Forced to compete in the Play-In-Tournament, the Lakers see their chances of back-to-back dwindling day by day. Keeping their crown seems almost impossible today. This is all the more the case as the Angelinos will have to achieve a feat unique in the history of the league.
Champions 2020 at the end of a superb playoff campaign, the Lakers are violently come down to earth this year. Between injuries to key players, LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the lead, and misrepresented in the workforce, Frank Vogel’s men even saw the direct qualification in postseason escape them.
Result, the Californians will have to deliver a real obstacle course to complete the current exercise with the Larry O’Brien trophy in their hands. For this, however, we will have to defy all forecasts. Indeed, Ryan Ward of Lakers Nation recalls that a Los Angeles title, under these conditions, would be a feat never seen in the NBA:
Jared Dudley on the Lakers trying to win a title as the 7th seed: « It will be the hardest challenge any team has had in NBA history. »
CORRECTION: No NBA team lower than the 6th seed has won the title.
5th seed: 1969 Boston Celtics
6th seed: 1995 Houston Rockets
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) May 17, 2021
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