Los Angeles Lakers have finally reached contender status

The Los Angeles Lakers just lost a heart-breaker to the Houston Rockets, but despite that, in this writers opinion, they’re one of the favorites to reach the western conference finals.

This seems like an odd time to say the Los Angeles Lakers are finally contenders, right? The word “finally” in the title to this article implies that when the Lakers were 20-14 and in 4th place in the difficult West, they weren’t actually contenders.

Now, even though they’ve gone a sad 6-9 in their last 15 games, with two of those losses coming against two of the worst teams in the NBA in Cleveland and New York, they have a chance at a title?

To make matters worse, and my argument even more delusional, the Lakers have currently fallen out of the top-8 in the Western Conference, and many “experts” have said they won’t even make the playoffs.

A few hours ago, I had a slightly heated, but I hope productive, conversation with one of my good friends, who just like me, is a big Lakers fan. He believes the Lakers suck and need to make a trade, while I think the Purple and Gold are ready to blow up on the league. Here’s how our conversation went.

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My friend said, “That loss to the Rockets made me want to break my chair over my TV! How’s it possible to squander a 20 point lead like that?”

I replied, “Calm down. After Lonzo went down the Lakers had zero point guards and LeBron James is still out. Despite all that, it took a double clutch prayer from Eric Gordon for the Rockets to win.”

My friend yelled, “A loss is a loss. The Lakers aren’t even in the playoffs anymore. The problem is: The Lakers are the worst shooting team in the league. How can a team win if they can’t score?”

“How are they the worst shooting team in the league? They have one of the best overall field goal percentages in the league.”

“OK OK, they’re the worst team in the league at shooting free throws and probably 3-pointers.”

“That’s exactly why this team is going to be one of the best teams in the league by the end of the season.”

My friend laughed and said, “Bro, are you drunk?”

I smiled and said, “Do you know how difficult it is to play hard on defense when time after time either you or one of your teammates bricks a wide open 3-pointer or misses two shots from the charity stripe? Missing open shots or free throws sucks the life out of a team. But, do the Lakers ever quit? No, over the last 15 games they’re ranked 3rd in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency. These guys have more heart than any team in the league!”

“Aaaaah that’s cute. Guys that get paid millions of dollars to play basketball, are playing hard and they have a lot of heart. Get real! If the Lakers can’t hit open shots they aren’t even gonna make it to the playoffs. They have to make at least one trade, but two would be better.”

“You want me to get real! Guys in the NBA quit on defense all the time. You don’t trade away a core this good. The Lakers are a top-3 defense in the league. If you combine that kind of D with LeBron’s, Rajon Rondo’s, Kyle Kuzma’s, and Lonzo Ball’s playmaking you have the recipe for a title contender. I guarantee this team’s going to make the playoffs and trust me, nobody’s going to want to face the Lakers in April!”

After that, my buddy said he had to go and our conversation was over.

I’ve been a Lakers fan for a long time. Some of my first memories are of me sitting on my grandpa’s lap while watching Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones chuck 3-pointers.

I watched the Lakers after they picked up Shaquille O’Neal and then after the Big Diesel left for Miami. I’ve been there through the highs and lows and to be honest I like this team, with all their warts and imperfections, just as much, if not more, than the Lakers’ championship squads.

The players on the Purple and Gold have no quit in them and they bring it every game. If you’re like my friend and feeling disappointed in the Lakers, just ask yourself, “Where would the Bucks be without Giannis? Where would the Blazers be without Lillard? Where would the Nuggets be with Jokic?” I could go on and on. The point is: It’s not easy to win without your best player.

Once LeBron, Rondo, and now Lonzo, come back, this team is going to take off. I don’t care if they have the 2nd most difficult remaining schedule in the NBA, the Lakers have the makings of a title contender.