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The LA Lakers will face the Phoenix Suns in the 2023-24 NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinal on Tuesday, making it the third clash between both teams this season. The Lakers won the regular season affair 100-95 and again had the better of Kevin Durant and company in an In-Season matchup with a 122-119 win. The Suns, however, have been on a tear since and have clawed back into the marquee tournament to book a quarterfinal berth against LA.
The Suns will also have the added firepower of Devin Booker. With the All-Star guard available, the Lakers will have their hands full when they take on the double threat of Booker and Durant. That said, LA will still fancy their chances at the business end of the tournament as they have two of the best one-two-punch combos in LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Ahead of the much-awaited clash of the heavyweights, here are three reasons why the LA Lakers could win the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament.
3 reasons why the LA Lakers can win the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament
#3 The Lakers are finally getting healthy
Injuries played a massive role in the team's sine wave-like campaign this season. With key names in Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura missing a good chunk of games, the Purple and Gold's defense was wobbly at best, but they will now field a unit that can stop the Booker and Durant juggernaut in the quarterfinals.
Except for Gabe Vincent, the rest of the LA unit is available to take the court and that would mean James and Davis are surrounded by the best pieces to help them get past the Suns.
#2 LeBron James and Anthony Davis
In what comes as good news, Anthony Davis has been healthy through the season, averaging 22.9 points and 12.5 rebounds. In the two games against Phoenix, he propped up 24.0 points and 11.5 rebounds, making him a bonafide threat heading into the contest.
LeBron James has still been producing at an elite level this season, averaging 24.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.4 assists with no regard for the minutes he's playing per contest. Should the two of them click in unison again, they will be well on their way to winning a title before setting their sights on the big picture.
#1 The Lakers have added motivation
It's all about the green for LA when it comes to the In-Season Tournament. The deeper a team makes it into the knockout rounds, the more money each player rakes in. The quarterfinals are worth $50,000.
The semifinals are twice, with $100,000. By making it to the final, a team can earn $200,000. Win the tournament and each player earns $500,000. That's some serious moolah that a player can pocket. And with the likes of James and Davis making it clear that money was an added motivation, expect them to go all in and play their best ball to make the most money out of the knockout rounds.
