Stephen A., Shannon Sharpe & Michael Wilbon DEBATE 🍿 Are the Lakers a legit threat? 👀 | First Take

Stephen A., Shannon Sharpe & Michael Wilbon DEBATE 🍿 Are the Lakers a legit threat? 👀 | First Take

Are the Lakers the legit threat to the nuggets in the Western Conference no not from what we’re seeing right now Stephen A they listen Braun and AD have played in the overwhelming number of games and what are they in this morning 9th 10th where are they nth yes okay they don’t

Look like it now okay I’m not saying they’re disappointing I’m not saying they can’t rally we saw them just two years ago you can’t remake the roster every time at the break you you’re not going to be able to do that so I’m looking at them and it just it’s not a

Matter of anybody being deficient my God LeBron James is playing at a level that no one close to his age has ever played right but is that enough when you look at the Nuggets is that enough I know they had a nice win on the road in

Oklahoma City and if they were in a series you’re going to take the old team young teams don’t do anything in the playoffs but there too many teams St n to climb they’re not as good as Minnesota right now they’re not as good as Oklahoma City they’re certainly not

As good as the Nuggets they’re not disappointing like the Suns but no they’re not a threat to the nuggets at this point CH you said LeBron James is playing what his 18th uh Christmas game playing well you left that out you just said he’s playing he’s playing well not

Just Christmas on a Monday and a Tuesday and a Thursday any other day because you saw that don’t try to poo poo the 477 don’t don’t don’t sit up there you this is what I’m gonna have to deal with all you with this man here first of all I

Would like I would like to add on Christmas day in the Christmas spirit I have LeBron James is an MVP candidate they just need to win more games they need to that’s the most talking that’s the what’s going to happen what’s going to happen to get them they got a lot of

Teams to climb Shannon they they’re going to have to make a move unfortunately they’re going to have to make a move what move you mean a big move a big move and you see what they did they they’ve already moved DLo because of the inconsistent play in the

Back court I mean you got Austin Reeds coming off the bench and you don’t want to take those bench points away because you put him into the starting lineup now where you going to get bench production from so DLo did come in and he played well the other night maybe that’s what

He needed maybe hey sit that sit back we’re gonna put somebody else in the starting lineup I think they started V instead of him and says okay DLo now get you get your mojo going against the second I want to say this about DLo I’m really really sick he needs to hear this

Message on Christmas Day I’m really sicking tired of those goat no noises that he makes in the background it’s not that LeBron doesn’t deserve it I understand that what I’m saying is this he he’s doing it because you ain’t doing what you’re supposed to be doing I mean

Could you step up and take some load off of the third the soon to be 39 years old no dolo should be able to do something he should show you got a post how awful he was in the Western Conference Finals I’m sorry to do that on Christmas Day to you

But D is true go ahead listen the the expectations on the Lakers are often just out of line Stephen A they’re not good enough I mean we get talk to sh sh he doesn’t listen I tried to tell him the top he doesn’t listen listen I agree

With you they can’t remake the roster like they did two years ago right but they’re going to have to make a move yes because as present League construct they’re not good enough we’re asking DLo to do things that we’ve seen his career long enough now he’s a very nice

Complimentary piece right taking a load off LeBron James that is that ain’t happening but that’s the problem anytime you play on a team with LeBron James you’ve never faced this level of expectations no matter who you are be it Anthony Davis be it anyone if you play

Alongside that guy because of who that guy is the expectations go up exponentially exp but here’s the deal but here’s the deal that a an excuse to let him off the hook no no because here’s the deal you were in the Western Conference finals last year so if any if

There was ever a time where you could be shell shocked when you make the all inse tra you get hachimura and then you get DLo along with Vanderbilt and those Brothers you end up going to the Western Conference L you had enough time with LeBron in a Lakers uniform and in D’s

Case this the second time you’re in a Lakers uniform you know the expectations that come with being a Los Angeles Lakers you got to step up and handle your business right but here’s the thing maybe this is as far as he can go that’s that’s that’s maybe this is as far as he

Can go and we ask him to go here when he can only go here and and that’s those are the unfair expectations I’m talking about individually not collectively right we agree collectively on what they’re supposed to do okay look here’s the other thing Stephen A they’re teams

That are better we didn’t have Minnesota being this good we did not we didn’t have Oklahoma City being this good these are two young teams with star players we’re fresh legs and by the way we did have Sacramento being as good CU we’ve seen it right so are the Lakers is the

Lakers roster outside of LeBron LeBron is it better than those team no it isn’t and so we’re asking DLo is going to save the day I think that expectation just asking him to do his job I mean Anthony Davis averaging 24.3 points here’s the thing not only is LeBron an MVP

Candidate Anthony Davis is definitely a leading candidate for defensive player abely doub without question so when you look at it from that perspective and he’s only missed two games shanon sh might actually win a bet with me he might actually win a bet with man I guaranteed that Anthony Davis gam

But I got to admit he’s looking pretty good right now I thought he lose the by by Valentine’s Day I thought he’d lose so Shannon sharp is looking very very good right now but we shall see but still and all you got enough pieces and there’s a familiarity a cohesiveness

They wanted to stay together we they were kept together by Rob palinka and jeie bus I did expect more from the Lakers than a two and five record since the n Season tournament but remember we had this conversation Stephen A I said they’re going to put a lot of emphasis

