Lakers news – Huge LeBron James claim made
NBA hall-of-famer Scottie Pippen believes LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers would win the championship if they were being coached by Phil Jackson.
“Oh yes,” the NBA legend told TMZ when asked if he thought Jackson could lead LeBron James and the rest current Lakers team to glory. “That’s all he do is win.”
Jackson, 73, hasn’t coached since the 2010-11 season, after which he went into retirement.
Lakers news – Luke Walton backed
Pippen has appeared to back under-fire Lakers boss Walton to keep his job.
The Lakers have lost 29 of their 57 matches so far this season and are in serious danger of missing out on the NBA playoffs.
When asked for his thoughts on Walton, Pippen – a six-time NBA champion winner – said: “I like Luke.”
Lakers news – Stephen A Smith discusses Lakers’ woes
ESPN pundit Stephen A Smith believes the Lakers’ crippling injury list is to blame for their poor form this season.
“I’m not gonna deny that LeBron James deserves credit,” Smith said. “He’s the reason the Lakers are in the position they’re in right now in terms of missing it.
“Because had he not got hurt and went down for 17 or 18 games I don’t think we’d be looking at the Lakers as the tenth team in the Western Conference.
“I think the Lakers would be as high as a fifth seed, arguably a top-four team within the Western Conference right now if LeBron James and a plethora of injuries hadn’t befallen them.
“(Rajon) Rondo gets down JaVale McGee goes down, Lonzo Ball goes down etc.
“I’m looking at it from the perspective that because the injury bug hit them and hit them big time, that it really compromised their success in a very big way.
“Not just because of the games that they but continuity that they were denied the opportunity to build because those guys just were;t ready to play ball.”