Stephen A. Smith still has hopes for LA Lakers' season

The LA Lakers do not appear to be in a position to compete for a playoff slot at the moment. However, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith remains optimistic about the Lakers' season.

Following a devastating loss to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, the Lakers saw flaws in their roster. With a 11-16 record, Purple and Gold find themselves five games out of .500 and among the weakest teams in the West. Needless to say, this is an unfavorable position.

However, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith has hopes for the LA Lakers to make the playoffs regardless. When Smith was asked about the Lakers' season and the chances for some amount of success on "First Take," he surprisingly had a positive response. He said:

"Personally, yes. LeBron James is 'just phenomenal in terms of how he's playing at stage and point in his career. I can't say enough good things about him."

Smith went on to praise Lakers stars Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook for their performances, and he also pointed out Davis' faults in games against the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics. After ending his criticism of Davis' poor late-game performance against the Celtics, Smith said:

"But what I say about the Lakers is this: They're better defensively. They're clearly more athletic. And if the trio continues to play the way they're playing, everybody ain't Boston and Philadelphia."

"I think that they'll win more games than they lose and they'll be in the playoffs. I just think that they desperately need another shooter and I don't know how they're going to get one."

Smith made several valid and optimistic observations about the team. With LeBron, Davis, and Westbrook all performing well, the Lakers still have a strong enough core to push for a playoff spot.

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The LA Lakers continue to suffer from roster issues

While Stephen A. Smith had a valid point to make when offering his take on the LA Lakers, he glazed over the glaring issues plaguing the team.

Purple and Gold have a solid superstar trio on paper. LeBron James continues to be a solid scoring force, Anthony Davis has looked generational, and Russell Westbrook has been impressive off the bench. However, these same players are responsible for some epic blunders that have caused major shifts in momentum during games.

Aside from the LA Lakers' trio, the team lacks reliable shooters. Several changes might be made to help the Lakers' current conditions, particularly in terms of roster concerns. However, they may lack the necessary assets to accomplish such a move.

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