The excitement surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers has reached a fever pitch, creating an atmosphere not seen since the team’s championship aspirations peaked in 2020. The arrival of Luka Dončić on February 1st, following a remarkable eight-game winning streak, has injected a new level of excitement and optimism into the franchise.
Dončić’s successful debut against the Utah Jazz further heightened the anticipation surrounding this dynamic duo, as he seamlessly integrated with LeBron James and the rest of the roster. Lakers fans are now envisioning the limitless potential of this formidable team, imagining the creative offensive combinations and defensive dominance that could unfold with Dončić and James leading the charge.
The Lakers, currently positioned as a serious contender in the Western Conference, have emerged as a legitimate threat to reach the NBA Finals. This belief is shared by prominent figures like Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, a renowned LeBron James supporter. During an appearance on ESPN’s “First Take,” Sharpe boldly predicted that the Lakers would emerge victorious in a potential Western Conference Finals matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Los Angeles Lakers Predicted To Make NBA Finals. Unless…
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“If the Lakers get the OKC Thunder in the Western Conference, we are going to the NBA Finals!” Sharpe said.
However, co-host Stephen A. Smith fired back and gave Sharpe a reality check.
“Something’s absolutely wrong with you right now,” Smith said. “Let me tell you something. First of all, you better hope you don’t run into Denver beforehand.“
“I’m mentioning Denver only because that’s your kryptonite, OK, and Jaxson Hayes ain’t gonna get it done. You need some girth. You need some size to deal with those brothers. That ain’t gonna happen.”