This would have been considered a ridiculous thing to ask just a few years ago—the Lakers went to the Finals seven times during the Phil Jackson era, winning five NBA titles.
But that was then, and this is now. And after the worst loss record in franchise history last season at 27-55, the question of advancing into the postseason is a legitimate one.
In fact, many observers are more than a little doubtful about the prospects for this current roster. The bombastic Charles Barkley recently ventured on NBA.TV, per Sheridan Hoops: “I love Kobe Bryant. He's one of the 10 greatest players ever, but it's over for him and the Lakers.”
Those are harsh words. But they are also those of a provocateur and should be taken with a heaping tablespoon of sodium crystals.
While nobody really expects the Lakers to contend for a championship this season, their new head coach is maintaining a positive mantra.
During an interview with Mike Trudell of Lakers.com, Byron Scott had this to say:
I know it's going to be a tough road, but when I start training camp, the first thing I'm going to tell our guys is that our goal is to win the championship. I want them thinking that way from day one. People aren't picking us to make the playoffs, sure, but that's not how we're going to approach it.
We have to change the mindset. It may take a year or two, and I think Kobe knows that, but he already has the championship mindset. It's not hard to convince him. Convincing everyone else is the biggest trick we have to do, but that's how we have to do it.
Buying into Scott's positivity isn't all that hard if you're a Lakers fan. There's an understanding that a tough comeback road lies ahead, but this, ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
