Fox Sports analyst Skip Bayless recently made a prediction that the Los Angeles Lakers might make it to the Western Conference Finals this season and face off against the Phoenix Suns. Bayless doesn’t expect the Lakers to beat Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and the Suns, but he does believe that LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Lakers will take the series to seven games.
If Bayless’ prediction comes true, the Lakers and Suns matchup would be a highly anticipated series, and it appears that the analyst expects the Lakers to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in tournament on Tuesday night.
What did Skip Bayless say?
In an episode of the “Skip and Shannon: UNDISPUTED” show Skip Bayless claims LeBron and the Lakers hold 7th best odds to win the NBA and says, “I’m giving the Lakers a 50% chance to win the West. I believe it will be LA vs. Phoenix with the Suns winning the Western Conference Finals in 7 games.”
The Lakers and Wolves will be battling it out for the No. 7 seed in the West and the right to play the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs. If the Lakers win, they will eventually match up against the Suns in the Western Conference Finals, but if not, they would play for the No. 8 seed and would face the Denver Nuggets in the first round if they won.
The Suns, who are currently the No. 4 seed, would face the winner of the No. 1 vs. No. 8 matchup in the second round, not the Western Conference Finals, if they get past the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Lakers are in a good position to beat the Wolves since Rudy Gobert (suspension) and Jaden McDaniels (fractured hand) will not be playing on Tuesday night for Minnesota.
In the 2020-21 season, the Lakers faced the Suns in the first round of the playoffs, losing to Phoenix in six games. The Suns went on to the NBA Finals but ultimately lost to the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo in that series.
With Durant now in the fold, the Suns are hoping to capture a title this season. In the eight games that Durant has played for Phoenix, the team is a perfect 8-0.
While Bayless’ prediction depends on the outcome of Tuesday’s play-in game, NBA fans have a lot to be excited about, particularly the potential matchup between Durant and James. The two stars have not played against each other since Christmas Day in 2018, and the Western Conference Finals would be a perfect place for them to renew their rivalry.
In summary, Bayless predicts an exciting series between the Lakers and Suns in the Western Conference Finals, and while the outcome is uncertain, the potential for a Durant-James matchup is reason enough to keep NBA fans on the edge of their seats.
Clash of Titans: LeBron James and Kevin Durant Poised for Epic Western Conference Finals Showdown
A potential NBA Western Conference Finals matchup between LeBron James and Kevin Durant would be a legendary showdown between two of the greatest players of all time. Both players have won multiple NBA championships and have been named MVPs of the Finals.
Their head-to-head matchups have always been highly anticipated, and a meeting in the Western Conference Finals would be no exception. With LeBron leading the Lakers and Durant leading the Suns, the two superstars would be vying for a spot in the NBA Finals and a chance to add another championship to their already impressive resumes.
Not only would the matchup be exciting for fans of both players and their respective teams, but it would also be a historic moment in NBA history. LeBron and Durant have faced each other in the NBA Finals twice before, with each winning one championship. A third Finals matchup between the two would cement their rivalry as one of the greatest in NBA history.
