© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Legend Slams Idea of Lakers Avoiding Nuggets
This has been a very hot topic of conversation.
The NBA Playoffs haven't even started yet, but one of the biggest conversations that seems to be recurring is if the Lakers should deliberately lose to the Pelicans tonight in the Play-In tournament so that they can avoid the Nuggets.
One Lakers legend can't stand the idea of the Lakers ducking the Denver Nuggets. He happens to be one of the most important Lakers, too - Magic Johnson.
Johnson voiced his displeasure to the idea on Twitter today.
I" want the Lakers to beat the Pelicans tonight to secure the #7 seed and face the Nuggets," Johnson said. "Even though the Lakers lost their four matchups against the Nuggets, games 2, 3, and 4 were all close! It’s ridiculous that I’ve been hearing people think they should intentionally lose to face the winner of the Kings vs Warriors and eventually, the Thunder. As a true competitor, you should always want to win. To be the best, you have to beat the best!"
In all honesty, the Lakers have a pretty clear path to the Western Conference Finals if they're in the same bracket as the Oklahoma City Thunder. That path would be very similar to last year's when they went through the Grizzlies and Warriors before losing to the Nuggets. However, the Lakers will have to face the Denver Nuggets no matter what, so getting it done first makes sense. Either way, the Nuggets will be ready.
Related Articles
Nikola Jokic Could Pass LeBron James on Historic List Next Season
Former Nuggets Player Unleashes Controversial LeBron James Take
