After a brief spurt, during which they won three games in a row and six of eight, the Los Angeles Lakers are struggling again with a 16-16 record.
Although there is tons of anxiety about the team’s prospects, center Dwight Howard doesn’t seem the least bit concerned, and he’s convinced the squad is still primed to eventually dominate.
“We good, man. It’s early,” the Lakers center told TMZ.com at his OxeFit after-party at the Soho Warehouse. “We gonna be ready by the time the playoffs start. That’s when we start dominating.”
Since the first day of training camp, the Lakers have been ravaged by health and injury issues. As of now, several players are in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
Howard himself was in protocols until he was cleared to play earlier this week.
Of course, superstar big man Anthony Davis is out with a sprained knee. He is expected to be on the injured list for at least four weeks.
Howard also made it clear that there’s another reason L.A. has been sputtering.
“This is a brand new team than it was in 2020. All of us are really trying to learn how to play together and get our games going,” he said.
“It’s not about how you start, it’s how you finish!”
With Davis, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and several capable role players, the Lakers certainly seem to have the talent to dominate the rest of the league once healthy.
However, if they don’t start winning the majority of their games soon and sustain any real momentum, their chances of winning their 18th NBA championship will likely be slim to none come playoff time.
