The decision to have a play-in tournament has proven to be a masterstroke by the NBA but not everyone is happy that it exists.
After the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in game to advance to the playoffs, LeBron James said he still doesn’t like the concept.
“Obviously, I’ve never been a big fan of the play-in, I said that when it first started,” James said. “Still not a big fan of it, but it is what it is and we took care of business and we advance.”
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This is the second time that the Lakers have been in the play-in tournament after being in it in 2021. LeBron had ripped the idea of the tournament back then, stating that whoever had come up with it should be fired. He was supportive of it when the idea was first floated, however, which gave the impression that he didn’t like it just because he was potentially going to be in it.
Whatever the case, the Lakers, just like in 2021, won their first play-in game itself which meant they didn’t have to get into a do-or-die contest for the eighth seed. They will take on the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs and it is sure to be an exciting series.
LeBron James Spoke About The Upcoming Series Against The Grizzlies
LeBron has already analyzed what the Lakers will be up against when they face the Grizzlies. He provided a complete breakdown of their roster, going as far as to talk about Tyus Jones leading the NBA in assists-to-turnover ratio, before hilariously saying he hasn’t thought about Memphis one bit.
The Lakers did not play a great game here despite getting the win, with Charles Barkley stating that the Timberwolves choked. LeBron himself made some uncharacteristic mistakes, although he did still stuff the stat sheet with 30 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, a steal, and 2 blocks. He would know better than anyone else that they have to be a lot better to beat the Grizzlies and would be drilling that message into his teammates in the coming days.
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