As the Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers continue to jockey for playoff positioning, a potential NBA Play-In Tournament game between the two franchises would be must-watch basketball according to Skip Bayless.
Speaking during Tuesday's episode of “Undisputed," Bayless explained that the Warriors are looking strong heading into the end of the 2023-24 NBA regular season.
“They look different over the last eight games,” Bayless said. “They’re starting to click like Golden State, they’re starting to look like the Golden State Warriors to me.”
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Considering the Warriors and the Lakers are in position to face each other in a winner-take-all game in Los Angeles as the No. 9 and 10 seeds, the longtime analyst believes the matchup would be the greatest ever in the history of the play-in.
“If it does come down to Steph [Curry] vs. LeBron [James] here in LA, win or go home, it will be the greatest play-in 9-10 game you could ever imagine,” Bayless explained.
With the star power on hand, the matchup between the Lakers and Warriors would have plenty of drama, especially considering the win-or-go-home stakes of the play-in. James and Curry are two of the most popular basketball players on the planet, having met each other in four consecutive NBA Finals when James was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Golden State Warriors
Since signing with Los Angeles, the Warriors and Lakers have squared off in one play-in game in 2021 and the Western Conference semifinals last season. In both instances, James and Anthony Davis powered the Lakers to victories, ending the Warriors' season.
Golden State has struggled on offense this season behind Steph Curry, with Klay Thompson still trying to produce consistent shooting numbers. While the Warriors have flashed brilliance at times, numerous blown leads and backbreaking losses have led the team to its current position as the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference.
Los Angeles also has struggled through stretches of the season, but given the otherworldly potential of Davis and James in a must-win play-in game at home, Golden State will have its hands full if the standings hold to form.
While there is still a chance that the Warriors move up in the standings, the possibility of another chapter in the James-Curry rivalry still is the most likely outcome.