It's official. The Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors will participate in the upper leg of the play-in tournament. The winner of Wednesday's game will secure the seventh seed in the playoffs, while the loser will play the winner of the San Antonio Spurs-Memphis Grizzlies duel. It's an odd sight to see LeBron James and Stephen Curry battle it out for a playoff spot. It seems that tense battles between these two titans should be reserved only when there's a trophy on the line. But this is their reality. Whether they're battling for a title or a playoff spot, it sure is going to be exciting.
1. Lakers Will Win Only If…
The Lakers are the favorite to win the play-in, secure the seventh spot, then play the Phoenix Suns in the first round. However, Lakers fans know how malleable their team is without James. The four-time champ seems to be doing okay after missing several games due to a high ankle sprain, but he did tweak his ankle again in the season finale against the New Orleans Pelicans.
LeBron leaves the game after rolling his ankle pic.twitter.com/zV1NfdagOx
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 17, 2021
Though LeBron seems to be okay, this might play a factor in the play-in. If he plays but re-injures his ankle, then this could be trouble for the Lakers. The Warriors may not be having the best season in terms of record, but once they smell blood in the water, they won't hesitate to pounce. They are, after all, peaking at the right time this season.
2. Anthony Davis Will Be Feastin'
This is just the second time this season Anthony Davis will face the Warriors. His first game was just okay as he just scored 17 points in a loss. So, expect AD to come back with a vengeance. Davis has always been a beast. It sounds like a cliche, but the only one stopping him from performing up to par is himself. When he decides to dominate, he succeeds with ease. But there are just games when Davis doesn't feel like showing up, for whatever reason.




But with their playoff hopes on the line, Lakers fans will see Davis in prime form. There's really no one in the Warriors team who can guard him one-on-one. Draymond Green and Kevon Looney will surely get the first opportunities, and the Dubs will try to swarm him with multiple bodies. But AD and the Lakers can take care of that by moving the ball.
Either way, expect The Brow to go off.
3. Curry Will Go For 50
Whether James plays or not, Warriors fans better expect Curry to explode for at least 50 points with at least 10 3-pointers. The Warriors have managed to keep their head above water mainly because of Curry's antics. For greats like Curry, every game is a must-win. Making the playoffs is the only feasible goal for Curry and his crew. Failing to qualify only means the 2020-21 NBA season is a failure. Curry will unveil all the moves in his offensive arsenal to ensure the victory. It's going to be a tall order. Warriors fans have all the reasons to expect Curry to go on an explosion. But the same is not true for his teammates.
4. Warriors Will Beat Whoever They Face Next
However, Dubs fans should not fret. While they'll likely bow down to the Lakers, they'll beat whoever is the winner of the Spurs-Grizzlies play-in. The Warriors are simply the better team. The Grizzlies are young and very good, but they need more experience and perhaps more roster tweaks to be considered a playoff team. The Spurs, meanwhile, haven't regained their mojo yet.