The Los Angeles Lakers’ impressive 128-112 win on Sunday in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies has more and more people feeling bullish about their prospects this spring.
That feeling was amplified by the hand injury Ja Morant suffered in the fourth quarter of the contest. It has placed his status moving forward in doubt. Memphis has already been without starting center Steven Adams and key frontcourt reserve Brandon Clarke.
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith said on Monday’s episode of “First Take” that in his view, the series is over and that the Lakers will advance.
Nick Wright of Fox Sports 1 feels the same way, saying “there’s no way the Lakers lose this series” (h/t The Cold Wire).
"There's no way the Lakers lose this series."
— @getnickwright explains: pic.twitter.com/2yTUrEUiY7
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) April 17, 2023
Wright, a noted LeBron James apologist, pointed out how the superstar is 27-2 in playoff series where his team wins the first game, as well as the fact that, other than in 2021 when he was recovering from a freak ankle injury caused by the Atlanta Hawks’ Solomon Hill, he is 14-0 in the first round.
Even if Morant is able to continue playing, the Lakers did a pretty good job on him defensively in Game 1, holding him to 18 points and forcing him into six turnovers. The play of Jarred Vanderbilt, who guarded Morant quite often, stood out in particular.
The Lakers will have the opportunity to take a commanding 2-0 series lead back to the Southland when Game 2 takes place on Wednesday.
