Clippers Don’t Scare Lakers, LeBron James’ Team Are Underdogs says Laker SG

The Los Angeles Lakers ae currently in first place in the NBA’s Western Conference with a 41-12 record.

Going 7-3 in their last ten games, the Lakers resume play on Friday after the NBA All Star break and will start a three game homestand at Staples Center. Los Angeles faces the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, the Boston Celtics on Sunday and the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday.

The Lakers are led by All Star LeBron James who currently averages 25 points, 7.8 rebounds, 10.8 assists and 1.3 steals.

Lakers big man, Anthony Davis adds a healthy 26.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.6 steals and 2.4 blocks per contest for Los Angeles.

Last summer, Los Angeles added Dwight Howard, Danny Green,Jared Dudley and traded to get Anthony Davis.

The Lakers are primed and ready to win an NBA championship.

But will they?

Can they?

Already a potent roster with Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, Ivica Zubac and Patick Beverley the Lakers’ Staples Center co-tenants,Los Angeles Clippers made a splash in NBA free agency this past summer when they added Kawhi Leonard and made a blockbuster trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder to acquire Paul George.

Five Million Dollar Question: Are the Lakers scared of the Clippers?

In between hosting an in-store fashion function at Neiman Marcus Michigan Avenue in Chicago during NBA All-Star Weekend, Lakers shooting guard, Troy Daniels tells me they aren’t and that the Lakers are in fact the underdog.

Check out our Q&A below:

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Throughout the course of the season there’s been talks of J.R. Smith, there’s been talks of Darren Collison whomever could join the team. There are people who have said who do you cut. They’ve said DeMarcus Cousins, they have said you, they have said other people. Does that bother you?

Troy Daniels: For sure. No question. I mean people might say that he’s not —– and yeah but everybody says it’s a business, and when they say it’s a business it really IS a business. I’ve been traded five times in my career in the past seven years so I’m scarred for life. So whatever happens. I just think whatever happens is going to happen and when it does happen, just stay strong stay true to yourself and continue to work if it happens. Obviously we’ve been up and we’ve been down. That’s what teams do. You go up, you go down. You go up, you go down. But media and everybody speculating we need help with this, we need that… we have the perfect team to win a championship. Whatever the case may be. I think we can match up with the Clippers good, I think we can beat Milwaukee in seven, I honestly do if everybody’s playing to their type of basketball. We have a couple of the best players in the world.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Your involvement with Neiman Marcus today I was asked to come. What were you doing here today?

Troy Daniels: It was like a pop-up thing where I’m talking pictures and signing autographs for fans as well as fans of the Neiman Marcus stores too. I think it’s great to be able to do stuff like this. I was talking to a little kid and he was like Oh my God, I’ve never seen an NBA player before, and when you’re able to give back and do stuff like that, it’s great for the community and it’s great for that little kid, it’s great for me, my confidence, and actually I was grateful for the store too

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Do the Clippers scare you?

Troy Daniels: No.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: I think you mean that too…I know you do.

Troy Daniels: I really do mean it, to be honest with you I really do. That was a good addition that they got, but I would never even if I wasn’t on the team bet against LeBron. I’ll be totally honest with you. Because when you really look at it, when it’s all said and done right now, stop playing basketball to this day, I’m going with The King bruh. The King won before.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: I think when I look at you guys’ team, the thing that stands out to me 41 wins then. Is it 40 or 41 wins then — something like that…you guys have been battle tested. I personally even though I am a reporter am pulling for you. The thing is you had your ups, you had your downs, you’ve had losses, you’ve had adjustments. From the Clippers game when you guys lost, Danny Green had 28 points in the first game and Anthony Davis will still adjusting to LeBron, one thing AD told me was LeBron told him that the two of them are like a peanut-butter and banana sandwich but not quite yet a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich. I think being battle tested rather than — but I think you guys are also the favorite. Are you guys the underdog or are you the favorite?

Troy Daniels: I think we WERE the favorite, but I think we’re the underdog now at the trade deadline.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Why?

Troy Daniels: Because teams have changed their team maybe for us to you know, we have to figure out how to beat them in seven in the championship game so they change the team in that area or in that way you know what I mean? Before, everybody was like LeBron and AD are playing together? That’s the team. They’re going to win a championship, and then they see as the season goes on, obviously we’re still number one in the West but they see as the season goes on we have our ups and downs and obviously we’re trending down to a certain extent, that it’s easy to say “they need more this, they need that”, and they bet against us

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Last question. You talked about the Clippers and you said that you guys aren’t scared and obviously you respect that team. Who in either the Eastern Conference or the Western Conference matches up the best against the Los Angeles Lakers? Pretty much in the Eastern Conference, which team head to head matches up against your roster 1 through 15?

Troy Daniels: Oh! That’s a good one. Milwaukee. Obviously, you seen what they did the last time they played us when Giannis hit 5 or 6 threes. If Giannis is hitting threes, that team is hard to beat to be honest with you. They’ll blow everybody out and they’ll give us a game but, can he consistently hit the three? I don’t know…