"They shouldn't play LeBron": ESPN host wants Lakers to throw in the towel against Pelicans in Play-In Tournament
The Los Angeles Lakers are in a tough spot going into the play-in tournament against the New Orleans Pelicans. They are currently the eighth-seed, right behind the Pelicans and if they win the play-in game against New Orleans, they will face the Denver Nuggets in the first round and Mike Greenberg doesn’t want that.
The NBA analyst and host of “Get Up” on ESPN, Mike Greenberg, said that the Lakers should not play LeBron James and Anthony Davis against the Pelicans. According to Greenberg, the Lakers should look to become the 8th seed and rather play the young OKC Thunder in the opening round.
"The Lakers should not play tomorrow night," Greenberg said. "They should not play LeBron, they should not play AD. They do not want to be the 7-seed. You want to be the 8."
The ESPN host believes that the Lakers should rather face the winner of the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings matchup to take the eighth seed. It is a risky move; however, Greenberg believes that the move is worth the risk.
"I recognize the risk, but I think life is about assessing risk vs. reward," Greenberg said. "Is it worth that risk to avoid playing Denver in round one or round two? The Nuggets are the one team the Lakers have no chance to beat."
In a certain sense, Greenberg may be right; however, it is still a dangerous move, apart from all the backlash the Lakers and LeBron James would receive if they chose to tank in the game.
Should the Lakers strategically tank against the Pelicans to avoid the Nuggets?
The competition between the Denver Nuggets and the Lakers is currently the most interesting one in the league. Last season, Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets had a clean sweep against LeBron James and the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
If Greenberg is to be believed strategically, it would be a great move from the Lakers. The Lakers have faced the Nuggets four times this season and ended up with a 0-4 record, failing to win a game. Given how they have been helpless against the Nuggets, yes, it might appear like a good move.
However, the NBA analyst misses an unseen and potentially difficult challenge that the squad may face. The Los Angeles Lakers have played the Sacramento Kings three times this season and lost all three games. If the Kings win against the Warriors, Los Angeles will face a similar challenge.
Yes, the Kings do not have Malik Monk on their roster, yet the Kings are still a dangerous opponent.
Moreover, given how the Lakers have played in their last few games, they do look like a team that has a chance against the Nuggets. In the last 15 games that both the Nuggets and the Lakers have played, their ranking on both ends of the floor is not very different.
In terms of defensive ratings in the last 15 games, the Lakers are 12th in the league, while the Nuggets are ranked 8th. In terms of offensive rating in the last 15 games, the Lakers are at the top of the league, while the Nuggets are 8th. On paper, in the last 15 games, the Lakers are the better team.