The Los Angeles Lakers had a troublesome beginning to the season restart in the Orlando Bubble. They were 3-6 (including the round 1 loss against Blazers) in the first nine games. Their performance was under the scanner, and talks were hot that they might choke. More people were convinced that the Clippers would reach the finals rather than the Lakers.
The reality today is completely different. The Clippers choked while the Lakers cruised ahead. They became the Western Conference champions almost uncontested because none of their series went into a Game 6. But all these efforts amount to nothing for a few NBA analysts who still won’t give the Lakers their due credit.
Time to skip ‘baseless’ commentary? Especially for the Lakers fans!
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At one end of the world, the Lakers were crushing the Nuggets with their star duo contributing 65 points. On the other end, an NBA analyst was tweeting tweets that could be tagged ‘anti-Lakers’ in all aspects. The tweet said, “The Clippers would’ve beaten the Lakers. Even the Lakers know that.”
The Clippers would've beaten the Lakers. Even the Lakers know that.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) September 27, 2020
The 68-year-old sports columnist did not stop just there. He went on to compare LeBron James’ killer instincts with that of Michael Jordan.
I guess LeBron was trying to get even with Mike Malone, who coached him in Cleveland, for saying during "The Last Dance" that LeBron doesn't have the killer mentality that Jordan did. Malone didn't lie.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) September 27, 2020
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Skip made these comments even though the three-time NBA Champion broke a sweat to score a triple-double and handed his team a memorable victory. The 35-year-old proved that he is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to performing in NBA Playoffs.
LeBron James and his side care less about such remarks!
Players like Danny Green, Kyle Kuzma, Alex Caruso, and even Anthony Davis are not new to receiving harsh criticism. But the way the Lakers bench has played, especially in the past two weeks, is commendable. They performed better than the Clippers bench, which was considered stronger.
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In the post-game interview, Bron made it a point to thank the team’s general manager Rob Pelinka for signing Anthony Davis. The 6’9” guard also praised the Nuggets for being so well-coached as a team. He also had some strong words for the “naysayers” who speak ill of him and his side every time they’re having some tough games.
Last year when the Lakers failed to make it into the playoffs, many critics bluntly discouraged Bron. Today, LeBron is a major reason the team is just one series away from lifting its 12th NBA title after 1961 and 17th overall.