Jackson Predicts 45 Win Season & Playoffs <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The day Jackson officially returned to the Lakers in June he said, "We're going to try to shut [the locker room whispers] down over the course of the next few years. I know it's L.A. and we live on a lot of rumors and we enjoy our innuendos that come along, but we do want to close it down a little bit and I'm going to be one of the ones that develops that and emphasizes that trust." Which was pretty funny, coming from the one who blew it open. But I believe him when he says he'll hold his tongue ? and his pen ? this year. Remember, the reason he let his teams founder before calling timeouts, or allowed Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal to snipe at each other so often without intervening, was he wanted the players to find solutions on their own. Bryant had a whole season on his own. A short, playoff-free season. Jackson won't need to tweak him. He'll just let Bryant's pride kick in. "For Kobe, it's about on the court," Jackson said. "It's about re-establishing his dominance of the game." It'll be easier for Bryant than the Lakers. That's why Jackson's setting the target at a modest 45 wins and a playoff appearance. "It's going to be a process with this team," Jackson said. "So we're not going to see a finished product for a while." That's another change in Jackson. When he arrived in L.A. six years ago he wasn't afraid to blast his team from day one, calling his players "autistic in some form or fashion." "I don't mean to say that as a snide remark toward a certain population in our society," Jackson said as the Lakers opened training camp in 1999. "But they have a limitation of their attention span, a lot of it probably due to too much rap music going in their ears and coming out their being. So they need to get a focal point that lasts longer than a TV commercial or one short 15-second span."</div> Source
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post"> Source </div> I dont even think 45 wins is enough to get into the playoffs lakers will need 47-49
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting king1153:</div><div class="quote_post">I dont even think 45 wins is enough to get into the playoffs lakers will need 47-49</div> Why not? Last year 45 wins was enough to get the Grizzlies into the playoffs. There is going to be even more parity this year in the NBA, and you will see teams sneaking into the playoffs with 44 or 45 win seasons. It's going to come down to which teams can stay healthy, and which teams can work in their new players faster. I think 45 wins is a reasonable number to acheive for teams aiming to make the post-season.
yeah but the west got even tougher 45 wins is not gonna be enough i mean the warriors could win 50 and be a 7th seed
The warriors could win 50??? OKAY, we have to get these warrior predictions in touch with REALITY. I thinK Marc Stein had them at #12 in the ESPN power rankings also. This is the Warriors!!!!! YES they went on a run when they got Baron, but did they have anything to lose? Nope. Now they have some expectations on them, for the first time, in oh, about 10 years. I believe they have been one of the worst rebounding teams of all time in the last few years. And defense? what is That? Let's see how they respond. Besides Fisher, how many guys on that team are proven winners or have played on winning ballclubs? The West is just as difficult as it was 3 years ago - kings will be strong, denver is immeasurably better, houston, even the clippers could make some noise.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting king1153:</div><div class="quote_post">yeah but the west got even tougher 45 wins is not gonna be enough i mean the warriors could win 50 and be a 7th seed</div> Doesn't the West getting tougher, mean it's going to be harder for teams to get wins? I think we will see a lot of teams at or close to .500 next season in both conferences.
I think expectations are good, there not amazingly high and not dissapointingly low. Kwame will have an impact as much as Odom and Mihm will be solid with McKie trying to be revitalized and, Kobe.......... Kobe will just be Kobe, the best player in the game whether you like to admit it or not.
45 Wins and playoffs is a pretty good prediction. Its not to little, not to much and its obviously possible. Assuming the Lakers will make the playoffs: Kobe back in the playoffs on his own should be a facsinating thing to watch I cannot wait! 45 wins is possible, and believe it or not but that is enough to get you in the playoffs most of the time. Phil Jackson putting out the predictions hopefully there not Miss Cleo predictions lol.
