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Los Angeles Lakers: Breaking down playoff series vs. the longshots

By Kevin Germany

CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 08: Head coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs watches the scoreboard during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on March 08, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 08: Head coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs watches the scoreboard during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on March 08, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

The Los Angeles Lakers very well could face a longshot in the NBA Playoffs

Miracles in sports typically happen only once a decade on the biggest stage. These upsets are immortalized in sports history:

  • 1969 Football: Jets and QB Joe Namath defeat the heavily favored Colts 16-7 in Super Bowl III (the Colts were favored by 17.5 points)
  • 1980 Hockey: USA beats the Soviet Union 4-3 in the 1980 Winter Olympics
  • 1990 Boxing: Buster Douglas knocks out Mike Tyson in 93 seconds
  • 2000 Wrestling: Rulon Gardner defeats Aleksandr Karelin 1-0 in the 2000 Olympics Gold Medal match (Karelin had not lost a match in 13 years)
  • 2008 Football: the New York Giants, who barely squeaked into the playoffs at 10-6, upset the undefeated New England Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII
  • 2018 NCAA Basketball: #16 seed UMBC beat #1 seed Virginia by 20 points (first time in NCAA history a #16 seed beat a #1 seed)

Would another miracle happen in 2020? Would the Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, or the Phoenix Suns actually beat the Los Angeles Lakers in a best of 7 series?

I would be shocked if any of them get into the play-in game, much less win a single game against the Lakers, much less beat the Lakers in a best of 7 series. A first-round upset in this bubble would be cataclysmic.

Anthony Davis might leave the Lakers in free agency, which would affect Giannis’s free agency decision in 2021. Let’s break down the chances of this ever-so-slim disaster actually happening.

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