The second and by definition final semi-final of the NBA In-Season Tournament will pit the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans this evening at 3:00 a.m. Who will represent the Western Conference in the final?
Business and scouting trip for LeBron James to Las Vegas. From California to Nevada, the road is not very long, that of the transition between his role as a player and owner of an NBA franchise, maybe a little more.
Longer because LeBron James still does not seem to be at the crossroads as he is still dominant on the floors. A few days before his 39th birthday, the King is still averaging nearly 25 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists per game. He is also the main person responsible for his team’s qualification for the semi-finals of the competition. Against the Suns, in a quarter-final marked by a refereeing debate at the end of the match, the child from Akron however sent 31 units and 11 assists. Like a desire for Sin City.
The Lakers will face an almost complete Pelicans team. The last time Louisiana’s team wasn’t hampered by injuries, at the end of 2022, it was first in the West. Since then, Zion Williamson has been injured, and at the start of the season, CJ McCollum and Trey Murphy III in particular were missing. When they are all dressed, Willie Green’s squad is very dangerous as they proved by eliminating the Kings in the quarter-finals of the competition last Monday.
The two teams are not dominant during this regular season, they are fifth and eighth, but seem to be motivated by In-Season Tournament established by Adam Silver and in particular by the evening celebrating the possible trophy.
Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram burst out laughing at a press conference when a journalist asked them how they planned to celebrate in the event of a final victory.
Here is the clip for those who would like a laugh on this beautiful Wednesday. https://t.co/sMyxcHcDXy pic.twitter.com/5LZhERs7vQ
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) December 6, 2023
But to celebrate you have to win and the penultimate stage will take place this evening at 3:00 a.m. in Las Vegas.
2023-12-07 15:24:00
#InSeason #Tournament #demifinales #preview #Lakers
