Can The Lakers Still Make The Playoffs?

Yes. Yes they can.

Despite the inconsistencies that have plagued this team on the court, coupled with a temperamental Dwight Howard along with Pau Gasol’s untimely injury, The Lakers still have a chance to squeak into the playoffs.

While The Lakers regular season efforts can be described as a death trap roller coaster without an emergency brake, their recent athletic displays seem to suggest otherwise.

Ever since the all-star break, The Lakers have finally displayed their ability to function both cohesively and effectively on both sides of the ball.  Even Dwight Howard, supposedly one of the best centers in the league, finally stepped up and played with a determined gusto and athletic perseverance that fans have been waiting for and expecting all season long.

 

Not only has Dwight Howard stepped up his game to another level, but Kobe has also gone back to his roots of shooting first and asking questions later.  In last night’s home game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Kobe scored a season high of 40 points as smoothly and consistently as he once did in the past.  While this performance is nothing short of impressive, the question of whether or not The Lakers can stay grounded and play this type of basketball throughout the rest of the regular season still remains unanswered.

The only way this team that is studded with a plethora superstars can hope to have a chance of making their elusive playoff dreams come true is to play unselfishly and more importantly, to let bygones be bygones and narrow their focus on one singular and necessary goal: win the next game.

While The Lakers have always been expected to be athletically dominate year in and year out, this year, that mentality has changed.  Gone is the pretentious attitude that winning will come without contest and that making the playoffs is something that is innately deserved because of their proven reputation.

In its place is now an understood mentality of do or die.  It comes down to either pursuing necessary survival, or giving up and letting the disappointments become an utterly embarrassing reality.

As long as there is one more game to play, one more shot to take, one last opportunity to not just prove the critics wrong but to prove to themselves that they deserve a shot at making a splash in the playoffs, then no mater what happens, The Los Angeles Lakers will find a way to break through the barriers of doubt and adversity no matter what it takes.