(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers still haven’t secured a spot in the playoffs.
In order to do so, they must either beat the New Orleans Pelicans and get the No. 7 seed or lose and then beat whoever wins between the New Orleans Pelicans and Golden State Warriors to get the No. 8 seed.
Given their recent history with the Nuggets, some think they would be better off tanking their game vs. the Pelicans so they can avoid them in the first round and meet the Oklahoma City Thunder instead.
Nonetheless, ESPN insider Brian Windhorst just doesn’t see that happening.
He believes that the Lakers will favor LeBron James and Anthony Davis staying healthy over anything else, and beating the Pelicans would give them three days of rest before their next game (Via Get Up).
On top of that, he thinks the Lakers don’t stand a chance against the Nuggets anyways, regardless of whether they face them now or later.
“I think beating Denver is a tall order. I don’t think the Lakers will probably be able to do it whether it’s now or it’s in a month,” Windhorst said.
.@WindhorstESPN doesn’t see the Lakers beating the Nuggets in the playoffs
“I think beating Denver is a tall order. I don’t think the Lakers will probably be able to do it whether it’s now or it’s in a month.” pic.twitter.com/xmTO9WYGeB
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) April 16, 2024
Even so, he thinks that the Nuggets have a tendency to start slow in the playoffs, so their only opportunity to get the best of them could come now.
The Nuggets have beaten the Lakers eight consecutive times, dating back to a 4-game sweep in the Western Conference Finals last season.
They’ve also beaten them nine of their last eleven times, and coach Darvin Ham can’t seem to figure out how to contain Nikola Jokic or counter Mike Malone’s adjustments.
Still, you gotta beat the best to be the best, and the Nuggets are the team to beat the team right now.
The post Brian Windhorst Doesn’t Believe Lakers Can Beat 1 Team In Playoffs appeared first on The Cold Wire.