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The Los Angeles Lakers are facing a tough situation as they struggle with a 14-21 record and are the No. 13 seed in the Western Conference. The team is dealing with several challenges, including the injury of star player Anthony Davis, who is expected to be out until at least mid-January, and the aging of LeBron James, who is still playing at a high level but is no longer in his prime.
These issues, combined with the team's poor record and a terrible contract with Russell Westbrook, have left the Lakers in a difficult position as they try to make it to the playoffs in April 2023. After a 112-98 loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday, James expressed his frustration with the team's lack of success and made it clear that he doesn't want to finish his career playing for a team that isn't at a championship level.
"I don't want to finish my career playing at this level, from a team aspect. I want to still be able to compete for championships because I know what I can still bring to any ballclub with the right pieces," he said.
"I'm a winner and I want to win,"
James said.
"Playing basketball at this level, just to be playing basketball, is not in my DNA. We'll see what happens and see how fresh my mind stays over the next couple of years." The Lakers are currently four games away from a play-in tournament spot, and every game is crucial as they try to make a push for the playoffs.
The team's next game is against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, and it will be a tough matchup. The Hawks have a 12-21 record and are led by the strong backcourt of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. The Lakers will also have to contend with the inside presence of Clint Capela, who is expected to have a strong game.
Despite these challenges, the Lakers will have to find a way to come out on top if they hope to have a chance at making it to the playoffs. The Lakers are a storied franchise in the NBA with a career-winning percentage of 59.2% and over 3,400 wins in franchise history.
The team has only had 18 losing seasons, and there was a fear that this year could be the worst in franchise history after a terrible start to the season.