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LaVar Ball: Anthony Davis and 'What's-His-Name LeBron' Are 'Not Gonna Last'
May 13, 2020
LaVar Ball isn't convinced that Anthony Davis and LeBron James will be able to bring long-term success to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Appearing Tuesday on Complex Sports' Load Management podcast, Ball expressed his belief that neutralizing Davis, James and the Lakers as a whole shouldn't be difficult:
"AD and—what's his name—LeBron, they're not gonna last," Ball said. "All you gotta do is double team AD and LeBron until they're so tired; let somebody else beat you."
Before the 2019-20 NBA season was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, Davis and James were proving to be a dominant tandem, as they had the Lakers off to a 49-14 start, which was good for first place in the Western Conference.
Despite their success, Ball was adamant that the New Orleans Pelicans would have upset the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. At the time the season was suspended, the Pels were 10th in the West and trailed the eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies by 3.5 games.
Ball's eldest son, Lonzo Ball, is in the midst of his first season with the Pelicans after being traded from the Lakers as part of the deal that sent Davis to L.A.
The Pelicans are considered one of the most promising young teams in the NBA with Ball, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram leading the way, but they are seemingly still a year or two away from being contenders in the Western Conference.
Meanwhile, Davis and James are at the top of their game in Los Angeles, and they have proved throughout the 2019-20 season that it is nearly impossible to stop both of them in the same game.
Perhaps the Pelicans will have a chance to make good on LaVar's prediction should the 2019-20 season resume at some point in the near future, but the Lakers will be the favorites to represent the West in the NBA Finals.