In the playoffs, the Lakers fear NOBODY… except the Nuggets 😬 – Becky Hammon | NBA Countdown

In the playoffs, the Lakers fear NOBODY… except the Nuggets 😬 – Becky Hammon | NBA Countdown

We have the Lakers facing off that that we came from no LeBron James we have the Lakers facing off uh against the Milwaukee Bucks in the second game of our double header here on ESPN when you look at the matchups CH that the Lakers could potentially dry in those top four

Seeds in the Western Conference in a seven game series in the playoffs is there any team that you like the Lakers chances against what a mean question is there I feel like any team other than the Denver Nuggets the Lakers will feel good about because if you look at the OK

Yeah well the Clippers too the OKC Thunder right they they have issues interior with the front Court that’s where LeBron James scores his points that’s where ad is right now we just follow the news the last two days of Carl Anthony towns being back you know

Out so you look at that matchup too they might see that as favorable and I’ll say this as much as the Lakers are locked into the play in right now because you know below them is 10th and there’s like a six game span from there and above

Them they need to win like four games to try to get out of the play into the play playoffs I don’t want to play LeBron James in a you know first round series we’ve seen what he does for big games now I am worried about his health right

Being out tonight that’s going to be difficult to see if he’s going to be able to keep it going but the Lakers I don’t think they fear anyone if as long as they have their guys out there maybe except the nuggets and probably a little bit the Clippers I mean everyone fears

The Nuggets yeah as they should right I mean look I think when you look at the Lakers they’re not necessarily constructed as a great regular season team to do that with the players they have over an 82 game schedule is going to be difficult but in the playoffs when

You have Anthony Davis LeBron James and the way that they can play defense when they all are collected and they’re on a string they’re a tough out for anybody but that interior presence with those two guys is very difficult except against the teams you mentioned the Denver Nuggets the Minnesota temper wol

Yeah I agree with the with the panel here in the sense of I don’t think they fear anybody except for the Denver Nuggets um I also don’t want to play against them fully loaded so if you even have to take take a couple steps back here cuz you know you can’t really climb

The ladder in order to be healthy cuz if there’s one thing at the end of the day what you want to be going into these things is healthy you want to be in and you want to be healthy and after that you know what you roll the bones and you

Go out there and play but I don’t want to play the that’s the dance they’re playing with LeBron James right now right this is just normal wear and tear on a 39y old ankle that he’s had issues with the entire season and he’s just got

To pick his spots in a game where if you’re not feeling 100% then maybe you give it this game and stay and and be healthy for Sunday against Minnesota but that’s that’s the place where they are cuz they don’t they don’t have any games to waste here and yet they have to pick

Their spots with him the Los Angeles Lakers have the eighth toughest remaining schedule and this stretch which we’ve said has been a home stand all 11 games they have at home with the exception of the Kings going up north Milwaukee Minnesota Sacramento Golden State that’s all loading for them so not

Having LeBron James even though they can weather the storm for one night it’s going to be hard moving forward to try to build some momentum is averaging a career best 26.4 points a night that’s on Pace to be the highest in Timberwolves history so not Kevin Garnett not Kevin Love Not cat but

Anthony Edwards Becky what message did ant say send last night I think he sent the message that I am more than willing to be the man while they wait this time for cat to heal up and it it’s the desire the Killer Instinct is what I

Have loved to see uh love to see out of ant and at actually at the end of the day when you’re building an organization and you’re You’re Building these pieces to see this young man kind of turn into the man um and and rise up at the most

Important time the most crucial time coming into these playoffs I couldn’t be more excited for the Timberwolves but also ant specifically yeah we see Anthony Edwards raise his game without Carl Anthony towns before we dive into that a little bit Chen just how serious in is this injury for for cat Ramona

What more can you tell us well look when he had this injury you have a choice it’s a miniscus injury and you can say all right try to play through it and see how it goes and you never know if it can get worse or you have a setback and then

You have to have surgery or you can have the surgery now and have a pretty good idea that 4 six weeks he will be back so that puts you on a timeline right for the start of the playoffs if all goes well from the surgery next that’s going

To happen early next week and then when he gets into the rehab cycle see what we’re witnessing right now with Anthony Edwards is I know you guys know the book Call of the Wild right a domestic dog goes crazy in adverse circumstances and brings out his best self this is the dog

This is the wolf that they’ve been waiting for and I know it’s a tough situation without Carl Anthony towns but how good has he been I think a lot of people were like oh he did this great for one game no actually in the three games without Carl Anthony towns and

Edwards is averaging 37.3 points and no losses now I don’t think it’s going to be those numbers for the foreseeable future the month or some change that keeps coming without C but still he’s willing to take on that assignment of trying to keep the ship afloat and to me

That’s the most impressive thing he was questionable coming into this game but knowing Anthony Edwards he he is available to play in this one after rolling that ankle like we saw in the last game but now we’re marching towards the postseason the Timberwolves are trying to secure that seating so they

Can have homecourt advantage through the playoffs just how important is that for that Ramona I think it’s really important but I also think you I talked to Chris Finch the head coach of the Timberwolves and he said you know this isn’t ideal for us right now Carl Carl 3

Town’s obviously a key performer for them over the last of the last decade that he’s been there but they have 60 games from last year where Carl was out to draw on they have a lineup with a lot of optionality you have Nas Reed who can also stretch the floor they have Kyle

Anderson slomo who can give him a different look and play more in that as a point forward if he’s out there so I think as much as this is not ideal for them at this point in in the season they also are built to handle this and get to

The playoffs in good shape yeah Ramona I want to dive into that optionality because missing Carl Anthony towns means you’re missing 22 points per game and a 42% three-point shooter so as we dive into the tape and look at what they missing it’s really someone that is able

To space the floor we’ve all said that he wants to be known as the best big man shooting the ball in the history of basketball well he shooting 42% everyone remembers the allstar game 50 right but still he has been consistent and what does what does that allow an Edwards to

Go to work just by simply spacing the floor now who is inserted into the op you know optionality through the rotations it’s Nas Reed right there what does Nas shoot he shoots 41% from threes half of his shots are threes so as much as they’re missing Carl Anthony to this

Team was actually built by the same man who built the Denver Nuggets Tim Connelly and it was built through the lens of Defense their offense is something that they’ve seen as a work in progress but it seems like they are built to also withstand something like

This based off of their depth on their roster Ros re was really a luxury for them to resign and to extend him and a lot of teams don’t have that kind of luxury to have that money to go into the into the tax the way they did but this

Is why you do that this is why you have that now look we’re talking to the super Co the coach over there the super team with the Las Vegas Aces optionality for days well you always like your number one and number two options best you got number three

Over there exactly you know what players players always win the game at the end of the day but I will say this and Chan you hit on it a little bit why they I think they’ll be able to withstand this kind of time without cat is their defense you play defense you’re always

Going to give yourself a chance they’ve played great defense all year long maintain that and you’re going to be in games both want try to that what I look [Applause] like NBA is

On NBA Countdown, Becky Hammon, Malika Andrews, Ramona Shelburne and Chiney Ogwumike discuss which top seed the Los Angeles Lakers match up the best with as well as Karl-Anthony Towns’ injury.

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