20 games into the 2020-21 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers have proven that they are the team to beat in the Western Conference, sporting a record of 14-6 and LeBron James being the frontrunner for MVP.
Although the Lakers have looked as good as any team in the league so far this season, there is one team that superstar forward Anthony Davis admits might be able to give them a run for their money in the NBA Finals. That team is the star-studded Brooklyn Nets.
1-on-1 with Anthony Davis: AD is going to be in a Super Bowl ad with Serena Williams, Peyton Manning & Jimmy Butler – and that's just his plans for next weekend. Great conversation about happiness, the cost of trying to repeat, and the team he thinks is most in the Lakers' way: pic.twitter.com/zqcnILdJtd
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) January 29, 2021
“They’re definitely a threat,” Davis said to ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. “They’re a team that can score at will. They’re a good team. I think they’re the favorites to win the East since [James Harden] went over there. It’s gonna be a battle.”
Before the Nets pulled off a blockbuster trade for superstar Harden, Brooklyn was considered a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference. Kevin Durant looks like he’s back to form as one of the league’s elite stars, and Kyrie Irving has played well when he’s been on the floor.
Now that the team has added another former MVP into the mix, the Nets are as intimidating offensively as any team in the NBA. The main issue with Brooklyn is that they aren’t a good defensive team, which gives the edge to the Lakers, who thrive on that end.
There’s no question at this point in the season that the best possible matchup in the NBA Finals would be these two heavyweights going head to head.
It’ll be interesting to see if both teams can endure the rigors of the season altered by the COVID-19 pandemic and set up what would be an epic showdown for the title.
