With about six weeks left in the regular season and 16 games this month, the Lakers find themselves with the fourth-worst record in the NBA at 16-41.
A top five finish at the bottom of the barrel should get the team a talented center or guard from the college (or overseas) ranks to pair with forward Julius Randle, who gets to play his rookie season all over again after going down with a broken leg in Game 1 of his first year.
But, wouldn’t you know it? In a year marked by serious injuries (Randle and Kobe Bryant), porous defense, inconsistent offense and overall mediocrity, the Lakers' chances of securing a top-five draft pick could be in danger if they continue along a winning path.
In an ideal world, the 16-41 Lakers continue to play hard but ultimately come out on the short end of most games. Only don’t tell that to the players. Or the coach.
Byron Scott said, per Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times:
I think it's their competitive nature is one of the things. Their pride obviously is another thing. And the fact that they've got a coach that won't allow them to not do that. We've got to play hard. That's the biggest thing. If they don't, I've got to sit guys down and play other guys who will. All 10, 11 guys that we have on that bench are giving it everything they've got every single night.
Scott also told Turner, "We're going to try to win every game and whatever happens after that with the lottery pick, happens. I think if you go into it saying, 'We're going to lose every game to see if we can get the best pick,' I think it backfires on you."
It’s nearly impossible to convey to NBA athletes that they should not care about winning games—that it could cos...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
