Getty LeBron James guarding Donovan Mitchell.
A bit of a rivalry could be brewing between the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz. Despite having the NBA’s best record, nobody appears to be taking the Jazz very seriously. Both of their All-Stars in Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell were among the last players picked. While that’s not a big deal, LeBron James did throw some shade by poking fun at the team.
Well, Mitchell didn’t take too kindly to what the Lakers star had to say.
“I don’t want to be rude, but I really don’t care,” Mitchell said Sunday, via the New York Post. “People have been talking s*** about me for a while. We’re not doing this to seek the approval of [LeBron].”
Mitchell has been a bit of a punching bag this year. Shaquille O’Neal and the guard have a bit of a beef, and now it’s looking like he might have one with LeBron. Mitchell should just try to talk with his game. He’s having a strong season and can prove everybody wrong come playoff time.
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Are the Jazz Real Title Contenders?
It’s easy to see why many around the league are overlooking Utah despite their excellent 27-9 record. The franchise has never won a championship even though they’ve been around since the 1970s. Also, they largely have the same roster from last season and they couldn’t even get out of the first round of the playoffs in 2020.
There’s no doubt the Jazz are playing at a high level right now. They could probably beat any team in basketball. However, the regular season doesn’t matter. Remember those Derrick Rose-led Chicago Bulls teams that were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference from 2010 to 2012? That team couldn’t get past LeBron despite winning more regular-season games.
It’s easy to see Utah running into the same problem. They’ve got some good players in Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley and Mitchell but none of them are full-on superstars quite yet. As long as Anthony Davis and LeBron are healthy, the Jazz aren’t going to the NBA Finals this year.
Team LeBron Triumphant Again
In other news, LeBron could have a career as a general manager of an NBA team after retires. Ever since the league started having top vote-getters pick their teams, the Lakers star is 4-0. He was asked if he was considering joining a team’s front office after his playing his over. He dodged the question.
“I hope that they allow me to retire from being an All-Star captain, so I can retire with a perfect 4-0 record,” LeBron said after the game. “I’ll keep that forever. But we’ll just see what happens. I always try to pick the right team, and I’ve been lucky enough for four years to pick the right team. Guys go out and compete and play to win. I’ve been on the winning side of all four.”
LeBron will have plenty to keep him busy when he’s done playing but it’s obvious how much he loves basketball. He’ll probably be involved in some capacity once he retires.
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