The Los Angeles Lakers are currently 15-20 and if the playoffs started today, the team would be watching the postseason from home.
No one expected the Lakers to struggle to this extent before the season started and the chances of the team making the playoffs is slowing decreasing. Los Angeles needs to turn its season around very soon or else it will be on the outside looking in come April.
However, former Lakers coach Phil Jackson told the Mike Bresnahan of the L.A. Times that he still believes the Lakers can make the post-season. Even though Jackson is not with the Lakers on a daily basis, he still has faith that the team’s stars will be able to guide them to the post-season.
Fairly important person has faith in Lakers. “I still believe the Lakers can make the playoffs,” Phil Jackson said via e-mail to me.
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) January 11, 2013
Jackson was once considered a coaching candidate for the Lakers, but the team decided to hire Mike D’Antoni instead at the last minute. So far, the Lakers have not played well under D’Antoni and if the Lakers miss the playoffs, many will look at their choice to reject Jackson as one of reasons for the Lakers’ struggles.
The Lakers will face off with the Oklahoma City Thunder Friday night, but they will have to play without Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol and Jordan Hill. Things certainly aren’t getting easier for the Lakers and they need to find a way to snap this five-game losing streak.