Getty LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers scores his 40,000th career point during the first half against Michael Porter Jr. #1 of the Denver Nuggets.
Three-time NBA champion and current Chicago Bulls announcer Stacey King believes the ninth-place Los Angeles Lakers will reach the Western Conference Finals against the defending champion Denver Nuggets for the second straight season.
“Here’s gonna be a surprise for you,” King told his broadcast partner during the Bulls-Los Angeles Clippers game on Thursday, March 14. “Denver’s gonna be in the Western Conference Finals [against] the Lakers.”
King’s bold prediction comes on the heels of the Lakers’ disappointing 120-107 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, March 13. The Kings swept the Lakers for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
They have also been swept by the Nuggets this season.
But King, who knows what championship teams are made of, has noticed the Lakers play differently in the postseason.
“[The Lakers] are gonna be in the play-in game,” King continued. “They’re gonna have to fight their way through. But I’m telling you, do not sleep on the Lakers. When the lights are bright, [they play their best]. I will not be surprised to see the Lakers going to the Western Conference Finals.”
King had seen this LeBron James-led Lakers team play their best when the lights are at their brightest — from their NBA Bubble title run to the inaugural In-Season Tournament championship.
Last season, the Lakers also went through a similar path, grinding their way from the play-in tournament.
Then the Lakers beat a young Memphis Grizzlies team in the first round and eliminated Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in the second round.
Lakers and Warriors on Play-in Collision Course
The Lakers and the Warriors could face each other again in the play-in tournament for the second time since the format was introduced in the 2019-20 season.
James and his Lakers hold a one-game lead over the Warriors for the ninth seed in the West entering Saturday’s crucial match, their third meeting this season.
They have split their first two meetings with their last meeting scheduled on April 9 which could set the stage for a wild seeding maneuvering in the West.
The Warriors are hoping to have Curry back for their March 16 showdown at Crypto.com arena from an ankle injury.
Austin Reaves ‘Super Confident’ of Their Playoff Chances
Despite the Lakers remaining outside of the top six in the West, Austin Reaves exuded confidence they can make a deep playoff run.
“Regardless of where we stand, if we go put our best foot forward and play the basketball that we know we can play … I think if you go ask anybody in our locker room, we’re super confident with what we have,” Reaves told reporters following their 120-109 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 10, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
If the Lakers remained in ninth place and managed to come out of the play-in tournament, they could face inexperienced playoff teams Oklahoma City Thunder and the Timberwolves in the opening round depending on their seedings.
The Lakers are 3-1 against the upstart Thunder this season. They are 1-2 against the Timberwolves with their fourth meeting scheduled on April 7.
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3-Time NBA Champion Makes Bold Lakers Prediction