LeBron James Proud Of Lakers Turnaround, Team Will Finish Over .500

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers began the 2022-2023 season with a disastrous 2-10 start. After defeating the Phoenix Suns 121-107 on Friday night, the Lakers moved to 42-39, guaranteeing the team will finish over .500 regardless of the result in their final game on against the Utah Jazz.

After the game, James told reporters how proud he was of the team for turning things around and qualifying for the playoffs.

“I was just telling AD [Anthony Davis], I was like, ‘Man, can you believe that we’re going to finish this season above .500? After everything that’s gone on this season?'” James said via ESPN. “We’ve turned this thing around. And it’s the regular season, obviously, there’s a lot more basketball to be played. But to know that we’re going to finish a few games above .500? It’s pretty cool.”

"I was just telling AD, I was like, 'Man, can you believe that we going to finish this season above .500 after everything that's gone on this season?' We've turned this thing around."

– LeBron James pic.twitter.com/eWw9QSH5iP

— The Laker Files (@LakerFiles) April 8, 2023

Los Angeles Lakers Turnaround Helped By Key Aquistitions At Trade Deadline

The Lakers completely overhauled their roster at the trade deadline, a decision that helped spark their turnaround.

The Lakers acquired Jarred Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba, Rui Hachimura, Malik Beasley, D’Angelo Russell, and Davon Reed. Vanderbilt, Hachimura, Beasley, and Russell have all become reliable additions to the team to go along with the emergence of Austin Reeves, who is averaging 20.6 points in his last 10 games.

“Man, we just kept pushing and kept grinding,” Anthony Davis said. “And obviously the guys that were able to come in here helped us get some more wins and ultimately finish above .500.”

Los Angeles Lakers Playoff Scenarios

After Friday night’s victory, the Lakers are the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference. If the season ended today, the Lakers would host the No. 8 New Orleans Pelicans in the Play-In Tournament.

However, there are still possibilities where the Lakers could move up as high as No. 5 or move down as low as No. 9, depending on the results from the final two days of the regular season.

The Lakers close the regular season at home against the Utah Jazz on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET.