The Los Angeles Lakers improved so much in the last two months so much that they are a playoff contender. Looking back a few months, the team was not even considered worth the top 10 because of their poor performances. However, cut to now, the purple and gold are seventh in the league with .500 and a 43-39 record. All this happened because of the changes made in the team during the trade deadline. And Russell Westbrook, who was seen as one of the weak links in the team, was left to go.
According to various reports, the Lakers are surrounded by one of the best support casts in two years. The team, which is built on a superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, is well supported. And this is what has led them to transform from underdogs to title contenders incredibly. According to Skip Bayless, the removal of Westbrook was an addition from subtraction. The 34-year-old point guard was more of a liability than an asset for the team. That does not mean he was not a good player, but he could not find the rhythm in the purple and gold.
Skip Bayless Says Positive Things About LeBron’s Team But….
The Lakers have been under the radar of Skip Bayless because he targets the big man LeBron James. But this time, Bayless believes that the Lakers have the capacity to reach the western conference finals. Bayless, on a show, said that “Do I believe the Lakers are as good as them? Yes, I do. They have the 7th-best odds to win the championship“. But in the end, the Phoenix Suns will take the best of them in the seven-game series, as per Bayless.
These are some of the best-appreciating words that Skip has used for the Lakers in a long time. Apart from all the biasedness, Skip does have a point. The odds do favor the team, and the players are also at their best for the team. Ham could take advantage of the situation to take his team across the sea for the title. But, health concerns will remain a major part of this journey. Otherwise, the Lakers could be drowning yet again because of their health concerns.
The Lakers Are In The Finals, According To Bayless
Tuesday will bring the Lakers a chance to secure their 7th seed. When they will successfully do that, it will put them against the number two position of the table. The purple and gold will then face the Grizzlies, who hold the second spot on the table. And then, as per Skip’s prediction, they will face the Suns in the finals.
If everything goes as expected, this is how the journey for Ham’s team could turn out. However, the Suns will be an extremely difficult opponent after the addition of Kevin Durant to the team. And since they have made such an expensive addition, they will also throw everything they have got at the Lakers to lift the title. For the audience, the finals could not get better than watching James and Durant against each other.
