Whether they win, lose, or tank, the LA Lakers remain a constant in the headlines, given the iconic legacy of the franchise and its current star cast boasting the likes of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook. Unfortunately, things have only spiraled downwards for the purple and gold post their bubble championship.
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While newly hired coach Darvin Ham may have finally fitted Russell Westbrook into the roster, the veteran still has a lot of work to do. Coming off a horrid outing last season, the Lakers haven’t been that much better, barring a few positive takeaways such as Davis’ recent streak and King James’ longevity.
Currently, the Lakers rank 12th in the western conference standings holding an 11-16 record. Before the loss to arch-rivals Celtics, Coach Ham and crew were 8-2 in their last 10-games. However, the team doesn’t even make the play-in spot, as per the current happenings.
Unless one’s living under a rock, it’s no secret how the Lakers remain a constant subject of mockery, given the 24×7 scrutiny surrounding them. The latest to join the army of trolls was former NBA champion turned ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson.
Richard Jefferson’s hilarious jibe at the Lakers.
During a recent episode of ESPN’s NBA Today, host Malika Andrews had panelists Richard Jefferson and Chiney Ogwumike dissect the western conference standings on a LED Screen.
Calling it ‘the wild wild west,’ LA Sparks forward Ogwumike addressed how barring the Pelicans and Grizzlies, seeing the Warriors at the 10th and Clippers at the 7th seed wasn’t something one would have expected. Meanwhile, co-panelist Jefferson was in search of a missing Lakers team.
Despite a large screen on display with the western conference standings, there was no space for the Lakers. Not being able to contain himself, RJ couldn’t help but mock the close friend James’ team, saying the following.
“Where are the Lakers,” laughed Jefferson, adding, “We don’t even have a big enough TV for them.”
NBA halftime looking at the West standings
Richard Jefferson: “Where are the Lakers? We don’t even have a big enough TV for them!” @chiney @Rjeff24 @malika_andrews#LakeShow pic.twitter.com/h9cNnsphjx
— ’ (@_Talkin_NBA) December 15, 2022
RJ certainly had us in splits with this one, it will be interesting to see how close friend Bron reacts to this, having a score to settle with his former Cavs teammate.
Can the Lakers make clinch a playoff berth?
Given their current standing, the Lakers don’t even make the play-in. However, with a major chunk of the season still left, one can instill faith in the purple and gold, as the team attempts to figure stuff out.
Nevertheless, Davis continues to hold the key when it comes to the Lakers making the playoffs, his recent numbers being evidence of it. The biggest concern in the case of the 6ft 10″ forward remains his health, given his injury-prone nature.
Anthony Davis so far in December (excluding game he left in Q1 with illness):
– 40.1 PPG
– 13.2 RPG
– 2.0 BPG
– 66/40/86% splits2K numbers 〰️ pic.twitter.com/pWvt023WlR
— The Lead (@TheLeadSM) December 14, 2022
Meanwhile, GM Rob Pelinka and co need to get a shooter on board before the trade deadline that could help further their playoff chances.