While some believe the Los Angeles Lakers will shock the world and delve deeply into the 2023 NBA Playoffs, there are others who believe that the iconic franchise will fall in the first round to the upstart Memphis Grizzlies.
One person who believes the Lakers’ journey will end sooner rather than later is an anonymous NBA coach. The coach has L.A. losing in just five games to the Grizzlies and thinks that some Anthony Davis heroics will be the only reason why the team won’t get swept.
“The Grizzlies have too much firepower for the Lakers,” the coach said, according to Sam Amick, Darnell Mayberry and Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “Ja Morant, I don’t know if there’s anyone on that Lakers team that can guard him. He’s unguardable. And this is their time. This is what they’ve been waiting for all year long, the Grizzlies. … (The Lakers will win a game) only because of Anthony Davis. The Grizzlies are going to have a hard time, without Steven Adams, guarding Anthony Davis. We’ll see which Anthony Davis shows up, too.”
That is certainly one way to see things. The Lakers will undoubtedly have a tough time guarding Morant. That much can’t be denied. However, the same thing can be said about how the Grizzlies might struggle against not only Davis, but also against LeBron James.
It’s worth noting that in the 2022-23 regular season, the Lakers went 2-1 against the Grizzlies, with their most recent game coming in early March. That should give Lakers fans and players alike some confidence despite being the lower seed in the series.
At the end of the day, any prediction at this point of the season doesn’t mean much. A champion will be crowned in a matter of months, and the entire season will be written in the history books. For James and company, the opportunity they have now is a massive one.
Another title win would give the Lakers the sole lead in the league with an astounding 18 championships. It would also give the franchise a second ring during the James-Davis era. There is a lot on the line, and everyone involved in the organization surely knows that.
So, while the coach may feel that the Lakers will be a quick out in the playoffs, fans can be sure that everyone working for the franchise is doing everything they can make sure that isn’t the case.
