Shannon Sharpe outlines the flaws in LA Lakers win over Pelicans: “They were very very fortunate to win this ball game”
The LA Lakers have built a two-game win streak since they started the season with a 0-5 record. The team finally managed to get the lid off the bucket at the end of October. With Russell Westbrook coming off the bench, they got their first win against the Denver Nuggets.
The Lakers played the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. After Lonnie Walker IV missed a game-tying buzzer beater late in the fourth quarter, the team was gifted a second chance following a pair of missed free throws from the Pelicans. This time, it was Matt Ryan with an opportunity to force overtime.
The second-year player, who was delivering for DoorDash earlier last season, knocked down the 3-point shot as Crypto.com Arena went wild. In overtime, the Lakers were able to keep it together and, thanks to several missed opportunities by the Pelicans, secured the win.
It was their second win of the season, and arguably the most important one. After a tough start to the season, the team just knocked off one of the Western Conference's toughest contenders. Although momentum was high following the win, analyst Shannon Sharpe believes the Lakers got lucky:
“You're dominating this game, 16-point lead, you're at home. And then all of a sudden the third quarter they go make a couple threes, you go ice cold from the 3-point line and you let them back in the ball game.
"This was a team effort, maybe this is something they can build upon. ... They were very, very, I don't know if I can use very enough, fortunate to win this ball game."
The comments came during Thursday morning's episode of "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed," where Sharpe and Skip Bayless discussed the LA Lakers' 120-117 overtime win.
Check out the video below, with Sharpe's comments beginning at the six-minute mark.
The LA Lakers two-game win streak, what does it mean going forward?
With a two-game win streak now under their belt, the LA Lakers have begun to hit their stride. On Thursday night, they will face a tough test against the Utah Jazz, who currently sit in third place in the stacked Western Conference.
In the meantime, the team will look to figure out how they can improve on the offensive end. Despite picking up back-to-back wins, the Lakers have one of the lowest 3-point percentages in the league. On the opposite end of the court, the Lakers are one of the best defensive teams, a stat that has given many fans hope.
It feels as though there's a lot of buzz surrounding the Lakers right now. Russell Westbrook has now posted three straight games off the bench with stellar stat lines. In addition, the team's roleplayers have begun to hit their stride. The only question now is, can they sustain their play and improve from beyond the arc?
Check out some highlights from the win below.