Five Things the Lakers Must Do to Make a Playoff Run This Season
By Hannah Kulik
October 19, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) reacts with forward Julius Randle (30) after a foul is drawn against the Utah Jazz during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
No impartial, rational thinking person believes the Los Angeles Lakers are going to make the playoffs in the 2015-16 season.
Even with a seemingly improved line-up, ESPN recently projected the team to win a mere 26 games and finish 14th out of 15 Western Conference teams.
With all due respect to ESPN, the Lakers are likely to finish better than that, but is the prospect of making the playoffs still a laughable delusion?
If the stars align just right, is there enough talent to finish among the best eight teams?
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Many, including the media, would still say no, but it’s not as cut and dry as one might think.
It would take something cataclysmic for the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzles not to make the playoffs. That leaves three remaining spots in the west.
The media is also predicting the Oklahoma City Thunder will make the cut, and many have the Thunder ranked second or third in the conference.
Haven’t Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant missed a great deal of time due to injuries the past two seasons?
Isn’t Durant questionable going into this year due to the nature of his foot condition?
The Portland Trailblazers and Dallas Mavericks have regressed. Other teams such as the New Orleans Hornets, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz either have big question marks, gone through major personnel changes, or have yet to accomplish anything.
If the Lakers, who are still a long-shot to make the playoffs, can accomplish the following five goals it is at least conceivable they could sneak into the seventh or eighth seed.
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