NBA legends Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce expect big things from the Los Angeles Lakers with their superstar duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
The Los Angeles Lakers greatly altered their ceiling for success this season by acquiring Luka Doncic in a blockbuster midseason trade. Adding Doncic to a core alongside LeBron James seemed only possible in a video game like NBA 2K but we’re seeing it play out in front of our eyes.
The LeBron-Luka connection on the court is already being recognized by everyone. Even LeBron commented on it by calling Doncic a quarterback to his wide-receiver. The shared IQ between LeBron and Luka had Kendrick Perkins backing them for success.
The James-Doncic duo led the Lakers to a win over the Nuggets and has looked great despite Doncic’s shooting woes. It might not be the perfect start, but the flashes of magic can already be seen.
The supporters are lining up in droves. This includes Hall of Fame duo Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, but their fanfare for the Lakers this season could be shocking to many.
Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce think the West is in trouble if they face the Luka-LeBron Lakers
On the latest episode of the ‘KG Certified’ podcast with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, the former championship-winning duo got giddy imagining how dangerous the Lakers with LeBron and Luka can be in the Playoffs.
Paul Pierce: “Initially, I was like, ‘how is this gonna work?’ But if you keep the ball in Luka’s hands and let LeBron roam around, run the break, cut, look for lobs, which he’s better at than Luka.
“It’s looking like they developed some chemistry fast. This is gonna be a dangerous team come Playoffs because when I look at the team up-top, you got youngins with no experience. The Lakers are looking scary.”
Kevin Garnett: “Bron is second. It’s gonna be hard to matchup your second against that guy.”
Paul Pierce: “If Bron is the second… Damn. If Bron is your second-best player on a championship team. The West is in trouble, man.”
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The early fit between Luka and LeBron has seemed effortless. While LeBron is picking up the bulk of scoring as Doncic adjusts, their connection has been great. They are 4-1 in five games together. The only game Luka played without LeBron led to a loss, so it’s clear LeBron is still the team’s No. 1 option.
It’s also clear that the franchise and LeBron himself want Luka to take the mantle from James. While everyone’s willing to wait and let Doncic adjust, impatience can be afoot if he takes much longer.
Lakers challenging the top seeds in the West
Given the star power at their disposal, the Lakers are being pegged to be a top-tier contender in the West this season. They improved to 36-21 after last night’s 111-102 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. They’re the No. 4 seed in the West, 1.5 games behind the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies.
The Lakers are aiming to stay a home-court Playoff team in the first round, with Playoff specialists like Luka and LeBron at their disposal.
Doncic has averaged 30.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 8.0 assists in the Playoffs over his career. LeBron is the all-time leading scorer in the postseason as well, averaging 28.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists over his career.
While James isn’t in his prime anymore, Playoff basketball suits Doncic perfectly. He can manipulate the game as it slows down over a seven-game series, ripping defenses apart with his precise playmaking and explosive scoring.
Teams like the OKC Thunder and Grizzlies are not as Playoff-tested as the Lakers. Their recent win over the Nuggets will fill them with confidence for a potential matchup against them, while the franchise will be sure they can beat the team’s below them as well.
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