(Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers are both in a tough spot right now.
It’s not unusual to see teams lose back-to-back games on the road before evening things up at home.
But falling to a 0-3 deficit pretty much puts an end to a season.
With that in mind, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley expects both of them to win on Thursday night.
Talking on NBA on TNT, Barkley predicted that the Lakers and Sixers would win out of pride alone, as no one wants to get swept, adding that he would be shocked if they both didn’t win (via Brunson Wrld on Twitter).
Charles Barkley: “I’ll be shocked if the Sixers and Lakers lose tommorrow” pic.twitter.com/HRt7hYhJ93
— 𝘽𝙧𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙒𝙧𝙡𝙙 (@OwnHimBrunson) April 25, 2024
Barkley pointed out the fact that Jalen Brunson hasn’t played well for the New York Knicks, and they’re still up 2-0, which is a bit of a surprise.
Then again, he thinks Tyrese Maxey will take care of business at home and help Nick Nurse’s team pull one back.
As for the Lakers, they’ve already been swept by the Denver Nuggets last season, so they must avoid going through that same humiliation all over again.
LeBron James tried to defer attention from the sweep by teasing about retiring after the season.
But with Bronny James likely entering the NBA Draft, and LeBron on the verge of getting a new deal, that’s not going to fly this time.
The Sixers seem to have a chance to make this a series, and it would be shocking to see them going home in just four games.
As for the Lakers, they’ll need to find a way to put an end to a ten-game losing streak against the reigning NBA champions.
The post Charles Barkley Says He Will Be ‘Shocked’ If 2 NBA Teams Don’t Win Today appeared first on The Cold Wire.