Lakers: Commentator Offers Bold Prediction For Preferred LA First-Round Playoff Matchup

The Lakers currently sit towards the bottom of the Western Conference but are one game behind the 10th seed.

Although the playoff chances have been looking slim for your Los Angeles Lakers all season long, a few members of the basketball community seem to have a strong belief in this Lakers team. 

For one, former Lakers shooting guard Nick Young recently tweeted out that the Lakers would beat the No. 1-seeded Denver Nuggets in a first-round matchup.

If Denver play lakers first round they losing

— Nick Young (@NickSwagyPYoung) February 25, 2023

To echo Young’s statements, The Herd Podcast Network's Colin Cowherd also sided with the Lakers when asked if he would pick the Lakers over the Nuggets in a postseason series. 

“If they were healthy, I’d pick the Lakers,” Cowherd said. “I don’t trust Denver in the West.

The commentator's statement relies on one big factor: health.

“Playoff basketball is about being great at stuff,” Cowherd said. “It’s not about depth. It’s not about plaques. It’s not about MVPs. The Lakers, when A.D. and LeBron are healthy, they have things they’re great at.”

Would you take a healthy Lakers or healthy Nuggets in the playoffs?@ColinCowherd and @_JasonLT discuss pic.twitter.com/n5Kwg1pxtw

— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) March 2, 2023

As of now, the Lakers are trying to weather the storm without their star, LeBron James, who is out indefinitely with a foot injury. Other key players have also been sidelined with injuries lately, including Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell, who is facing an ankle injury of his own. The point guard is expected to miss another game on Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Much of the pressure will be left in other players' hands as James and Co. continue to sit out. When the all-time leading scorer is on the court, there is no doubt he brings a strong presence on both ends of the floor. He leads the team on most nights, with an average of 29.5 points a game this year. The team certainly takes a hit with him injured this last stretch of the season. 

The Lakers are currently in the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference, one game behind the 10th-place New Orleans Pelicans. As the end of the regular season approaches, every win is crucial for LA as they battle to secure a spot in the playoffs. 

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