Shannon Sharpe calls out LA Lakers defense in play-in game against Minnesota Timberwolves

Fox Sports analyst and LA Lakers fan Shannon Sharpe called out his team's defense in their 108-102 NBA play-in win in overtime against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. Sharpe was unhappy at halftime when the Lakers were down 60-49.

The Timberwolves were on fire, shooting 58.8% from the field and 52.9% from beyond the arc. Karl-Anthony Towns was creating problems for the Lakers, scoring 17 points in the first half. He was perfect from the field, going 5-for-5 and making all six of his free throw attempts.

However, LeBron James and Anthony Davis kept the Lakers afloat with 16 and 12 points, respectively. However, it was the team's lackluster defense that almost cost them the game and the No. 7 seed.

The LA Lakers eventually came back from a 15-point deficit to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in overtime. They tightened up their defense in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter, limiting the Timberwolves to just 12 points and four in overtime.

The Lakers also forced nine turnovers during that span to set up an interesting first-round matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies. James ended the game with 30 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, while Anthony Davis had 24 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, two steals and three assists.

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Shannon Sharpe's history with Memphis Grizzlies makes LA Lakers matchup more interesting

Shannon Sharpe and Tee Morant

The LA Lakers' matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies will be one of the most interesting series of the 2023 NBA playoffs. The Lakers are looking to upset a short-handed Grizzlies team without Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke.

The Lakers won the season series between the two teams, winning two games at the Crypto.com Arena and losing one at the FedEx Forum. The two teams had an amazing game on Jan. 20, which the Lakers won 122-121.

It was headlined by the Lakers' comeback win, but Shannon Sharpe stole the show with his confrontation with several Grizzlies players at halftime. Sharpe even had a few words with Ja Morant's father, Tee Morant. With Sharpe likely to be present during the playoff games, the matchup has become more interesting.

Meanwhile, Dillon Brooks is looking forward to their matchup against the Lakers. He told Mark Giannotto of the Commercial Appeal that he doesn't mind facing LeBron James and the Lakers in the first round.

"I wouldn't mind playing LeBron in a seven-game series," he said on Tuesday. "The legacy is there. First time back in the playoffs, knock him out right away. They’ll test us good; they got good pieces, good players. That'll be a good first-round matchup for us."