LeBron James believes the Los Angeles Lakers are "hitting their stride"

"LeBron James believes Los Angeles Lakers are 'hitting their stride' as they book spot in Western Conference Finals

The Los Angeles Lakers are back in the Western Conference Finals - In an ominous warning to the rest of the teams remaining, LeBron James believes they are just now "hitting their stride".

The Los Angeles Lakers are in the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2010.

That was the year the Lakers won title number 16. After a long drought by franchise standards, the purple and gold are back in the final four, and now await the winner of the LA Clippers-Denver Nuggets series.

LeBron James was dominant in game 5, pouring in 29 points to go along with 11 rebounds and seven assists, but it was a destructive opening eight minutes that set the tone, as James scored eleven points and the Lakers ran up an early 22-point lead.

"For me mentally, I come in with the same desperation as the opponent. I understand that in a close out game the team that is down is going to play desperate and they're going to play to their best ability," James said postgame of his mentality heading into close out games.

"If you allow that to happen throughout the course of a 48 minutes game they are going to extend the series. I'm not saying I'm always successful in closing out the series but that's my mindset. My mindset is to be just as desperate as my opponent when I approach the game, when I'm out on the floor and then live with the results."

https://ca.nba.com/news/lebron-jame...n-conference-finals/uu7xi5uszzws19a3pl9a4ebjy
 

lastyle7

EOG Veteran
imo, Clippers are the only team that an beat the Lakers... only problem the Nuggets could end up beating the Clippers
 
The Rockets showed their legendary Tin Man heart when things got tough. Sure hope the Lakers think it was their play that did it.

Lakers figure to be an easier matchup for the Nuggets than the Clippers. Not saying the Nuggets should win it, just on matchups I think they are in better shape. Clippers are a nightmare for the Nuggets, well really almost any team, due to their length and depth. Nuggets basically have to let PG have his way because they usually only have one quality defender with size and he's always focused on KL. Get to the Lakers and that one defender can focus on LBJ. Also I think they could get some stretches of defense on AD from Millsap, he's got the game to slow him down and earn his in the paint buckets until he inevitably gets into foul trouble, but the Clippers don't really have anyone he's suited to defend. On offense, Murray is struggling because of Clippers defensive length, he'd have far more success against the Lakers especially without their depth defenders sitting at home. Jokic would have his hands full so Murray would have to step up his contributions.
 

choslamshe

EOG Master
To Kane's point, I think either the C's or the Heat are better "teams" than the Clippers/Lakers. The adversity that the Nuggets have played through, should they come back to win game 7 tomorrow would put them in the same league of cohesion as C's/Heat. But I think the Heat or Celtics could easily win in the finals against the Clippers/Lakers.
 

kane

EOG master
Also, the winner of Celtics/Heat will have the coaching edge over either of the remaining Western teams
 

GameBred

I Trade Therefore I Am
The Washington Generals would hit their stride against a POR or HOU defense.

What do I need to do to get you to stop talking basketball? Please, tell me, what? Both Hou and Por have a better Playoff Defensive Rating than Denver and both got their assess kicked and even after the ass kicking, the defensive rating is still better. Utah has the best offensive rating in the playoffs and they only played 7 games.... against Denver.

The Rockets showed their legendary Tin Man heart when things got tough. Sure hope the Lakers think it was their play that did it.

JFC, this nitwit is growing a brain?

Lakers figure to be an easier matchup for the Nuggets than the Clippers. Not saying the Nuggets should win it, just on matchups I think they are in better shape. Clippers are a nightmare for the Nuggets, well really almost any team, due to their length and depth. Nuggets basically have to let PG have his way because they usually only have one quality defender with size and he's always focused on KL. Get to the Lakers and that one defender can focus on LBJ. Also I think they could get some stretches of defense on AD from Millsap, he's got the game to slow him down and earn his in the paint buckets until he inevitably gets into foul trouble, but the Clippers don't really have anyone he's suited to defend. On offense, Murray is struggling because of Clippers defensive length, he'd have far more success against the Lakers especially without their depth defenders sitting at home. Jokic would have his hands full so Murray would have to step up his contributions.

You are so fucking dumb, now I hope Denver actually wins so we can test this dumb ass theory of yours. UniBron will smack the shit out of them and no one is a bad matchup for them, no one, they are the bad matchup.
 

GameBred

I Trade Therefore I Am
Jokic would have his hands full so Murray would have to step up his contributions.

Good luck to Murray w/ Capt. America, AKA The Bald Mamba, AKA The Meme GOAT, AKA The CaruShow, AKA The Clipper Killer, AKA Alexander the Great, AKA AC Fresh, AKA Big Balder Brand on his ass.... ask Dollar Dame about him.
 

Heim

EOG Master
Lakers are the worst match-up imaginable for Nuggets......Gobert led Utah should have beat them. Denver
doesn't want length. Lakeshow biggest team in the league.

Barkley got the broom out last night for a reason.
 

GameBred

I Trade Therefore I Am
Lakers are the worst match-up imaginable for Nuggets......Gobert led Utah should have beat them. Denver
doesn't want length. Lakeshow biggest team in the league.

Barkley got the broom out last night for a reason.

It's a really bad matchup for them but these fucking Nuggets have zero quit in them; respect.
 

GameBred

I Trade Therefore I Am
Lakers are the worst match-up imaginable for Nuggets......Gobert led Utah should have beat them. Denver
doesn't want length. Lakeshow biggest team in the league.

Barkley got the broom out last night for a reason.

UniBron is now 5-1 against them this year and the only game they lost was when LBJ didn't play, they lost by like 20+ @ Staples.
 
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