After securing a comfortable 124-118 victory over the Utah Jazz, the Los Angeles Lakers have emerged as one of only two teams in the Western Conference to maintain a perfect record in the 2024 NBA In-Season Tournament. More impressively, this means that since the tournament’s inception, the Purple and Gold have remained undefeated, boasting an incredible 9-0 record.
Although JJ Redick’s squad still faces challenging matchups against the Phoenix Suns and Oklahoma City Thunder to solidify their ticket for the knockout stage, Lou Williams believes they’ll have no trouble. Primarily thanks to LeBron James, who is determined to leave his mark on the competition.
LeBron has balled out in the Emirates Cup
Entering the 2024 NBA In-Season Tournament as the reigning MVP of the inaugural edition, “The King” has shown he is eager to defend the Lakers’ crown. In the opening contest against the San Antonio Spurs, James recorded a 15-point, 16-rebound, and 12-assist triple-double. LBJ followed that up with a dominant 26-points and 12-assist double-double performance in 34 minutes against the Jazz.
Reflecting on the four-time MVP’s stellar all-around performances in both games, Williams praised “The King” for stepping up on the big stage. Speaking on the “Run It Back’ show,” Lou picked the Lakers as the favorites to come out of West Group B simply because Bron is aware of how well he could enrich his legacy by adding another trophy to his resume.
“I’m absolutely going with the Los Angeles Lakers. Las Vegas is the second home to the Los Angeles Lakers. I’m telling ya’ll, anytime LeBron James gets an opportunity to be a show on that Las Vegas trip, he gonna show up and show out as the best player in the world should,” Williams said. “He’s gonna be there, he’s very much going to be part of the NBA Cup.”
The Lakers have a serious chance to defend their title
The Purple and Gold have also demonstrated that their depth can carry them when needed. With standout performances like Dalton Knecht’s 37-point game, the team has proven it can get the job done even when LeBron or Anthony Davis aren’t delivering grand performances.
With the Suns and Thunder missing key figures like Kevin Durant and Chet Holmgren in their upcoming Play-In Tournament games against the Lakers, respectively, the latter’s chances of advancing look promising. It is safe to say that if James remains determined to add more silverware to his GOAT-caliber resume, it will be incredibly difficult for any team to derail the Lakers’ pursuit of glory, at least in the NBA’s Emirates Cup.
