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Former LA Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal was extremely disappointed with the Purple and Gold after a disappointing 128-110 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.
Just a week back, the four-time NBA champion had stated that the team could beat the Phoenix Suns in the first round if they made it out of the play-in tournament. However, since then, the Lakers have been extremely disappointing as they lost crucial games against the New Orleans Pelicans and the Mavericks.
The Lakers are currently in eleventh place and their remaining fixtures include games against teams like the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz. While there is certainly a chance for them to make their way to the playoffs, Shaquille O'Neal is not hoping for a turnaround after their recent run of performances.
Speaking about the Lakers' chances, Shaq said on the NBA on TNT show:
"They don't want it. They're done."
The San Antonio Spurs are currently tenth in the West with a 31-44 record. They have two easy games against the Portland Trail Blazers, who are short-handed. If they manage to put up strong performances in the remaining games, the Spurs certainly have a fair shot at making their way into the play-in tournament.
However, this would put the LA Lakers out of contention in the playoffs, which would be a huge disappointment for everyone in the organization.
The Purple and Gold have a star-studded team with MVPs, All-Stars and future Hall of Famers. Considering all of that, the Laker nation was expecting them to bring the championship back to the city. But nothing has gone as planned and with the season approaching its business end, the team has still not given the fans anything to cheer about.
Can the LA Lakers overcome the tough challenge and make their way into the play-in tournament?
The LA Lakers have one of the toughest remaining schedules in the NBA. To add to the misery, LeBron James recently suffered an ankle injury and he stated it to be a horrible one. Wenyen Gabriel also suffered an ankle injury in the game against the Dallas Mavericks, and both these players will be big doubts for the Purple and Gold's next game against the Utah Jazz on Thursday.
Reports of Anthony Davis returning to practice were a big positive for the LA Lakers. However, the injury to James proved to be a major setback and will deny the team a chance to play the duo together. The Lakers have played well against the Jazz, but getting the better of other opponents like the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns could prove to be a big problem for them.
LeBron James has been their best player this season and without him, the team has a 6-14 record. If he is unable to play for the remaining games, the Lakers' chances of going into the play-in tournament look slim.
Although Russell Westbrook has played well in recent games, the LA Lakers still have had trouble getting past the finish line. Their defense has been a big letdown and if AD comes in, they could definitely get better on that end of the floor. But if they want to succeed in this tough stretch, the LA Lakers will have to play to the best of their potential and keep all of the other setbacks behind them.
