Which Team Reigns Supreme: The Lakers Or The Warriors?

January 23, 2021 By Shafeeq


Which Team Reigns Supreme: The Lakers Or The Warriors?

After an injury-depleted season, the Golden State Warriors snapped a five-year streak of making it to the NBA championship. Last season, the Los Angeles Lakers marched through the league to win it all. As the 2020-2021 season is right around the corner, which team will take the Pacific Division and more?

The Superstars

The combination of LeBron James and Anthony Davis is the reason why most Comeon Bet sites have the Lakers repeating this season. Even at the age of 36 (turns this age on December 30), James has shown no signs of slowing down after averaging 25.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and a career-high 10.3 assists per game. 

Davis will turn 28 years old next season and is coming off a season that saw him average 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. Not to mention, Davis should also be in the conversation for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. 

The Warriors lost Klay Thompson for the season with a torn Achilles tendon. If Thompson was on the list, Golden State would have a real shot at contending with the Lakers’ superstars. Curry is back and healthy after playing in just five games last season. When Curry is on the floor, he can score nearly 30 points each night. 

The world is still waiting on Wiggins, the former No. 1 overall pick in 2014, to produce as a “Batman.” Last year, Wiggins averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. Despite playing for six years, Wiggins has never made an All-Star game. That has to change this year if the Warriors want to keep pace. 

Lakers roster is dominant

The Lakers were a top-5 team in defensive efficiency last season. While Gasol is not in his prime anymore, the 35-year old can serve as a veteran voice and as a role player for Davis. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Wes Matthews both shot over 38% from three-point range last season. The Lakers managed to not get just one potential Sixth Man of the Year, but two. 

The Lakers signed former Clippers big man and 2020 Sixth Man of the Year power forward Montrezl Harrell. The 26-year old is coming off a season where he averaged 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. There’s also Dennis Schroeder, who averaged more than 18 points a game last season and was the Runner Up for Sixth Man of the Year.

Golden State doesn’t have enough

Watching what Curry and Wiggins can do together in a full season has brought a level of intrigue to the table. That could be a combined 55 points every night. Draymond Green had a down year statistically compared to years in the past, but he is nowhere past his prime. He can play toe-to-toe with anybody. Kelly Oubre averaged 18.7 points last season for the Suns, and that seems to get washed away. No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman is a dealbreaker. 

Before Wiseman was suspended at Memphis, he was on pace to be the guaranteed No. 1 overall pick in the draft. At 7-foot-1, 240-pounds, Wiseman has an NBA-ready body. The bench as a whole is weak though. The days of looking at the bench and asking for big minutes from Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, and Zaza Pachulia are over. However, we should give head coach Steve Kerr credit.

In the end, while the Warriors own one of the best sports team names, the Lakers are going to prevail in the state of California.

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