(Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images)
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves went head-to-head in the Play-in Tournament, with a playoff spot on the line and the Memphis Grizzlies waiting to see who their first-round opponent would be.
After an ugly game filled with turnovers, questionable calls and both teams struggling to impose their will, the Lakers were able to advance with some late-game heroics by Dennis Schroder and LeBron James.
Although it was a forgettable performance for the Lakers, as the 17-time NBA champions could’ve easily lost this game, Nick Wright of Fox Sports believes there are five reasons Los Angeles should be encouraged heading into the first round of the NBA playoffs.
5 reasons why the Lakers should be encouraged after their overtime Play-In win, according to @getnickwright:
・ LeBron was excellent for 40 min
・ AD was aggressive & active on both ends
・ Strong 2nd half defense
・ Lakers home crowd
・ Lakers aggressiveness will travel pic.twitter.com/zURR1NsgR9
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) April 12, 2023
Even though anything at this point should be considered exceeding expectations for the Lakers due to their little chance of making the postseason after starting the season 2-10, these positive points from Wright are a little shaky.
LeBron James did play well through most of the contest, but he settled for three-point attempts, didn’t play defense and was exhausted at the end of the game.
Anthony Davis and James will be the primary concern for the Lakers moving forward, as the four-time NBA champion may not be able to play at a high level for the bulk of the postseason, and Davis will always be a question mark in the health department.
The home crowd at Crypto.com Arena is a plus for the Lakers, but they’ll have to wait until Game 3 to get that edge, and that could be too late if the Grizzlies have taken a two-game lead in the series.
Regardless of the positives and negatives, anything can happen in the playoffs, and the Lakers can ride this momentum.
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