On a recent episode of ‘What’s Burnin’ uploaded by Showtime Basketball on YouTube, former NBA champions Stephen Jackson, Matt Barnes and Paul Pierce talked about the preview for the new season and gave their picks for some major NBA awards.
At 3:45 mark of the video, Jackson and Pierce discussed the new-look Los Angeles Lakers team.
Jackson said he loves seeing Carmelo finally getting a real chance to win championship this year and added that having Russell Westbrook, James and Anthony Davis playing on the same team is exciting to watch.
“It’s good to see Melo get a chance to win the Championship, it’s also good to see Russ, LeBron, and AD get together, as a basketball fan and also as former NBA player to see those three guys on the court in the same uniform is exciting to see… but if they don’t win a championship it’s gonna be hell in LA.” Jackson said.
Pierce on the other hand, doesn’t think the Lakers could win it all and said that the new Lakers team were the same 2004 Lakers team that had Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Gary Payton and Karl Malone.
“This team is really giving me that Karl Malone Garry Payton when they were with Kobe, that kind of feel… If they’re healthy they should get to the finals, but that’s the sign there, they are older, how’s Westbrook gonna fit with LeBron… Westbrook has been ball-dominant but LeBron’s gonna have the ball in his hands, I am sorry, he’s still 26/7/7 a night, can Westbrook make that adjustment and that’s what we have to find out.”
The 2003-2004 Lakers team didn’t win it all as they lost the championship series in five games against the Detroit Pistons. Chemistry issues and age had been the major factors for the disastrous Lakers’ season that year.
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