The Los Angeles Lakers have spent the NBA season riding a roller coaster between impressive highs and frustrating lows, an uneven group that has not fully clicked for several reasons. Still, they have managed to stay competitive, largely because of the overwhelming offensive level shown by Luka Doncic, who continues to believe they can finish the job and win it all.
Speaking with Chris Haynes during an NBA TV broadcast on Saturday, Doncic made it clear that the objective has not changed despite injuries and inconsistent availability among key contributors.
“Obviously, we’re trying to win the championship. I think we can do it. We have the team for it but obviously we had a lot of injuries. Me, Bron and AR, everybody has been out some time. So now coming back from All-Star, I think everybody’s healthy. That’ll be a good test for us.”
The Lakers enter the All-Star break with a 33-21 record, holding the fifth seed in the Western Conference and remaining firmly within the playoff picture. However, continuity has been difficult to establish throughout long stretches of the schedule.
LeBron James and Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Injuries piling up for the Lakers
Doncic has missed 11 games this season, including the last four, because of a left hamstring strain. LeBron James has been sidelined for 18 games due to sciatica, load management, and left foot arthritis. Austin Reaves has been out for 22 games, 19 of them related to a left calf strain.
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As a result, Doncic, James and Reaves have shared the floor in only 10 games, drastically reducing the opportunity to develop chemistry during the first half of the NBA season. Even so, Los Angeles remains within striking distance in a crowded race near the top of the conference.
The Lakers trail the San Antonio Spurs, who sit at 38-16, by five games in the fight for the second seed. They are also just 1.5 games behind the Denver Nuggets for third, leaving plenty of room to climb if health finally cooperates.
