2021 NBA Play-in tournament: Why the Golden State Warriors could pose a huge threat to the LA Lakers
The 2020-21 NBA season is set to conclude, and the NBA playoff bracket is starting to take shape. All eyes are currently on two teams - the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors.
As injuries plagued the LA Lakers, the reigning champions saw themselves slip down the Western Conference standings. They are now 7th on the table and are followed by Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors at 8th place.
Fans and analysts around the league are extremely excited for a LeBron James vs Stephen Curry play-in tournament.
The LA Lakers have a few more games left, and there is a slight possibility that they will sneak into the 6th seed. However, if that doesn't happen and we do indeed see a LA Lakers vs Golden State Warriors play-in game, let's see how the Warriors can pose a huge threat to the reigning champions.
Why the Golden State Warriors can threaten the LA Lakers
Nobody in the league is enthusiastic about facing Stephen Curry, who can eliminate practically any team from postseason reckoning. The 33-year-old has been on fire lately, dropping threes just like his 2016 unanimous MVP season and breaking records along the way.
Curry just had the best shooting month of any guard in NBA history when he dropped 96 threes on 47% shooting from beyond the arc in April.
When asked whether Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors are dangerous in the play-in tournament, ESPN NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith responded in the affirmative, saying:
"They are incredibly dangerous because they have the guy that is the greatest shooter that God ever created and the guy that I believe is playing the best basketball of anybody in the NBA right now in Steph Curry. At given moment he can drop 50 and win a game for you"
Facing Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors is certainly a nightmare matchup for any team. Although the Warriors are currently down at the 8th seed, it is mainly attributed to his sub-par teammates.
Draymond Green and Stephen Curry have been nothing but exceptional this season and have tried their best to elevate this team. In fact, Curry is ranked 3rd in the NBA's MVP power rankings and is leading the league in scoring with 31.8 points per game.
When Curry is in form, even the strongest teams haven't been able to stop him. He has led the Golden State Warriors past the Philadelphia 76ers, the Utah Jazz, the LA Lakers, the LA Clippers and several other teams this season.
LA Lakers' inconsistency and health struggles might hurt them against the Golden State Warriors
The LA Lakers' hopes of retaining their NBA title took a hit when their star forward Anthony Davis was sidelined for nearly two months with a serious calf injury.
36-year-old LeBron James did all he could to maintain the Lakers' winning ways but eventually injured himself. He was subsequently out for 20 games, the longest stretch of absence in his career.
The rest of the LA Lakers crew tried their best to salvage the season but to no avail. They kept slipping down the conference standings and eventually ended up in the play-in tournament seeds.
LA Lakers coach Frank Vogel has been forced to use a bevy of starting lineups to try and win games (one with James in the absence of Davis, one with Davis in the absence of James and one without both their star forwards). Fortunately for him and the Lakers, Davis is now back, and James is set to make his return soon.
Both James and Davis have played only a few games with the newly acquired players, including Andre Drummond and Ben McLemore. James played two games with the new supporting cast, and the LA Lakers lost on both occasions.
The rotations are unclear, and there is seemingly no chemistry between the ideal starting lineup.
Ever since Drummond was added to the starting lineup, Marc Gasol's minutes have been significantly reduced. Kyle Kuzma occasionally starts, but he also comes off the bench. Meanwhile, Wesley Matthews has basically been a non-factor in the rotations.
The LA Lakers lack cohesion and consistency, and the fear is that LeBron James' return would make things worse rather than better. James and Davis haven't played much with this new crew, and their chemistry will take time to develop.
In an ideal scenario, the LA Lakers would develop chemistry as they go deeper into the NBA Playoffs. However, the first game of the postseason, which is the play-in, might see them struggle.
Moreover, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors have picked the right time to catch fire. They have won 11 of their last 16 games and are finally looking like a cohesive unit. The team is collectively shooting at 40.6% from three-point range, and their turnovers are down.
Meanwhile, the LA Lakers' main role players, namely Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma, Alex Caruso, Dennis Schroder and Markieff Morris, are quite inconsistent. They will need to up their game come postseason or else the LA Lakers might struggle.
Understandably, if this was a seven-game series, nobody would pick the Golden State Warriors to beat the LA Lakers. However, given that this is just one game where anything can happen, the Lakers need to bring their A-game against this red-hot Warriors team.
Also Read: NBA Playoffs 2021: Analyzing Golden State Warriors' playoff chances