The Los Angeles Lakers uproared with their play-in tournament win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. And since the Lakers have already established their dominance in the league after this game action, Charles Barkley, a basketball legend, has started routing for them, the Lakers. It was a crucial win for the squad, who will retain their seventh position after defeating Timberwolves in the play-in game. If the Lakers had lost it, they would have been in the way of the Denver Nuggets, which could have caused some major problems.
Expectedly, the two superstar duo stepped up to give the Lakers a combined 54 points on the night. And the Lakers fans know how important the duo is for the team. Another important player Dennis Schroder rose to the occasion to give 21 points on the board for the Lakers. He came off the bench to provide stability for Ham’s second unit. Overall it was an easy game since the stop-stopper Rudy Gobert was not available for the defensive duties. And looking at this performance, Charles Barkley became pro-Lakers during the TNT show halftime.
Charles And Shaq Like The Lakers Chances
A win against the Timberwolves to open the play-in tournament is crucial for the future. But the two TNT analysts fancy the chance that the Lakers have got in their next clash against Memphis Grizzlies. Barkley even went one step ahead to say that the Lakers can take advantage of the injuries in the Grizzlies. According to Charles, “Brandon Clarke and Steven Adam’s injuries are too big to overcome.” And he believes that the team under coach Ham is just gliding perfectly.
Meanwhile, Shaq said that he does not want to go so far as to discuss the future of the Lakers. But he also thinks that the team has a solid chance against the Grizzlies in the next round. They also agreed on one point that the 2020 champions would like to avoid facing the Nuggets in the first round. And they will certainly not, as they have managed their first win against the Wolves.
Dillon Brooks Confident Taking On LeBron James
Even before it was not decided that the Grizzlies would host the Lakers, they were confident about facing them. Dillion agreed on camera that it would be a challenge to face, and they would not mind sharing the court with LeBron James. The Grizzlies are a much more confident team for someone who is missing two crucial players. Dillon Brooks said, “The legacy is there. First time back in the playoffs, and knock him out right away in the first round. It’ll test us well.”
Since the 2020 champs have crossed their first challenge on their road, the next awaits them at FedEx Forum on Sunday. After a four-day rest, they will face the Grizzlies at their home, which will re-energize the team.
