"I think they could beat Golden State in a 7-game series" - Nick Wright takes an educated guess at how the LA Lakers' postseason could play out
NBA and Western Conference powerhouse the LA Lakers have the backing of Nick Wright to win a seven-game series against the Golden State Warriors if it comes down to it in the postseason this year.
On Fox Sports' morning show First Things First, sports media personality Nick Wright believes that the Lakers should avoid the Phoenix Suns and would prefer the Golden State Warriors as a better matchup. Wright said:
"As many issues as the Lakers have had this year, I think they could beat Golden State in a seven-game series. I truly do. I do not think if they're playing Phoenix in round one they can beat them. I think they would need a lot of things to happen before they can beat Phoenix in round one. So, if you're in the seven or eight spot, you win that Play-In game, you get to the seven spot, you get Golden State and you see what happens."
Wright continued by talking about how LeBron James could potentially carry them in the absence of Anthony Davis, who went down with a nasty ankle injury against the Utah Jazz. Wright said:
"Can LeBron James, who last night had 15 in the fourth quarter made multiple time defensive player of the year look foolish, can he help carry them or can he carry them? I think he can. Can they be 10-5 without Anthony Davis? No. But can they be 8-7 if he misses 15 games? I think they could. I think that's all they need to do."
Can the LA Lakers overcome the Warriors in a potential postseason matchup?
The Golden State Warriors have been flying this season and are yet to make a run of games with all their key starters. While Klay Thompson is slowly but surely returning to his old self, the Warriors were dealt with an injury to Draymond Green. On top of that, James Wiseman is yet to play this season as the number two overall pick is still recovering from a meniscus injury.
Meanwhile, the LA Lakers have had a tumultuous campaign thus far with chemistry issues and poor defense at the root of all problems for the franchise. This is a poorly constructed roster that is lacking in a lot of departments and their on-court performances this season haven't suggested otherwise.
The Lakers are 5-1 in OT this season, already the most wins in the NBA. https://t.co/CDmjehXcRO
However, what Nick Wright suggested isn't completely unfounded because the LA Lakers do possess LeBron James and with King James you always have a chance. The Lakers' undersized perimeter defenders could help deal with the Warriors' main threat that comes from beyond the arc.
The Warriors trailed by 15 points entering the 4th quarter and won without their top-2 leading scorers.
It was the 2nd time in NBA history that a team won a game after trailing by 15+ points entering the 4th quarter, without their top-2 scorers in the game.
H/T @EliasSports https://t.co/KJ5Epsf84J
Whether the LA Lakers, the oldest roster in the NBA, have the ability to play such a high-intense defense against a team that seems to have the right combination of youth and experience, is another discussion altogether.
Either way, this will be an incredibly exciting matchup between the LA Lakers and the Warriors and if the two teams do meet in the postseason. If both the teams are fully healthy and have their players fit, then we could witness a series for the ages.