LeBron James

The Lakers secured a decisive victory against the New Orleans Pelicans recently, but their upcoming rematch in the Play-In Tournament has stirred up discussions, particularly after ESPN’s Mike Greenberg suggested a bold strategy: intentionally losing the game.

Greenberg highlighted the subsequent matchups, where the winner of the 8th seed game faces the Oklahoma City Thunder, while the winner of the 7th seed game takes on the formidable Denver Nuggets. Given this scenario, Greenberg proposed that the Lakers, in the purple and gold, should consider not pursuing victory against the Pelicans.

“The Lakers should not play tomorrow night. They should not play LeBron, they should not play AD (Anthony Davis). They do not want to be 7-seed. You want to be the 8. I am taking my chances in a one-and-done at home against either Sacramento (Kings) or Golden State (Warriors) and then going to win against a very young OKC Thunder in round one instead of going to the buzzsaw that is Denver (Nuggets). I think it is worth the risk,” said Greenberg on Get Up ESPN.

Greenberg emphasized the Lakers’ perceived inability to compete with the Nuggets this season, leading him to advocate for avoiding the formidable opponents at all costs. While acknowledging the riskiness of his strategy, he pointed out that a loss at any stage of the process could send the Lakers home. The decision ultimately rests with Lakers head coach Darwin Ham as they prepare to face the Pelicans on Tuesday night.

Darwin Ham reveals Anthony Davis’ condition after back injury

Lakers’ star big man Anthony Davis sustained a back injury during the recent game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The nine-time NBA All-Star was observed gingerly making his way back to the locker room after a collision with Pelicans’ star Larry Nance Jr. Head coach Darwin Ham recently provided an update on AD’s condition and disclosed his status for the upcoming Play-In game.

Mike Greenberg’s suggestion for the Lakers to intentionally lose the upcoming game as a strategic move to avoid facing the Denver Nuggets in the Play-In tournament is certainly bold. It raises important questions about the balance between strategic planning and competitive integrity in professional sports. While Greenberg’s reasoning may have merit considering the Lakers’ perceived challenges against the Nuggets, intentionally losing goes against the competitive spirit of the game and could potentially undermine the credibility of the tournament.

Ultimately, the decision rests with the Lakers’ coaching staff and management, who must carefully weigh the risks and benefits of such a strategy while prioritizing the well-being and competitive spirit of their team.