Controversial ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith said he expects the Los Angeles Clippers to emerge out of the Western Conference over their bitter rival Los Angeles Lakers.

Speaking with TNT analysts Shaquille O'Neal and Ernie Johnson on Friday, the First Take host held off on his prediction as to which team wins the title this year but boldly proclaimed why Kawhi Leonard/Paul George-led team will defeat the LeBron James-Anthony Davis tandem in a seven-game series.

“I was sold on the Lakers. I'm not sold anymore,” Smith shared on TNT. “I think the absence of Avery Bradley is devastating. I think that Rondo coming back, even though he is out. I'm watching them, they're having a difficult time making shots. The Clippers are the better team. Number one. Milwaukee can beat them, and then I saw Toronto beat them”.

The outspoken TV personality doubled-down on his take, adding that even the top teams in the East can beat the current Purple and Gold ensemble inside the bubble.

“I will tell you, I'm not as sold on the Lakers as I once was. If I have to make a decision right now, I have switched from the Los Angeles Lakers winning the championship, to possibly the Clippers or Milwaukee,” Smith added.

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The Lakers and the Clippers have been pegged as favorites to win it all even before the start of the 2019-20 campaign. Both teams made massive improvements on their roster and proved that they are indeed strong contenders. The Clippers got the better of the Lakers in their first two encounters of the regular season, but the Lakers bounced back by winning their last two matches. However, the Lakers struggled mightily upon the restart, going 3-5 in the bubble.

They looked lethargic and out of sync most nights, which is not a good look heading into a first-round match-up with either the Portland Trailblazers or the Memphis Grizzlies. The Clippers, meanwhile, have gone 5-3 inside the bubble and will face the Dallas Mavericks in the first round. Both teams must reach the Western Conference Finals in order to set up that highly anticipated collision course.