Stephen A Smith warns +170 betting favorites Boston Celtics as Luka Doncic’s Lakers steamroll Nuggets

NBA star Luka Doncic's recent performance had TV analyst Stephen A Smith change his opinion regarding the Lakers.

Stephen A Smith warns +170 betting favorites Boston Celtics as Luka Doncic’s Lakers steamroll Nuggets

Stephen A. Smith

Because of their performance over the past month, the Los Angeles Lakers (34-21) are becoming more and more popular in the NBA. The squad has soared up the Western Conference and is now only two games behind the No. 2 spot in the West, despite significant trade turmoil and players coming and going from the roster. Notably, Stephen A. Smith also hopped on the Lakers bandwagon after Luka Doncic‘s top-notch game against the Denver Nuggets.

Compared to the team’s performance last season, JJ Redick deserves a great deal of credit for establishing a far more stable foundation of success this season. Stephen A. Smith decided to praise that. He also made a daring statement on the NBA Playoffs and the Lakers. Smith claimed that the Lakers would go all the way if they were to make the Playoffs.

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If that Los Angeles Lakers team showed up in the Playoffs, look the hell out. I’m not going to be mad about being in Southern California.

Stephen A. Smith said on the NBA on ESPN show

This is a clear warning to teams like the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Not only that, according to SportsDuel betting odds, the Celtics are +170, and the Thunder are +210 compared to the Lakers’ +2000 to win the NBA 2025 title. Smith seems to challenge the betting favorites with this recent take.

However, statistically, Smith does have a point. Because, the Lakers have the best record in the NBA lately, 14-4 over the past 18 games. Additionally, during this time, they have had a defensive rating of 109.6, which would place them first in the NBA. They also acquired Luka Doncic in the middle of the season in all this, adding to their attacking output.

Stephen A. Smith contradicts his own words regarding the Lakers and JJ Redick

With his recent words, Stephen A. Smith has found himself in a fix. Four days earlier, he said that JJ Redick had a lot of work ahead of him because Darvin Ham led the team to the Western Conference Finals in his rookie season. He also made it clear that the Lakers couldn’t defeat the Nuggets two days before their thumping defeat. Lakers fans were quick to point out his contradictory nature via social media.

Last year, we were making a legitimate argument that if it were not for the Denver Nuggets, there was no team in the West the Lakers couldn’t beat. So No. 1 priority will be to avoid the Nuggets at all costs because you ain’t beating them.

Stephen A. Smith said

Supporters also pointed to recent instances of Smith’s blatantly anti-Lakers remarks. Such as asserting that LeBron James is purposefully harming the Lakers by refusing to ask for a trade. Also, the Dallas Mavericks are a better team after the trade. Nevertheless, Smith recently apologized for his remarks towards the Lakers, admitting his sole mistake in public.