Former Lakers forward/center John Salley gave his prediction for the 2021 NBA Finals. The four-time NBA champion, who won a title in 2000 with the Lakers, does not see his former team going back-to-back.

Instead, Salley thinks that the cross-town rivals the Clippers will take on the Milwaukee Bucks at the ultimate stage of the season.

“Watching what transpired for the Clippers, they put together a team that hopefully won’t disappear in the last 12 minutes. And I think that last 12 minutes those guys remember it’s going to haunt them until they get over it,” Salley said on VLAD TV.

“So getting guys in there to Kawhi, getting guys in there that understand what their job is and what their focus needs to be is just as LeBron did when he had a conversation with AD or D-Wade had a conversation with LeBron when it’s time to come to Miami, KD having a conversation with Steph Curry when it’s time to Golden State…”

“I see the Los Angeles Clippers versus the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals… This is my reason: The Lakers, when I saw McGee and Rondo and Dwight on other teams, it takes a team to win a championship. Proven fact: Michael Jordan couldn’t do without a team, Kobe couldn’t do without a team. I love that they got Gasol on the squad, but this offense works differently.

“And the fact that Kawhi is asking Ty Lue to put the triangle offense in is because Kawhi realized Phil Jackson won ten championships with a system. They won with a system in Golden State. That was an important thing.”