The round two matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors is heating up. As things stand, the series is tied at 1-1. With at least three more games to go, many are wondering who will prevail. Will it be LeBron James or Stephen Curry? Well, some of the likes of Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Skip Bayless, and Stephen A. Smith have made their choices.
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Things have just started heating up between the Lakers and the Warriors. After a stunning Game 1 from Anthony Davis, the Dubs responded with a sensational performance from Klay Thompson.
While things look evenly matched, fans sit with gritted teeth wondering who will come out on top. But, there are those who are already quite confident about what the result will be. Here are some of the predictions from some legends and some analysts.
Charles Barkley believes the Lakers will prevail if Anthony Davis is consistent
Anthony Davis was superb in Game 1. The Brow scored 30 points, while also grabbing 23 rebounds. The first Laker to do so in the Playoffs since Shaquille O’Neal. However, his performance in Game 2 left a lot to be desired. So, prior to the series, with AD’s inconsistency in mind, Hall of Famer and Inside the NBA analyst Charles Barkley has picked the Lakers to win, assuming Davis finds some form of consistency.
“I still like the Lakers in the next series [vs. the Warriors]… But my faith in Anthony Davis— I can’t trust that dude… Can they get 4 great games out of AD? That’s what this series is gonna come down to.”
—Charles Barkley
(via @NBAonTNT)pic.twitter.com/iPf9Y3hbAu
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 2, 2023
Shaquille O’Neal disagrees with Chuck and believes the Warriors will win the series
Unlike Sir Charles, Shaquille O’Neal, a former LA Laker is siding with the Golden State Warriors. Big Diesel believes that the Dubs have the experience and the caliber of players to come out on top. In particular, he pointed out that he knows exactly what the likes of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green bring to the table. And, that is why they will win.
Skip Bayless has the Lakers winning in six games
From Inside the NBA to UNDISPUTED, Skip Bayless has also chimed in on who he thinks will win the series. And, in a rare occurrence, he seems to have agreed with his co-host Shannon Sharpe. Skip has picked the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James to win in six games. An interesting take, considering his current disposition regarding King James.
Stephen A. Smith claims the Baby-Faced Assassin, Stephen Curry gives the Warriors the advantage
First Take‘s Stephen A. Smith has the opposite prediction to that of his rival/friend, Skip Bayless. He feels that the Golden State Warriors have the advantage. And, that is all thanks to the “Baby-Faced Assassin”, Wardell Stephen Curry. Not to mention, he believes that LeBron might be a bit worried about Steph.
