Mike Greenberg says Lakers should rest Lebron and AD tomorrow and tank vs Pelicans

[CurryOverLebron]

Skip to 6:20

[L.Kizzle]

They should have tanked on Sunday lol.

[Carbine]

I agree. I think their odds against the Nuggets (less than 10 percent) is lower than if they play the Warriors/Kings at home (60 percent chance to win) and then play the Thunder with a 40 percent chance to win the series.

[tpols]

Didn't we tell yall this would happen?

People saying "OMG they can't tank a play in game! What if they lose the next one!"

News flash. If they win tomorrow they get bounced in the 1st round anyway.

And if they lose tomorrow they have a setup where they can potentially avoid Denver entirely for the long haul.

A lot of you guys are near sighted and need to have your prescription checked.

[Real Men Wear Green]

You don't put yourself at risk of missing the playoffs if you can avoid it. If you are that scared of Denver you aren't real contenders and for the Lakers the standard is championships. You have Lebron James and Anthony Davis. Some guy on the internet (like me) can think you're going to lose to the Nuggets but you are a historically great franchise led by one of the greatest players of all time. You are supposed to be Contenders. How are you Contenders if there is a team you are so scared of that you are willing to risk the playoffs to avoid playing them? You can't be scared.

Not to mention the fact that the best team does not always win a single game. You don't want a single must-win game with Curry or Sabonis and Fox. You could easily lose if it's just one game, look at the NCAA tournament. And if you are playing that game because you were scared of Denver you would deserve it.

[Im Still Ballin]

Somebody give Mike a wedgie.

[tpols]

The Lakers aren't true contenders right now lmao. They're very good but it's clear Denver has their number and the path as the 8th seed would be way easier than the path as the 7th seed.

Lakers could win the title if Denver loses in the 2nd round and they duck them in the WCFs. Where as they have 0 chance at the ring if they have to play Denver first and are forced to run a crazy gauntlet.

[Real Men Wear Green]

No champion is going to lose a play in game because they're scared of another team. That's a stupid risk and it's just not how champions think.

[tpols]

There's a difference between being scared and being stupid.

You seem to have both bases covered.

[Real Men Wear Green]

There's a difference between being scared and being stupid.

You seem to have both bases covered.

I am at times scared of your stupidity but imo that doesn't count. What's really stupid is being scared of a basketball team. The worst thing that can happen is they lose the series... which is still getting further than if they are a bunch of scared idiots and lose after tanking a play in game and looking like possibly the biggest bitches in the NBA. Someone that would give such bitchmade advice really shouldn't talk about people being scared.

[FultzNationRISE]

The Lakers aren't true contenders right now lmao. They're very good but it's clear Denver has their number and the path as the 8th seed would be way easier than the path as the 7th seed.

Lakers could win the title if Denver loses in the 2nd round and they duck them in the WCFs. Where as they have 0 chance at the ring if they have to play Denver first and are forced to run a crazy gauntlet.

So do the Warriors and Kings. If you send it to a single elimination coin flip game it’s very possible you dont even get your chance against Denver, whom you are 70-80% likely to have to go through no matter what. Not guaranteeing yourself the chance when you have an opportunity to do so is foolish. It’s not good math.

That said, I HOPE the Pelicans win tomorrow and the Lakers win Thursday, because I would rather see DEN and LAL not face each other in round 1. But that’s speaking as a fan who has nothing meaningful invested. From the rational team point of view, you just played an 82 game season, you dont THROW a playIn game and risk failing to make the postseason altogether in order to run away from Denver.

[rawimpact]

You don't put yourself at risk of missing the playoffs if you can avoid it. If you are that scared of Denver you aren't real contenders and for the Lakers the standard is championships. You have Lebron James and Anthony Davis. Some guy on the internet (like me) can think you're going to lose to the Nuggets but you are a historically great franchise led by one of the greatest players of all time. You are supposed to be Contenders. How are you Contenders if there is a team you are so scared of that you are willing to risk the playoffs to avoid playing them? You can't be scared.

Not to mention the fact that the best team does not always win a single game. You don't want a single must-win game with Curry or Sabonis and Fox. You could easily lose if it's just one game, look at the NCAA tournament. And if you are playing that game because you were scared of Denver you would deserve it.

Uhh BS

The team that wins the finals is not always the team that is the best. It's all about match ups... Denver does not match up well against the lakers and history has shown that.

That said, I Agree... you never throw a game if it means risking the playoffs.

[FultzNationRISE]

Uhh BS

The team that wins the finals is not always the team that is the best. It's all about match ups... Denver does not match up well against the lakers and history has shown that.

That said, I Agree... you never throw a game if it means risking the playoffs.

Yeah, it’s fine to try and manipulate match ups toward the end if it means shifting from like a three seed to four seed or something. But if youre in a double elimination play-in, you dont throw the first game to try and change your potential opponent. Especially when the next play-in teams youll face have feasted on you as much as Denver. It’s madness.

[tpols]

So do the Warriors and Kings. If you send it to a single elimination coin flip game it’s very possible you dont even get your chance against Denver, whom you are 70-80% likely to have to go through no matter what. Not guaranteeing yourself the chance when you have an opportunity to do so is foolish. It’s not good math.

That said, I HOPE the Pelicans win tomorrow and the Lakers win Thursday, because I would rather see DEN and LAL not face each other in round 1. But that’s speaking as a fan who has nothing meaningful invested. From the rational team point of view, you just played an 82 game season, you dont THROW a playIn game and risk failing to make the postseason altogether in order to run away from Denver.

The Warriors and the Kings... definitely do not have the Lakers number. The Lakers have sat Lebron and AD in both their losses vs Golden State this year, and the Kings recently lost Malik Monk who was their 3rd leading scorer and key piece to their fire power. AD and Lebron especially with home cooking would wipe them unless they went absolutely nuts from 3. Which with proper momentum calls from the refs and FTA disparity could be curtailed. It would be the easiest money ever betting on LA to beat them in the play in if it should occur.

[CurryOverLebron]

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