Laker or Warriors? Who Will Win the West?
Anthony Pavlik and Andrew Shannon debate the rise of their favorite teams. Which team do you think will win?
By Andrew Shannon and Anthony Pavlik
Published Nov 7, 2021
The Warriors Revenge Tour
The 2021-2022 NBA season is emerging, and the Golden State Warriors are preparing to take the league by storm. Last season, the team finished 39-33 and missed the playoffs through losing 2 play-in games to the Lakers and the Grizzlies.
The Warriors' revenge tour begins this month with the preseason underway and the regular season on the horizon. The Warriors are going to make the playoffs and earn a better record than the Lakers, who have been performing embarrassingly this preseason.
Last season, the absence of Klay Thompson greatly affected the Warriors, along with the injury of Stephen Curry that shortened the start of his season. On the bright side, the Warriors saw quality playing time and the build up of their young players, including Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, and James Wiseman. The combination of Warriors stars like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green will positively coalesce in a fruitful season with the rising young stars.
On the other hand, the Los Angeles Lakers are also an extremely talented team as veterans Lebron James, Russell Westbrook, and Anthony Davis comprise the starting lineup. However, unlike the Warriors, the Lakers are a very old team, meaning young players are scarce in that organization. Fans are wondering if players like Trevor Ariza, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwight Howard are still capable of playing at a high level as their age may cost them their level of physicality. If these players still play like they are in their prime, the Lakers are a force to be reckoned with; however, if they do not, the Lakers are going to have a disappointing season.
The mixture of veterans and young stars on the Warriors will result in a better season than the Lakers. I believe the Warriors will take the 4th spot in the Western Conference, while the Lakers will finish behind them in the 5th spot; only a couple of games will separate the two. If this occurs, these two will face off in the playoffs, ultimately resulting in the Warriors edging the Lakers in a contested series.
The Bounce Back Year
As the 2021-2022 NBA season begins, there are many questions surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers, such as their age and their chemistry as a team. By being eliminated by the Suns in the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers are coming off an extremely disappointing year due to the expectations going into the season. However, they are looking to put last year behind and win the West again.
The Lakers bounce-back year is about to begin as the regular season starts on October 19th, and the Lakers will earn a high seed in the West and eliminate the Warriors in the postseason.
Some concerns are how well their new “Big 3” fits together, because Lebron James and Russell Westbrook are very ball-dominant, and they do not shoot 3-pointers at an elite level. However, Lebron James, with one of the highest basketball IQs ever, will find a way to maximize the potential of this team. Many people worry over the age of the Lakers; however, they fail to remember that Lebron James was the MVP favorite last year prior to his injury, Russell Westbrook averaged another triple-double for a WHOLE season, and Anthony Davis is a lockdown defender. So, their three stars are still playing at elite levels and have not shown signs of slowing down.
If the Lakers desire to win the West, they will have to overcome a supremely talented team in the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors will have the core of players that broke the all-time wins record, so they are going to be an obstacle that stands in the way of the Lakers. The return of Klay Thompson will significantly improve their team to where they will have a superior record and will be more of a threat than last year. However Klay has not played an NBA game in the last 2 years, and many players do not come back the same after an Achilles or ACL injury. The Warriors need him playing at a high level to become a threat in the West, so it will be very interesting to see how he looks.
Since the “Big 3” does not naturally fit together, the Lakers may not look like a top team early in the season. Though they may struggle early, they will figure out how to play together with time and become a dominant team. With all this considered, I believe the Lakers will be the 2nd seed at the end of the regular season, only behind the Warriors. This sets them up for a Western Conference Finals matchup, in which the size and talent of the Lakers will guide them to eliminating the Warriors.