Speaking just hours ahead of the inaugural NBA in-season tournament finals, Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell described the event as a “cheat code” for the playoffs and it explains why he and his teammates have been treating it with a noticeable sense of urgency.
“Honestly it’s the FInals, playoffs, all that. It’s the atmosphere, the environment, I can see all the cameras, all the people. It’s a good environment for us,” said Russell. “It’s like a cheat code to get this feel for anybody that really hasn’t been this far or been in this environment. it’s almost like a second-round, third-round type of feel. All the cameras, everybody’s watching. I think it’s a cheat code, good preparation before you get to the playoffs. It really matters in that sense.”
Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell says the IST is like a “cheat code” to prepare for playoffs and warns that Cam Reddish is wearing the black Air Force 1s. pic.twitter.com/I3ob3SBDLx
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) December 9, 2023
LeBron James said something similar about the tournament, meaning he probably talked to his team about the importance of this competition. If the Lakers take this seriously and win tonight’s game, they will not only be the first team in history to win the IST, but they will walk away with valuable experience that will surely give them an added edge in April, May, and June.
Lakers Are All-In On The In-Season Tournament
Coming into the season, there were major concerns about how effective the in-season tournament would be regarding increasing fan interest and adding an extra layer of competitiveness in the early season. With nothing on the line except for publicity and a modest cash prize, critics pointed to the lack of incentive as a reason why the tournament would fail.
But thanks to the example set by LeBron and the Lakers, the IST is a competition that teams and players care a lot about and it’s been a major success story so far. Back in the early stages of the tournament, LeBron sent a message to everyone that he was all-in on winning the event and he’s had the Lakers playing with unwavering intensity ever since. The question now is, can they finish the job and complete the mission or will they go home empty-handed?
Lakers Vs. Pacers In Epic Finals Matchup
In a lot of ways, the Lakers and Pacers are mirror images of each other. For the Lakers, they typically play with a slower pace and rely on their defense to stay competitive in games. Meanwhile, Tyrese Haliburton has made the Pacers an offensive juggernaut and their fast and fun playstyle has been the subject of many conversations this year. As a young and unproven team on the rise, it will be interesting to see how the Pacers handle an older Lakers team that has more experience and cache than anybody else.
At the very least, we know that both teams will be giving their all given how they’ve played in the games so far (both are undefeated in the tourney). With all eyes on Las Vegas and the NBA’s exciting new event, the pressure may be higher in this game than it’s been in every game so far and it will only do more to prepare the guys for action in the spring.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
