The Los Angeles Lakers are holding down the top spot the NBA’s Western Conference standings, but there are a number of teams hot on their trail.
Led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers are looking to win an NBA championship, and no one on the team has shied away from that fact, including AD himself.
“That’s our goal,” Anthony Davis told me.
“We are going to come in with the mindset that we’re all thinking. This is the year.”
And it appears that many believe the Lakers are not just one of the NBA’s elites, but also a team to watch when it comes to the most legitimate title contenders.
Lakers & Clippers ‘Above Everybody’ Else in NBA
On a recent episode of the Scoop B Radio Podcast, I checked in with NBA writer and my colleague at Heavy.com, Sean Deveney.
Check out a snippet from our discussion via the Scoop B Radio Podcast below:
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: What say you about the Lakers chances this year?
Sean Deveney: “I think it comes down to the Lakers and the Clippers. Those two teams and a whole bunch of teams who I like that have a good chance. Philadelphia [76ers], Milwaukee [Bucks] will be strong again in the East. I think the Clippers and Lakers are sort of head and shoulders above everybody and no question the Lakers are stacked on the front line and I think the difference that will give the Clippers an advantage is that they have the depth.”
“They can withstand injury and withstand bad luck they’ll hold up better than what the Lakers can. I think it’ll come down to those teams with the Clippers having a bit more. The fact that they have role players and depth. The fact that they can defend. They have a defensive coach Rex that completely changed their defense last year and with the defensive personnel that he has now in Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, still have Patrick Beverley, that’s going to be an excellent defensive team.
“They have a lot of bodies that they can throw at you defensively. Terrance Mann from Florida State, they really like him. Jerome Robinson who I believe was a pick two years ago who really didn’t get to play much I really think that he’s going to be a contributor. I understand the Lakers have bigger names and anytime you have LeBron you’re going to get more attention but I think I like where the Clippers are a little better than where the Lakers are right now.”
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Don’t Forget the Milwaukee Bucks
Among the many other tough opponents standing in the Lakers’ way of a title is the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“Milwaukee is a tough team and they’re well-coached,” Lakers sharpshooting guard Danny Green told me.
Lakers play Bucks on Thursday:
“Milwaukee is a tough team and they’re well coached. obviously an MVP with Giannis [Antetokounmpo] and they push the pace and have some really good shooters. They scrap and do all the little things and have great chemistry.” – @DGreen_14
“Obviously an MVP with Giannis [Antetokounmpo] and they push the pace and have some really good shooters. They scrap and do all the little things and have great chemistry.”
Six Lakers players returned from last season’s Lakers roster. That list includes James, Kyle Kuzma, JaVale McGee, Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso.
The Lakers added DeMarcus Cousins, Dwight Howard, Green, Avery Bradley, Jared Dudley, Quinn Cook, Troy Daniels and rookie Talen Horton-Tucker.
On Christmas, the Lakers will face the Los Angeles Clippers. The Lakers lost to the Clippers on the NBA’s opening night back in October.
READ NEXT: Lakers’ Danny Green Praises Dwight Howard’s ‘Championship DNA’
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Lakers & Clippers ‘Above Everybody’ Else in NBA, Says Analyst