“The Lakers will be in the play-ins”: Charles Barkley does not hold back on LeBron James, Anthony Davis and co in his bold predictions of the end of the season standings

The Los Angeles Lakers have had struggles this season – Charles Barkley likes to think that it will continue throughout the 82 games

Charles Barkley and the rest of the NBA on TNT team predict their standings at the end of the season – none of them agree on where the Lakers would end up. The Los Angeles Lakers currently sit 6th in the conference, 7.5 games behind the top. They just beat the Boston Celtics, splitting the series between them.

With more than a quarter of the season done, people can safely bet on where each team would potentially end up. Unless the team is the Houston Rockets, who just became the team with the longest win streak after losing 15+ at the start of the season. Anomalies like that can happen at any stage of the season, but a safe estimate can be made in general.

Playoff experience doesn’t account for anything if you do not even reach it. With the way things are going for the LA team, they will most likely end up in and around where they are currently. That is the best case scenario. If it works out like how Charles Barkley predicts, they will drop down to the 7-9th places and may not even qualify.

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The Los Angeles Lakers will not be champions this season – unless something drastic changes

Much as been spoken about the purple and gold’s struggles this season. Most of it revolved around the big three and their inconsistencies. LeBron being injured, Westbrook turning the ball over so much and AD with his terrible shooting. It is only logical that a team who have been 6-8 against conference rivals don’t spark confidence.

Last year too, they experienced the play-in tournament, which they got through. But The Phoenix Suns were too much for them to handle, losing out to the eventual finalists. This was with a young squad too. A team now whos average age is more than 30, any series they play in will be a finals each time they play.

If LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook manage to pull out a championship out of the magician’s hat, it would be the most meaningful championship LA has won in a long time. Even better than the one they won after Kobe Bryant’s passing. If he had his say, it would be the current path over the bubble.

Also Read: “Shaq, if I drop food on the floor, I’m damn sure eating it”: Charles Barkley sides with the Lakers legend as eats a donut off the floor after getting hit in the head with a box