After months of silence, LaVar Ball, the outspoken father of New Orleans Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball, is back in the spotlight. In a clip from an appearance on FS1’s Undisputed , which is currently posted on Twitter , the elder Ball discussed several topics — including the potential matchup between the Pelicans and the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs.
Lonzo and the Pelicans are currently out of the playoff race, but if ever they earn the No. 8 seed and face LeBron James and the Lakers in the opening round, LaVar confidently said that New Orleans would be the one advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals.
“The Lakers will lose…Let me tell you why, you’ve got my son in a different mode,” LaVar said. “You’ve never seen my son in playoff mode and ain’t never seen him in revenge mode.”
Though the 2020 NBA Playoffs are still a ways off, LaVar already has an idea in mind on how the Pelicans will be able to beat the Lakers in a best-of-seven series.
“I could beat the Lakers easy because I’m going to double team him and AD the whole game,” LaVar said, as quoted by Lonzo Wire . “I don’t care what Kuzma or anybody else do. They’re going to be so tired. LeBron, he’s going to back it in, he’s stronger. And don’t let him get to shooting those threes, too. It’s a wrap then.”
It is not a surprise that LaVar is betting on the Pelicans, but most people would definitely disagree with his prediction. The Pelicans may have a promising core of Ball, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, and Jrue Holiday, but they aren’t anywhere near the level of the Lakers, who currently own the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference. Aside from the absence of a legitimate NBA superstar on their roster, most of the players on the Pelicans’ team lack playoff experience.
Meanwhile, though most people believe that James influenced the Lakers’ decision to engage in a blockbuster deal that sent Lonzo to New Orleans, LaVar has nothing but praise for LeBron. LaVar may have predicted the Lakers to lose against the Pelicans in the first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs, but he sees James winning the Most Valuable Player award in the 2019-20 NBA season.
Despite James’ age, LaVar said that the sports icon is still “strong” and “fast.” LaVar added that without James on their roster, the Lakers wouldn’t be able to achieve anything this season.
