It’s been a rollercoaster season for the Los Angeles Lakers. They made more moves than any other team in the NBA and even brought in Russell Westbrook in the offseason, but their championship hopes look doomed right now.
Frank Vogel’s team has failed to live up to the expectations and hype throughout the season. Even when they’ve been healthy, their lack of effort in the defensive end has hurt them more often than not.
Even so, some old-school Lakers fans still think they have what it takes to finish the season strong and win the 2021-22 NBA Championship, including former fan-favorite and Sixth Man Lamar Odom.
Lamar Odom Still Thinks The Lakers Will Win The 2021-22 NBA Championship
“I think they’re good enough to win a championship,” Odom said, as quoted by TMZ. “They’re still my pick to win the championship. I don’t know if that’s Laker pride or me just being a Laker at heart. But they’re still my pick.”
“Anytime you have LeBron James on the court and a healthy Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony as your 6th man, I think they’ll give you a really good shot,” the two-time NBA champion said.
Shaq Also Says The Lakers Are ‘Right Where They Want To Be’
Odom isn’t the only former Laker who thinks it’s still too early to count them out. Per Shaquille O’Neal, all that matters is how they perform come playoff time and they’re saving themselves for the postseason:
“What a lot of people don’t understand is that the Lakers are right where they want to be,” the Hall of Famer said, per Sports Casting.“When you’re older, you’re saying to yourself, ‘Wait until the playoffs.’ So even though they’re not playing spectacularly, they’re still in the eight-spot.So if I was them, I don’t want to play Phoenix or Golden State in the first round. We’re going for Memphis.”
“That’s how you think when you’re older,”Shaq explained.“When you’re playing against a LeBron or Carmelo, the opponents are going to be playing way above their heads.If I’m playing against somebody, I’m not getting up for you the way you’re getting up for me. But then, when we know what’s at stake during the playoffs, they’re right where they want to be.”
Lakers fans will surely hope that both Odom and Shaq are right, as the team has looked pretty beatable throughout the year. But hey, every time LeBron James and Anthony Davis are on your team, you still have a chance to win.
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