"Until you stomp me out, cut my head off, bury me 12-feet under, I got a chance" - LeBron James' emphatic statement on LA Lakers' chances for glory amid struggles

LeBron James is fully-confident that the LA Lakers can still make the playoffs. [Photo: Bleacher Report]

LeBron James’ sizzling third-quarter rallied the LA Lakers and allowed them to take control of the game before falling to Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. The loss dropped the Lakers' record to a pathetic 27-34, which keeps them at 9th place in the Western Conference.

With one of the NBA’s toughest schedules for the remainder of the season, the LA Lakers are truly in danger of missing the play-in tournament. LeBron James isn't worried, though, even after their third straight loss and 7th in their last 10 games.

When asked in a postgame interview how he sees the Lakers’ chances of getting into the postseason, the four-time MVP had a clear-cut answer (via Jacob Rude):

“We still have games to play. Until you stomp me out, cut off my head, bury me 12 feet under then I got a chance. So, that’s my confidence. Obviously, at the end of the day, we have to come in and win ball games and we have to play better. But as long as we got more games to play, we still have a chance. That’s my confidence. I hate losing. I feel like poop right now."

LeBron on where his confidence comes from: "Until you stomp me out, cut my head off, bury me 12 feet under, we have a chance."

The 18x All-Star is already moving past the disappointing loss to the Mavericks as the Lakers take on their rivals, the LA Clippers. LeBron James is serious about being locked in against the undermanned Clippers, who will be without Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Normal Powell.

“But tomorrow’s a new day and I’m going to be prepared and ready for the Clippers on Thursday. That’s my mindset. That’s just who I am,” he added.

Without Anthony Davis, LeBron James and the LA Lakers face a brutal schedule in the last few weeks of the regular season

The LA Lakers' playoff aspirations this season took a serious hit after another Anthony Davis injury. [Photo: Lake Show Life]

Had Anthony Davis been healthy, the LA Lakers would still find their remaining schedule a very tough one. The Purple and Gold team is slated to face the Warriors, Suns, and the Nuggets twice more.

They still have to battle Dallas, Miami, Philadelphia, Minnesota and Cleveland once. The Lakers will also have a rematch with the team that humiliated them just the other night - the New Orleans Pelicans - on their schedule.

How LeBron James and the Lakers can use Anthony Davis injury to fuel one last playoff push

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Given how they have struggled, particularly in their stretch run of the season, there are plenty of reasons why Laker Nation should be worried. After a dismal first half, they battled toe-to-toe versus one of the best teams in the NBA since the turn of the year.

The tough end of the matchup should not serve as a moral victory for the Lakers. They are desperate for wins and they better start getting them quickly.