grand scheme of things there is a mathematical chance they could still win an NBA title.
Let’s just look at the reality here.
Pau Gasol is likely gone for the season, Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash just did some weird body swap, Dwight Howard is miserable and banged up, Metta World Peace has lost his shooting touch, Mike D’Antoni doesn’t look like he’s coaching anymore, Earl Clark has emerged as the savior and Jim Buss is…well…still Jim Buss.
How this team hasn’t imploded and become a block hole in the hoops universe is unknown. Maybe that’s what is coming next.
What we do know is the season is twisting in the wind being held by a single thread. Last night in Charlotte was nearly the Lakers’ darkest hour. Down by 20 in the third to the worst team in the NBA it looked as if the end was here.
Now a 20-point comeback is always impressive even if it’s against a D-league franchise. None the less there is little to feel confident about going forward. This is a day-in, day-out situation.
The Lakers stock market changes by the hour and there is no telling what value it will hold come April.
All in all its drama of the highest degree and is not recommended for the faint of heart. This team is walking on the edge of a cliff. One more key injury. Another run of bad play. A real Kobe-Howard feud and this thing goes up in smoke.
By the same token you feel as if an inspired win over the Heat tomorrow could finally turn the tide. Or maybe all it would do is buy this team one more week of good feelings before another lackluster loss reveals all the flaws we’ve already laid out. The season is that fragile.