“No way the Lakers are even close to contenders” – LeBron James and LA BARELY survive Timberwolves test and fail to impress NBA fans
Fans erupt on Twitter against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers after their overtime victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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LeBron James (Image via Justin Ford / Getty Images)
The Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles saw some exhilarating action on the basketball court today. The second Play-In game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves went right down to the wire. Both teams were tied at 98 points each at the end of regulation and the fight for the seventh seed in the West went into overtime. Although LeBron James and the Lakers emerged victorious, they would feel they escaped defeat by the barest of margins. The scorecard stood at 102-108 at the end of the overtime.
Going into the game, the Lakers were favorites as the Timberwolves were far from playing their best five. With Rudy Gobert on a one-match suspension and Jaden McDaniels out with a fractured hand, fans expected James and the Lakers to cruise to victory. However, much to their surprise, the home team trailed the Wolves for the most part of the game. Despite their victory in the end, fans now feel disappointed with the team’s efforts.
James and Anthony Davis combined for 54 points with Dennis Schroder and Austin Reaves supporting the two frontmen in terms of scoring. However, the Wolves put on an impressive team effort as they put up an impressive fight. Contrary to the expected result of the game, it looked like the Lakers were struggling to keep up with the Wolves. This performance has many people on social media questioning whether the Lakers are serious contenders after all.
A Wolves victory away from home would’ve been a formidable boost for the depleted team. However, they would still see a lot of positives in this game. As for the Lakers, this victory will presumably do very little to keep the morale high. As of today, the Lakers have clinched the seventh seed and will now face the Memphis Grizzlies in a seven-game series.
Fans started to lose hope in the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship chances
Team fans never shy away from expressing their disappointment after a game. After a rough couple of seasons, the Lakers fans saw a glimmer of hope for their chances at another title. With James and Davis looking in good touch, the Lakers fraternity was pretty optimistic ahead of today’s game. However, their struggles have left many sinking in displeasure as Twitter erupts with mockery and jokes about the LA-based franchise.
James and the Lakers have a healthy amount of time to reflect on what needs to be fixed ahead of their first-round series against the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies, who finished second in the Western Conference at the end of the regular season, would be tough competition for the Lakers. Therefore, speculations on whether or not the Lakers actually have what it takes to win another title are on an all-time roll.
The Timberwolves, however, still have a shot at clinching the eighth seed as they still live to see another day. They will now play the winner between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New Orleans Pelicans. If they manage to win that one-off contest, they will proceed to play the Denver Nuggets for the first-round seven-game series.
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Nikhil Sonmali
(1112 Articles Published)