Because it’s an inseason tournament that you wanted to be the first to win it now I’m not saying that’s right or wrong but if they’re going to put if the uh uh commissioner silver if they’re going to Institute this why not win it why not

Win it and so they did they put a lot of emphasis on that tournament and they played extremely well didn’t lose a game but now it’s time to refocus and get ready this is the regular season and they have I’ve been disappointed in how they played LeBron James has been

Exceptional and people say well why would you what you got the man scoring 40 why is that a problem he’s capable of it yes this is the expect I have of him I’m not surprised I expect it but maybe we’re expecting Too Much from the other

Guys the team play bully ball in the paint that’s what LeBron and play bul ball in and he can’t he I mean listen did you see the man go five or five that a in the paint he went five or five from three so that’s at least 22 ft away that

Ain’t the paint we know that ain’t going to last that’s not going to he shoo 41.7% from the three why you why you blowing why you blow like that’s something’s going to C you not the three-point shooting I mean he might get the 40 points but ain’t going to come

Via three-point shooting that you can’t rely on that that’s LeBron James oh my has he not surprised you over the last 21 years what have he done he has not surprised me I expect greatness from LeBron James because he’s phenomenal I got him number two player all time in

The history of basketball I mean I expect that from them it’s Christmas Day and the ESPN family of networks as a gift of a slate for you all day long we’ve got the NBA Countdown crew with us will B Mal big perk all in the house Malika let’s go to

You my dear let’s start with you what’s the biggest thing you need to see today what’s the biggest thing I need to see today that’s right we want oh man Ste where’s the camera they got I mean the C is the camera gonna find you Just Gonna

Leave Malik come on I guess I’m just I’m just going to come up here Merry Christmas I guess if there’s something that I need to see on Christmas day are the Warriors for real is what we’ve been seeing recently their streets for real they’re going to be

Tested in the my high city Stephen I did you see uh Klay Thompson starting to hit threes again yeah did you see that are you worried you should be worried you should be worried Shannon I got goat oh you got Le everything’s everything’s about LeBron everything’s about goat

James with him everything’s about goat James you sure about that you still holding on that you still think the Lakers are going to do something we’ll answer all questions today on krisma on Christmas Day on krma day against the Celtics so what are you saying are you

Predicting that the Lakers are going to Stomp the Celtics today we ain’t going to Stomp Them we just going to win you want to put dinner on it I mean you already I mean you looking get the surprise off your face do you want a dinner B yes or no

That’s know what I’m I’mma take it just because get on my ner you getting on my ner just because I’m just saying listen listen guys what I want to see my biggest thing I want to see today is I want to see the Boston Celtics and I want to see you do

Something other than shoot threes over the last couple of games they’ve been doing their things and I appreciate that okay but prior to that launching 63 against Sacramento I believe if it wasn’t Sac I forgot who it was about I think it was Sacramento I was worried about that you’re not winning a

Championship if you’re living off the three the way the Boston Celtics were doing that’s my concern they have the Personnel right they they shoot the three ball incredibly well it would be nice maybe to see them get to the free throw line a little bit more Chris spinga certainly could do that when

They’re making threes though Shannon we’re not talking about this right like when they’re making threes it’s like okay this is the Boston Celtics that we feel like could finally be the team that is able to win Banner number 18 it’s when they’re missing those threes in the playoffs that’s when there’s a little

Bit I got the winning the chip I got a winning the chip I just don’t know if they remember it is Christmas day there there’s time there’s time to evolve I agree with you about the threes but they’re not going to play bully ball like LeBron and AD are able to right and

On the other hand the Other Extreme is they’ve got to find some outside shooting even if that means making a deal they got to find some outside shooting in order to support LeBron they do M I know you think they have it on the roster Stephen A I don’t un

Unfortunately uh the deal to be made is not going to happen on Christmas so it’s not a treat it ain’t a box with ribbon right not are you wishing for Zack LaVine to become a Los Angeles Laker I’m not I’m not sure I think Zack LaVine makes them

Exponentially better but I think there’s a piece out there I ain’t going to tell y’all cuz somebody else might sweep swoop swoop in and steal it from really it coming is it coming from North just South North Pole from you know what Shannon is admitting right you know what

Shannon is admitting right even goats need Help

Stephen A., Shannon Sharpe & Michael Wilbon DEBATE 🍿 Are the Lakers a legit threat? 👀 | First Take

Stephen A. Smith, Shannon Sharpe, Michael Wilbon and Malika Andrews discuss the Los Angeles Lakers and Christmas Day matchups.

0:00 Are the Lakers a legit threat to the Nuggets?
3:30 Lakers’ expectations
6:49 Malika Andrews joins the show

#ESPN #NBA #FirstTake

✔️Subscribe to ESPN+ http://espnplus.com/youtube
✔️ Get the ESPN App: http://www.espn.com/espn/apps/espn
✔️Subscribe to ESPN on YouTube: http://es.pn/SUBSCRIBEtoYOUTUBE
✔️ Subscribe to NBA on ESPN on YouTube: http://bit.ly/SUBSCRIBEtoNBAonESPN
✔️ Watch ESPN on YouTube TV: http://es.pn/YouTubeTV