BASKETBALL

Can the Lakers Take the Title?

The 2020 NBA Championship Finals are set for June and LA Lakers seem like the clear winners. However, they are not the only ones with a chance at the title. The team is also likely to be shaken up due to the death of Kobe Bryant, though they are going to do their best to try and win the championship for him, honoring his memory. This piece is dedicated to finding out whether the Lakers have what it takes.

Circumstances

While some may argue that LeBron James is too old to play basketball professionally, he is going to be in the front and believes that the Lakers have what it takes to win it this year, according to a tweet by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

It would appear that the Lakers are trying desperately to acquire at least one more superstar, convinced that this would cement their chances of getting to the top. They don’t have a lot of time, though, as the trade deals close on February 6th. The key positions the team needs to work perfectly are the point guard and the two-way wing.

So, who are the players the Lakers are keeping an eye on? Andre Iguodala, who plays as the small forward and shooting guard, seems like an obvious choice. Another player that is worth checking out is Marcus Morris, the power forward and small forward. Unfortunately, getting the latter seems far-fetched for the Lakers, as the player wants to stay in New York.           

The team still has amazing assets, including LeBron James and Andrew Davis. Kyle Kuzma is supposed to complement the style of play and he had a few good games in the season, but he is going to have to improve. His talent and hard work cannot be denied, though his delivery on the court leaves something to be desired and he can’t be considered to be on the same level as James and Davis.

Who Is Going to Fight in the Finals?

This is a tough call. On one hand, the Eastern Conference seems pretty set – at the time of writing, the Bucks are in front of the Raptors, and far away from the Celtics and the Heat. Neither the Raptors nor the Golden State Warriors are likely to repeat their past successes.

On the other hand, the Western Conference is full of surprises. While the Lakers are at the top of the board, the Clippers are breathing down their neck. Denver Nuggets are also not far off, but we don’t really expect too much of them. The Western Championship is going to boil down to the Lakers and the Clippers, with the winner most likely taking on the Bucks.

To put it simply: yes, the Lakers can win this, but it is certainly not going to be easy, even if they score the deals and trades they are looking for. The Western Conference is tough right now and they are going to have to be at the top of the game and can’t phone this in.