The Los Angeles Lakers currently have one of the worst records in the NBA for the second consecutive season. Fans came into the season with a little bit of hope that the team could improve, but injuries have again destroyed the team and they have lost 13 of their last 14 games heading into Tuesday’s matchup against the Denver Nuggets.
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Laker legend Magic Johnson appeared on ESPN’s First Take and said head coach Byron Scott has the team playing hard, but they simply lack the talent to compete with the NBA’s elite:
They’re playing hard. Coach Scott got ’em playing hard, you gotta give him credit. They should’ve won that game in Milwaukee, and they lost in overtime. They should’ve won in Orlando, lost it in overtime. We don’t have talent. We don’t have enough talent with the really good teams in the NBA.
Magic is right when he says the team plays hard. Even though they have 38 losses, many of those came down to the wire. Plenty of other games were close heading into the final quarter when the opponent’s superior talent took over and the Lakers just couldn’t keep up.
The Lakers have some impressive wins over the likes of Golden State, Atlanta, San Antonio, Toronto and Houston. The fact that they have those victories is proof of effort, but the lack of talent is what contributes to the inconsistency that has plagued the team this year.
Magic said that this summer will be the biggest in Lakers history. It will be on Jim Buss to make the right moves to improve the roster and give fans hope that the team is headed in the right direction.
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