The Los Angeles Lakers have finally awakened. Following some concerning performances during the restart of the season, it seems like Anthony Davis and LeBron James have finally turned it up and LA has taken three straight games from the Portland Trail Blazers, who won Game 1.
We already knew the Lakers’ defense was pretty solid but their offense has now obliterated the Blazers through the past three games, even scoring 80 first-half points yesterday.
Needless to say, that was just mouth-watering for Skip Bayless, who’s on a personal crusade against Damian Lillard and LeBron James. That’s why he went on to say that the Blazers shouldn’t even be there in the first place and that LA should have swept them:
“They don’t belong in the playoffs. Portland is by far the worst defensive team in the whole bubble. Pathetic because they came into the bubble 29-37 and they were twelve games under 500when they hit the bubble and now they are at a grand total of 35-39. You’re over there gloating about a mismatch that should’ve been a sweep,” Bayless told Shannon Sharpe.
https://twitter.com/undisputed/status/1297917898971701248
Bayless went on to add that Damian Lillard is nowhere to be found in the fourth quarter this series, mocking the ‘Dame Time’ motto and continuing to throw shade at the Blazers’ point guard:
“Whatever happened to Dame Time. Can somebody explain to me? I’ve been hearing Dame Time, Dame Time. In fourth quarters I can’t find him. The other night in the fourth quarter, the game was still hanging in the balance and he goes 1-6 from the field and 0-3 from three,” he concluded.
Bayless has never been known for his objectivity but this time he may have a point. The Blazers have been one of the worst defensive units in the league all year, and Lillard isn’t posting the same numbers he did in the 8 seeding games and the play-in tournament.
Then again, we should always take his words with a grain of salt, and it’s also worth noting that Dame has been playing with a dislocated finger the past two games. Still, the Lakers have looked like a much better team in all aspects of the game.
