The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the hottest teams out there currently. But the way they performed in the last game against the Minnesota Timberwolves let down many people. The team was performing exceptionally well in the league, and then they saw a tumble on Tuesday. They were sloppy on the possession and had porous defense in the play-in tournament. If the team keeps up the same in the playoffs, Memphis Grizzlies will eat them alive. However, the Grizzlies themselves are down with their two prominent players. Therefore the Lakers would want to take advantage.
The slips in the last games are what caused them to go into overtime against the Timberwolves. Anthony Davis made huge errors in his judgments and stepped on the opponent’s foot in the last moments of the game. Fortunately, it did not affect the game much, and LA went ahead to win it. But Davis can faze out of the game at such crucial moments of the game. Another player that lacked performance was D’Angelo Russell. He has been a promising prospect, but he did not deliver in the last three games.
LA Favorites To Win The Playoffs
Despite a sloppy performance in the last week, they routed the second-best team in the Western Conference. And it could be because of the presence of major players like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and D’Angelo Russell. However, the three have had their ups and down and currently do not operate at their maximum level. But if the team reassembles in the four days’ time that they have, they can create problems for Grizzlies.
The defense will be the focal point for LA to beat their playoff opponent in the upcoming clash on Sunday. Therefore they will need Russell present on the court in the fast-paced playoffs. If he could manage to stay deep and avoid conceding points for the Lakers, he can prove to be a great asset. His playmaking skills will all be extra apart when he proves to stop the Grizzlies’ attackers.
The Lakers Point Guard Has Enormous Confidence
The 27-year-old point guard has been sloppy at times, especially since his return after the injury. But Ham has shown confidence in him, saying he will come around just in time. Moreover, the youngster is also very confident in his own skills and what he can bring to the table. This is the kind of Bravado LA would want in their upcoming games.
Moreover, he believes that if head coach Darvin goes ahead with him, he can flick his switch at any point in time. He said, “I think I can get it going at any point in the game. I just got to be there to do it.” So it will be crucial to see if Ham would give him his chance.
