NBA veteran Marcus Morris sees the Los Angeles Lakers as legitimate contenders to win the Western Conference this season.
In an interview with KOC Show of Yahoo Sports, Morris pointed to LeBron James and Luka Doncic as the key reasons the Lakers can surpass teams like Oklahoma City, Minnesota, and Phoenix in the playoffs.
“I’m going to go with the Lakers. Whenever you have LeBron James and Luka Doncic as your primary ball handlers, and Austin Reaves as the third option, I love that because now you can put the ball in each of those guys’ hands,” Morris said, via HoopsHype.
Morris also highlighted the shift from Anthony Davis to Doncic, arguing that the Slovenian’s arrival has balanced the Lakers’ offense. “I felt this—Anthony Davis was in LeBron’s way because LeBron’s really a four now,” he said.
The free agent forward also emphasized the matchup problems Doncic creates for opposing teams, stating that when “77 walks in the building, OKC, Minnesota, Phoenix, Clippers, they dread seeing him.”
Morris’ twin brother, Markieff, joined the Lakers as part of the blockbuster Luka Doncic trade earlier this season.
The Lakers (42-25) currently sit fourth in the Western Conference, with James averaging 25 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 8.5 assists, while Doncic is putting up 26.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 8.1 assists since arriving in Los Angeles.
With the playoffs approaching, the Lakers remain focused on securing a top seed and proving Morris’ prediction right.
