LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers currently sit in 13th place in the Western Conference with a 27-32 record. However, the margin from the 13th seed to the 6th is small. The Lakers are just 2 games away from the NBA playoffs and 3.5 games away from the No. 6 seed.
With 23 games remaining, the margin for error is small, the Lakers still control their destiny down the stretch of the season, and LeBron James understands that saying this stretch run is some of the most important regular season games of his entire career.
“It’s 23 of the most important games of my career for a regular season,” James said Sunday, before the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. “I’m going to figure out ways to make sure I’m available and on the floor for every single one of these 23 games.”
Considering he is 38 years old, that should mean something about the seriousness he is approaching the situation with. He also noted that he would try to play in every single one which would be a vital piece to the puzzle for the Lakers to pull this run off.
NBA NEWS: LeBron James & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Los Angeles doesn’t have the easiest path, but they have the path needed to remain in control of its destination. 18 of the final 23 games are against the Western Conference and they have two more games against the Warriors who sit just 2.5 games in front of them, two against the Thunder who sit 2 games in front, and two games against the Jazz who also sit with a 2 game lead over the Lakers.
“I’ve always been confident on any club I’ve been on, that if we can make it to the playoffs, we can compete with anyone,” James said.
It won’t be easy and LeBron James understands that. But this is the position that the Lakers have put themselves in after the first 59 games of the year and for them to not miss the playoffs for the second straight year, they will need to string together roughly 14-16 games to make up the ground.
NBA NEWS: LeBron James & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
It’s certainly doable if James and Davis are both healthy and on the court with this new surrounding cast post-NBA trade deadline. LeBron had plenty of confidence and praise in his team and what they are capable of if they are fully healthy and get a postseason opportunity.
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