The Los Angeles Lakers are currently gearing up for a first round playoff matchup against an opponent yet to be determined. The Lakers recently clinched the third seed in the Western Conference, winning 50 games in their first season with head coach JJ Redick.

Still, the Lakers aren't without their skeptics in the national media, including former LeBron James teammate Kendrick Perkins, who took to ESPN's NBA Countdown to preview a potential matchup between Los Angeles and the Golden State Warriors.

“Imagine fighting and clawing to get the number three spot, and then all of a sudden you get the Golden State Warriors and get sent home in the first round,” said Perkins. “…I like the Lakers if they have a matchup against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Denver Nuggets with Nikola Jokic. I don't like the Lakers against Golden State.”

Perkins didn't offer much in the way of rationale for his bold claim, although it should be noted that the Warriors did recently pick up an impressive road win over Los Angeles with both teams essentially at full strength.

A potentially huge matchup

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A Lakers vs Warriors matchup would be a rematch of the Western Conference semifinals series between the two teams in 2023, which the Lakers won in six games.

Both teams look drastically different in the present day, as Los Angeles has traded Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic, while the Warriors brought in Jimmy Butler at the deadline.

A first round exit for either of these two teams after the strides they've taken within the season would feel disastrous, and a potential matchup between the squads would guarantee that outcome to be one of their fates.

It would certainly be a dream matchup from a marketability perspective for the NBA, although Adam Silver and company might prefer for it to take place a little bit later in the postseason.

In any case, the Lakers' first round matchup will be determined by the outcome of the games on Sunday afternoon. It will be the first time the Lakers start a playoff series at home since 2012.