Brian Windhorst: LeBron James believes in this Lakers team

One of the things LeBron James has been criticized for by his critics is his leadership. He has a reputation among some for not being fully locked in at all times and for even being more concerned about his own stats than about his team winning games and making deep runs in the playoffs. But right now, the Los Angeles Lakers are in a good place physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

After struggling in December, January and February while dealing with a number of injuries to key players, they have an eight-game winning streak and have won 11 of their last 12 games. In recent days, they have defeated the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets, and as a result, they have lifted themselves from sixth place to third place in the Western Conference. There is still a general consensus around the NBA that the Lakers don't have a strong enough roster to seriously contend for the championship.

But according to Brian Windhorst, who has followed James since the superstar was in high school, the 41-year-old "believes" in the Purple and Gold. “If you've watched LeBron over the decades, there's times you get to a point in the season where you know he doesn't believe in his team…I know it when I see it, LeBron believes in this team. ” Historically, when James has believed his team has a good shot at winning it all, he has shown great leadership and dedication, while also getting his teammates to believe and get locked in.

Right now, everyone on the Lakers seems to have accepted and embraced their roles, including James, who is starting to do well as the team's third scoring option. There is a long way to go, but right now, the Lakers are heading in the right direction at the exact time of year when a team needs to be starting to peak. This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Brian Windhorst: LeBron James believes in this Lakers team