Realistic, but Optimistic
When asked about their playoff hopes, nearly every Lakers player was realistic about their chances. While they talked about how tough the Western Conference will be to penetrate, they remained optimistic saying that winning a title is always the ultimate goal.
Bryant may have put it the best, saying how he is “hell-bent” on helping the Lakers play games that matter again, games that have playoff implications as opposed to the meaningless games they played in the past two seasons.
Hibbert also spoke about how the Lakers have great pieces but it all depends on how they mesh together during training camp and until that is seen, anything is possible.
Additionally, each player seemed to be hyper-aware of their ESPN’s power ranking and were encouraged by the chance to surprise people or prove critics wrong.
Next: The Start of Something Great