The Los Angeles Lakers may have plenty of time left in the season to turn their early struggles around, but Charles Barkley does not see that happening. L.A. is currently toting a 15-16 record. Mike D’Antoni is hoping that Steve Nash, who returned from injury a couple of weeks ago, will give the team a much-needed boost. Again, Barkley does not see it happening.
During an appearance on The Dan Lebatard Show on 790 The Ticket in Miami, Barkley talked about how old and slow the Lakers look — something even Kobe Bryant recently admitted.
“When I broadcast the game two weeks ago, Steve Kerr said I was talking to the Lakers before the game and Kobe said he’s not sure what team they are going to get night after night,” Barkley said, via Sports Radio Interviews. “I said they are going to get an old, slow team every night. I just think Kobe got around to TiVoing the games and just got around to watching it.
“I think three weeks ago when I broadcast the game against the Knicks, I said, ‘Man these Lakers … are old and slow on television. They are even older and slower in person.’”
When asked if he believed the Lakers had a shot at contending in the West, Barkley said he doesn’t even think they’re in the top four teams in the conference.
“None. Zero. Zero chance,” he said. “I think Oklahoma City, Memphis and the Spurs are the three best teams in the West.”
The Miami Heat started slowly two year ago, but two of their three superstars weren’t 34 and 38 years old. Nash recently said L.A. lacks chemistry, but it also lacks youth. Age is the biggest obstacle the Lakers will have to overcome if they want to prove Barkley wrong.
