Stephen A. Smith believes the Memphis Grizzlies will hand the Los Angeles Lakers a first-round playoff exit.n
“The Lakers could end up home in the first round,” Smith said on ESPN’s First Take. “Let’s just call it what it is. We want to applaud the Lakers for what they have done this year. They’ve got a chance. I’m not gonna sit here and tell you that they don’t have a chance. They got LeBron James. … Anthony Davis showed up. We know what he’s capable of when he’s on the basketball court.
He further added: “But we talking about the Memphis Grizzlies here. … Last time I checked, they got Ja Morant, and this brother is something special. And he’s on a mission. And the Memphis Grizzlies, by the way, have never made the NBA Finals. … I look at Desmond Bane. I look at Dillon Brooks. I look at Ja Morant. I look at Jaren Jackson Jr. … If he can find a way to get himself out of foul trouble, then let me be very, very clear to you, America: Memphis is no joke.”
"The Lakers could end up home in the first round."
😳 @stephenasmith pic.twitter.com/sjAbEIQewC
— First Take (@FirstTake) April 10, 2023
Smith’s prediction comes well before the Lakers take on the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in tournament. LA won their final regular season game against the Utah Jazz and booked a date with the Wolves in the play-in with a 43-39 record.
The Lakers are favorites to clinch the seventh seed as Minnesota comes into the Crypto.com Arena without the services of Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels. While the center was slapped with a one-game suspension for punching his teammate, Kyle Anderson, McDaniels was ruled out after fracturing his right hand after he put it to the wall.
LeBron James Gets Real On Facing The Minnesota Timberwolves
The Lakers may have the edge when they host the Wolves, but superstar LeBron James wasn’t one to take things lightly.
The 38-year-old outlined the challenges LA would face when they take on Minnesota. Speaking to the media in the aftermath of the win against the Jazz, “That’s a challenge versus everybody, and Minnesota is no different,” James explained.
“When you got guys like KAT (Karl-Anthony Towns) and Anthony Edwards, those guys can both go for 40 against you and put multiple pressure on you. You got a very cerebral, solid point guard in Mike Conley, who’s been in multiple playoff games. So, listen, we know what we’re getting ourselves into.”
The Wolves might be smarting from the two incidents that threaten to end their 2022-23 season, but there’s no way to count them out just yet. They do have the necessary firepower to vault over the Lakers, and it remains to be seen if James & Co. can fend off the threat that’s headed toward them.
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