In the lead-up to last night’s Play-In game between the Lakers and Pelicans, ESPN’s Mike Greenberg and others floated the idea that Los Angeles should consider losing to avoid the reigning champion Nuggets in Round 1 of the playoffs.
Those statements eventually got back to Lakers head coach Darvin Ham after LA’s 110-106 win when a reporter asked if he had heard about the “TV talking stuff.” To which Ham questioned if those people had just got out of the insane asylum.
Greenberg took the coach’s response in stride on Wednesday morning’s “Get Up.” Saying, “That’s exactly what he should say. I respect the hell out of him and them for doing what they did last night. Because I stand by my premise.”
Stephen A. Smith, however, seemed to really be bothered by the question when “First Take” came on the air.
I’m very protective of the industry, but every now and then, there’s some weak [expletive] reporters out there that bring up questions like that — talk, TV talk. Ask a direct question. We didn’t sit up here and suggest that the Lakers should avoid the Denver Nuggets. What we asked was: ‘Were you going to? Because the Denver Nuggets have been whipping your [expletive].’ They beat you eight straight. It’s been over a year and a half since you recorded a victory against him. That’s what we said.
Obviously, Los Angeles ended up getting the win and clinching its spot in the postseason against the two-seeded Nuggets.
And while it’ll certainly be a challenge, one could argue that the first round is the best chance the Lakers will have to potentially beat last year’s champs.