“LeBron James’ Lakers are better than Kevin Durant and James Harden’s Nets”: Bill Simmons explains why LeBron and co are still favorites for the title

Bill Simmons says that LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are the best team in the league, over Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets.

With all the recent hype surrounding James Harden and his play with the Brooklyn Nets, it is easy to forget that the Los Angeles Lakers currently hold the best record in the league by a significant margin.

The defending champs are boasting an 11-4 record, following their loss to Steph Curry and the Warriors on MLK Day. Going into this 2020-21 NBA season, the Lakers were deemed to be the favorites to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy once again.

Also Read: “We need a couple of these in a row”: Despite beating LeBron James and the Lakers, Stephen Curry wants Warriors to build a win streak

However, with James Harden making his way to Brooklyn to team up with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Lakers fans aren’t so sure anymore about whether or not LeBron James will clinch his 5^th championship this season.

Bill Simmons says that LeBron James and the Lakers are still the team to beat

Bill Simmons of the Ringer is firm in his belief that the Los Angeles Lakers are still the best team in the league, despite the Brooklyn Nets’ blockbuster trade. He took to his podcast to talk about the possibility of a Lakers-Nets NBA Finals. He said:

“I still think the Lakers are the best team. Brooklyn can put KD on LeBron James but who do they have for Anthony Davis? They traded Allen who was their answer. The only way for them to win is by sheer offensive outpour, it could happen but I just have never seen a team win it all that way, without defense.”

“The only way for the Nets to beat the Lakers is to just outscore them”-Bill Simmons. 🤔

What a radical thought.

— Owen Graham (@Eyeamog) January 20, 2021

Also Read: “Draymond Green traveled late in win over Lakers”: LeBron James adamant about blatant non-call that gave Warriors 4-point lead with less than 2 minutes left

The James Harden trade took so long mainly because the Nets were weighing the cons of giving up on defense. Jarrett Allen has been dealt away to the Cavaliers, so there is no player on the Nets who can effectively guard Davis off the dribble, in the post or in the pick-and-roll.

Kevin Durant is their best defender, but he’ll have his hands full with having LeBron James be his defensive assignment.

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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