Lakers News: Steve Kerr Says 'Decent Chance' Warriors Will Play LA in Playoffs

You can count Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr as a believer in the Los Angeles Lakers this season.

Before the two Western Conference foes battle on Christmas Day, Kerr took the time to praise his upcoming opponent.

"There's a decent chance we could see the Lakers in the playoffs. They've gotten a lot better," the Warriors coach said Tuesday, per Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle. "...I think they're making good strides."

Los Angeles hasn't made the playoffs in any of the last five years, the longest postseason drought in franchise history. However, the expectations were raised after signing LeBron James in the offseason, along with other experienced players like JaVale McGee and Rajon Rondo.

There was an adjustment period with the veterans learning to play alongside young stars like Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma. The squad lost three games in a row and began the season with just a 2-5 record.

As Kerr noted, however, the Lakers have turned things around and are now tied for fourth place in the West going into Christmas with a 19-14 record. Even with a recent slide of four losses in the past six games, this team is a threat going forward and will only get better with time.

The Warriors might not consider this team a threat just yet after winning three of the last four NBA titles, but they have at least taken notice of one of the more dangerous squads in the conference.