Fans may suggest that this is just more hatred for the Lakers. It is not. The prediction that the Lakers will not make the playoffs stems from numbers and stark realities.
This squad just isn’t equipped to finish strong. Too many injuries. Too little defense. Not enough ability to win on the road. Losses in four of the last five games.
There are nine games to go. Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register quoted Dwight Howard saying this:
Dwight: "We need to win every single game that we have left."
— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) March 29, 2013 You think?
Kobe Bryant will obviously battle to the end. He won’t go down without a fight.
Is there still a good chance? Of course. The latest Hollinger’s Playoff Odds give the Lakers a 54.5 percent shot at making the playoffs.
Basically...close to a 50-50 chance.
Dwight’s assessment is actually incorrect. The Lakers do not necessarily have to win the rest of their games. Six wins could very easily seal the deal.
If the season plays out in sync with the computer simulations, the Lakers finish 5-4 and sneak into the playoffs with a 42-40 record. The Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks are both projected to finish 41-41.
Room for error? Zero. I don’t see it happening.
Consider the final nine games: three on the road and six at home. Granted, one of those “road” games is against the Clippers, so the Lakers aren’t exactly far away from home. Just for the sake of argument, let’s assume these outcomes.
At Sacramento: Win
Dallas: Loss
Memphis: Loss
At Clippers: Loss
New Orleans: Win
At Portland: Loss
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
